Chapter 3

The moment I opened the door, my words died in my throat.

The brand new bedsheets I had meticulously prepared were crumpled up and tossed carelessly onto the floor.

The guest bedroom was crammed with unfamiliar belongings.

A giant, half-human-sized teddy bear was sprawled across the bed.

It felt like a blatant declaration of ownership.

The sound of the front door opening echoed and it was followed by a soft, delicate laugh.

"Dr. Frank, thank you so much for taking me to check out that restaurant. It was seriously delicious!" Yvonne's voice drifted in.

"All the bad vibes from being isolated by my roommates were completely cured by that dessert!"

Tony caught sight of me and quickly explained with a flat, detached voice, "Yvonne had a falling out with her roommates and can't stay in the dorms anymore.

“She's planning to move out. Since she hasn't found an apartment yet, she'll be staying in the guest room temporarily."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Tony, I told you a week ago that Gina was coming to stay here."

Tony froze.

The look on his face in that fraction of a second told me everything I needed to know.

He had forgotten.

When I told him about it a week ago, his voice was dripping with impatience.

“You should decide on minor things like this yourself. Don't ask me about everything, it's exhausting.”

That was what he said

But now, he pressed his lips together with his voice dropping slightly. "I'm sorry..."

He held up a dessert bag.

With his tone softened as if he was coaxing a child throwing a tantrum.

"The restaurant we went to today seems like the type you'd like. I'll take you there this weekend."

I glanced at the logo on the paper bag.

It was the exact restaurant I had repeatedly begged Tony to take me to in the past.

Back then, his excuse was always that he was too busy with work and he had no time.

I took the paper bag and casually tossed it straight into the trash can.

Tony’s breath was caught in his throat before he could let it out.

Yvonne squeezed her way forward, speaking in her usual soft, delicate voice, "Mary, it's all my fault. I can just squeeze into the bed with your friend. I really don't mind."

I let out a sharp sneer.

Grabbing Yvonne's bedsheets and the giant teddy bear, I threw them straight out into the hallway.

Yvonne gasped, her eyes instantly brimming with tears.

"Mary, those are the things I need to use tonight! What am I supposed to do if you just throw them away?"

I glanced toward the master bedroom and smiled politely.

"You can just squeeze in with Tony. I really don't mind."

Yvonne’s face flushed a deep crimson.

"Mary, if you don't want me here, just say so! Is there any need to humiliate me like this?"

Acting as if she had suffered the ultimate insult, her eyes turned red.

She spun around and ran away in tears.

Tony didn't chase after her. He just stood there, frowning at me.

"Mary, she's always been a bit clumsy and childish. She didn't ruin your things on purpose.

“If you didn't want her to stay here, you could have just said so. I could have booked a hotel room for her.

“There was no need to deliberately hurt her like that."

I let my smile fade completely.

"This is our home. Don't you think you should have consulted me before bringing an outsider here?"

Tony's frown deepened.

He looked at me as if I was throwing an unreasonable fit.

"Yvonne is being isolated by her classmates at school and her mood is incredibly bad.

“I thought you'd have at least a shred of compassion but your very first reaction is to bicker over whether I consulted you or not."

"Besides, she's only staying for two days. Is it really necessary to make a formal discussion out of a minor, temporary arrangement like this?"

"Just like how Gina is coming to stay over these next few days, you didn't have to consult me either."

If this had been the old me, I would have impulsively called a male friend over to stay the night just to see how Tony would react.

But now, I merely nodded in absolute tranquility.

"You're right. There really is no need to consult each other."

Tit for tat.

By that logic, moving out of this city and breaking up with him probably wouldn't require a discussion either.

---

"Go ahead and help Yvonne book that hotel then," I said.

I thoughtfully held the door open for Tony.

Then, I turned around, unzipped my suitcase and started packing my clothes.

But he didn't seem satisfied with my reaction. He reached out and aggressively grabbed my wrist.

"She's an adult, she can book it herself," he snapped.

"More importantly, why are you packing your bags all of a sudden? Where are you going?”