Chapter 3

After killing some time outside, I returned home and noticed a pair of women's high heels by the door. I instantly recognized them as the heels I had bought for Edna.

Though we weren't living together yet, I had given her a spare key to my apartment.

In the living room, she was curled up on the couch and taking a nap. When she heard the noise, she slowly opened her eyes and didn't look well.

I walked straight past her, hung my coat on the rack, and headed into the kitchen to start cooking, treating her like she wasn't even there.

Her voice came out hoarse when she spoke. "Zackary, why did you block me everywhere?"

I tied an apron and calmly said, "I remember sending you a message to tell you that we're done."

She sighed. "Is that just because I missed our appointment at the city hall?

"I'm sorry, but Nolan did get scratched by a cat. The wound was really deep—"

"This is the fifth time," I cut her off.

The kitchen knife hit the cutting board with a dull, heavy thud as I continued, "This is the fifth time you've stood me up for him, Edna."

She froze and looked genuinely shocked. "You were fine with it the other times. Why are you making such a big deal out of it now?"

As I turned around, I noticed the genuine confusion in her expression. It hit me then that she never thought she had done anything wrong.

I slammed the knife into a tomato. Its juice sprayed across the counter—just like the calm I had been struggling to maintain finally crumbling.

"So he calls, and you drop everything, while I can't even get you to answer one phone call?

"Are you his last friend on this planet? Does he really need someone else's girlfriend to rush over every time something happens? Do you honestly think that makes sense, Edna?"

Faced with my questions, she fell silent for a moment and clearly did not want a fight. "You're too emotional right now, Zackary. I won't fight you, but you have to understand that Nolan and I grew up together…"

I let out a short laugh at the same excuse I had heard countless times.

"Right. You grew up together, so does that give him the right to intrude on our relationship as he wishes? Is that a valid reason for you to stand me up over and over on the day we were supposed to register our marriage?

"Ask yourself, Edna. Who was your boyfriend these past few years?"

The kitchen fell into an eerie silence. The slow drip of an unclosed faucet was the only sound in the room.

Edna's eyes darted away, and she opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.

I shut my eyes hard. The turmoil of emotions in my chest finally receded like a tide and left endless exhaustion.

I turned, walked to the door, and opened it. "You should leave. There's no need for us to get married anymore since this ends here."

She snapped her head up, and her eyes were full of disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," I said and picked up her spare key from the shoe cabinet. "Now, please leave."

She stood where she was with confusion written all over her face, as if she couldn't understand a word I was saying.

That was when my patience finally ran out. I took her wrist and gently but firmly guided her out the door.

"Zackary!"

She finally reacted. Her voice was full of panic as she screamed, "Have you lost your mind? Over something this small—"

I didn't answer and gently closed the door.

Exhaustion was the only thing I felt about my relationship with Edna. I was utterly worn out.

Right now, I had had enough and decided it was time to cut my losses.