Chapter 3

My landlord immediately gave me a call.

“Why aren’t you continuing your lease? I thought you’d already reviewed the contract.”

“Some changes took place at work.”

“What about your boyfriend? During the last viewing, he said that he would move in after Independence Day.”

I was quiet for a while.

“I no longer have a boyfriend.”

After I hung up, I started to pack my belongings.

Half of the closet was filled with Sawyer’s clothes.

There was his shaver in the bathroom and his shoes in the cabinet. Even my study was filled with his gaming equipment.

Even though he had said that we were not cohabitating, he had taken up a lot of space in my life.

On the contrary, I never managed to get a true space in his.

That afternoon, Willa sent me a photo.

It was a photo of a fresh bedroom.

The bedsheets were the light gray ones that Sawyer and I bought together. The lamp that I bought for him was placed on the table.

[Dawn, you have such good taste.]

[Sawyer said my rental house had some leaking issues, so he asked me to stay with him for a while. I hope you don't mind.]

I stared at that lamp for a few seconds.

I had bought that for Sawyer’s new house.

He had said he would move after Independence Day. After the move was completed, we would meet each other’s parents.

However, another woman ended up staying in that house before I did.

I did not reply to her text message. Instead, I called Sawyer.

It was noisy on his end. They were assembling furniture.

“Make it quick. I’m busy.”

“Why is Willa staying at your new house?”

“Her house’s ceiling is leaking, and the landlord isn’t doing anything about it. I can’t let her be homeless.”

“You promised me that it’d be our marital home.”

Sawyer clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“She’s just staying for a few days. Why won’t you drop the matter? It’s as if we’re already married.”

I could hear Liam laughing over the phone.

“That’s right, you’re not even engaged! Why are you acting like you’re his wife?”

Jason also chimed in.

“Dawn, you have your own house. Willa has nowhere to go now. Can’t you weigh the severity?”

I grabbed my phone tightly and suddenly recalled how we had viewed that house a year ago.

Sawyer was taking measurements of the bedroom, and he had said that he wanted to place two lamps on either side of the bed.

One for him to play games, and another one for me to read.

A part of me was already certain that Willa had already been given the other lamp.

“How long is she staying there?”

“We’ll know after her place is fixed.”

“Is it going to be a week or a month?”

Sawyer grew impatient.

“Will the questions ever stop?!

“There’s nothing between us. You don’t even have any trust in me. How are we going to get married?”

I finally understood.

They would always have a thousand and one excuses to prove how inconsiderate, petty, and unreasonable I was.

As long as I brought up my feelings, I would be in the wrong.

“Fine.

“Let’s not get married.”

Sawyer was quiet for two seconds before laughing.

“Here we go again.

“Yesterday, you chased us out. Today, you’re calling our marriage off. Are you done with your act?

“Call me when you finally calm down. I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

He hung up the phone.

He was confident that I would regret it in just days.

After all, ever since we were children, I always gave in first whenever we had an argument.

When Sawyer forgot about our anniversary, I made up excuses for him.

Jason told Willa my secret to cheer her up while claiming that I could take a joke.

When Liam accompanied Willa to attend a concert on my birthday, I even made supper for them.

They knew I would be upset.

However, they also knew that I would still stay despite being upset.

My phone buzzed again.

It was a transfer notice from my company’s HR.

Six months ago, the company wanted to transfer me to South City to head a new project.

I was offered a promotion and a huge raise.

That time, I had rejected that offer.

It was because Sawyer had claimed that we were going to meet each other’s parents in preparation for our wedding. If I left, we would need to delay the progress again.

The HR personnel, Jane Pond, asked me, [The position is still open. We’re confirming with you for the very last time if you’ll be able to take up the transfer after Independence Day?]

I no longer hesitated.

[I can do that. When’s the soonest I’ll be transferred?]

Jane’s reply came very quickly.

[8th October.]

I bought my train ticket and took down the photos of us displayed on my bookshelves.

Then, a text message popped up in our group chat.

Willa took a photo of the barbecue dinner.

Sawyer, Jason, and Liam were raising their cups as they smiled happily.

[Thank you to these lovely gentlemen who gave me a home.]

Sawyer mentioned me in the group chat.

[Stop with your tantrum now.]

[We’ll go to your place for dinner tomorrow, and let’s talk it out.]

Immediately after, he added, [Willa wants to eat your specialty grilled fish. Remember to buy groceries in advance.]

I tapped on my train ticket.

I would only leave after another three days.