Chapter 4

“Monica, you have to come. Otherwise, it means you don’t consider me a friend.”

I really couldn’t refuse any longer, so at five that afternoon, I arrived outside the private room.

I was about to knock when I raised my hand, then lowered it again.

It was because I heard my name.

“…You danced the opening dance with Sophia that night. Weren’t you afraid Monica would get jealous?” someone asked.

Edward’s voice carried a hint of amusement, completely unconcerned.

“With that temper of Monica, she needs to be taught a lesson once in a while.”

“She’s way too controlling and overbearing. She doesn’t give me any freedom at all.”

“What’s the big deal with me dancing with someone else? ”

Someone followed up with a question.

“But what if Monica really gets angry? Aren’t you afraid she’ll break up with you?”

Edward laughed again.

“I’ve grown up with Monica for more than ten years. I know what kind of person she is better than anyone.”

“Don’t worry. She’ll just throw a little tantrum. She’ll be fine in a few days.”

“Just like last time, when I insisted on going to the movies with Sophia.”

After a pause, he added, his tone even lighter,

“Even if the sky came crashing down, there’s no way she’d ever break up with me.”

“Of that, I can be one hundred percent certain.”

I stood outside the door.

There was no pain.

No anger.

I just felt exhausted.

He was right.

I had argued with him. I had thrown tantrums.

But I had never once asked to break up.

Every time he crossed the line, every time he treated my boundaries like something he could keep stretching, every time he said, “You won’t really be mad at me, right?”

I always forgive.

Not because I didn’t have a temper.

But because I loved him.

But now I understood.

In his eyes, my patience meant my boundaries could be pushed back indefinitely.

He had taken all the kindness I gave him as proof that I couldn’t live without him.

I was about to turn around and leave.

Then someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.

“Monica, why aren’t you going inside?”

Sophia looked at me with a bright smile.

Before I could answer, she had already reached out and pushed the door open.

Everyone inside the private room turned toward the entrance.

Edward was sitting directly opposite the door, with an empty seat beside him.

When he saw me, he froze for a moment.

Then his expression quickly returned to normal, and he even smiled at me.

Ron was the first to react.

He stood up and waved at me.

“Monica’s here? Come in, come in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Sophia half-pushed, half-guided me into the private room.

Ron took my arm and led me toward the empty seat beside Edward.

I didn’t sit down.

“I’ll just stand for a while.”

Ron wouldn’t take no for an answer and forcibly pressed me down into the chair.

Edward looked up at me and said softly,

“You’re here?”

His tone was completely natural, as if nothing had ever happened.

The tie clip I gave was back on his tie.

The blue gemstone matched the color of his eyes.

But right beside the tie clip was a faint indentation.

It was left behind by Sophia’s tie clip.

I said nothing and lowered my head to eat.

The table was lively.

Edward was chatting with Sophia, and their laughter drifted over from time to time.

I didn’t look at them.

I didn’t say anything either.