Chapter 5

"I didn't forget that I promised to treat your friends to dinner tomorrow. I've already made a reservation. Just go there and ask for the room directly."

She sent me the restaurant's address. It was an expensive place.

The next day, all my friends gathered in the private room.

They looked around in disbelief. "No way. Jessica is so stingy. Did she really agree to treat us to a meal here? This place must cost at least fifty bucks per person."

I smiled and told them some good news. "She's not paying. I am. I received a transfer order from headquarters. I'm going to be the general manager in Astarville City."

My friends were thrilled. "Congratulations! Doesn't that mean you'll be on the same level as Jessica now? But you'll have to be in different cities. Have you told Jessica yet?"

I shook my head and was about to speak when my phone rang.

The screen displayed a single name.

[Jessica.]

When I answered, the voice on the other end belonged to Henry.

"Don't wait for her. She's not coming. Hunter, you've been dating her for all these years, but do you know why she's so stingy?]

"When she was little, her mom got into a fight with her dad and deliberately took her and left. She accidentally got lost and wandered on the streets for six months before she was finally found and brought home.

"She was terrified of being poor after that, and ever since then, she's had this obsession with saving money and never spending it. She never told you any of this, did she? What a pathetic boyfriend you are."

I'd asked Jessica countless times about the reason behind her behavior.

She'd always brushed the questions aside.

It turned out I simply wasn't worthy of knowing.

I said nothing.

Henry's voice continued.

"You must be wondering how I know so much, right? Let me tell you the truth. There's nothing ordinary about the relationship between Jessica and me. We were never just senior and junior from college.

"If it weren't for the huge gap between our families and her family's opposition, we'd have gotten together a long time ago.

"She got together with you because you're cheap and convenient. You're nothing more than my replacement. That's all."

The call ended.

The entire private room fell silent.

The smiles disappeared from my friends' faces and were replaced by anger.

"How could she treat you like this? This won't do. We have to confront her."

I shook my head. "Let's wait another thirty minutes. If she doesn't show up by then, I'll stop waiting for her for good and report to work at my new position."

My friends wanted to persuade me otherwise, but they couldn't find the words. In the end, they silently waited with me.

Ten minutes later, Jessica sent me a message.

[Something urgent came up at the company. I'll be late.]

Twenty minutes later, she sent me another message.

[I'm getting ready to leave now.]

Thirty minutes later, I received yet another one.

[I'm almost there. If you're hungry, order something first.]

The time was up.

I grabbed the suitcase I'd already packed and hailed a cab.

"This one's on me. We're celebrating my promotion. I'm just going to miss part of it. Next time, visit me in Astarville City, and I'll drink with you until we're all wasted."

Not one of my friends tried to stop me.

They practically pushed me out the door. They were afraid I might change my mind, but I wouldn't.

My seven-year relationship came to an end at that moment.

An hour later, I arrived at the airport and was about to board my flight when I received another message from Jessica.

[I'm here!]

This time, I didn't even tap on it. I blocked her number and boarded the flight toward a brighter future.