Love after the Storm

My grip on my phone tightened instantly, and my blood ran cold.

James had always been fiercely protective of his personal space. Even when I spent a weekend at his apartment, he would frown in displeasure if I so much as moved his water glass. I had spent five years accommodating him before he finally relented and agreed to let me move in. He had even taken the initiative to clear out half of his wardrobe for me.

His compromise had filled me with excitement. I even went out and bought a complete set of matching couple's clothing. Only now did I realize that the forbidden space I had tiptoed around so carefully was a place someone else could enter effortlessly.

Looking at Serene's innocent face through the crack in the door, I suddenly found myself too exhausted to even feel angry.

"Maria, would you like to come in for a while? James said there's going to be a hurricane these next few days, so he told me not to wander around." Serene stepped aside as she spoke.

The living room was crammed with luggage. There was not even enough room for me to step inside.

Then, my eyes fell on the oversized shirt she was wearing.

It was James' favorite.

I had once forgotten to bring my pajamas after showering and casually threw it on. Back then, James had frowned immediately and told me to take it off. He said he did not like other people getting water stains on his clothes, even if that person was the girlfriend he had dated for five years.

Now, that very same shirt hung loosely on another girl.

"No, thanks," I said calmly. "Sorry for bothering you."

I turned toward the elevator and pressed the button to go down. By the time I walked out of the building, the cold wind hit me, and only then did I realize my limbs had gone numb from waiting.

I was still carrying a large shopping bag, and inside was the matching couple's clothing I had carefully picked out. It was made of silk and had cost me more than half a month's salary. James had finally agreed to let me move into his apartment, and I had been excitedly planning every detail of our life together.

When I passed the garbage bin at the entrance of the residential complex, I stopped. Then, without the slightest hesitation, I tossed the entire thing into the bin.

As the lid fell shut, it crushed the very last of my hopes.

I checked into a budget hotel nearby.

Early the next morning, I put on makeup and took a taxi to the company.

Today was the day I was returning to my former office to hand over the last business documents before officially leaving.

To end our long-distance relationship and devote myself fully to taking care of James, I had handed in my resignation half a month earlier, giving up what had been an excellent opportunity for promotion.

After the handover was complete, my supervisor sighed and said, "Maria, you're giving up your career for a man. I hope you won't regret it someday."

At the time, I had only smiled. Looking back now, my supervisor had seen things far more clearly than I ever had.

After leaving the office building, I walked past the upscale restaurant downstairs.

In that split second, my steps came to an abrupt halt.

Through the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, I saw James, who was supposedly away on a business trip.

He was sitting by the window. Across from him sat Serene, the same girl who had been wearing his shirt the night before.

Serene was pouting as she poked at the steak on her plate, seemingly complaining about something. Meanwhile, James smiled helplessly and naturally pulled her plate toward himself.

James had an extreme obsession with cleanliness. In the five years we had been together, he had never once eaten my leftovers. Even when we shared a cup of milk tea, he refused to use the same straw as me.

Yet, he was now patiently picking every piece of onion out of Serene's steak with his own fork and placing them onto his own plate. When he was done, he casually cut up a piece of steak and held it to Serene's lips.

Serene smiled and took a bite.

All this time, I was standing outside the glass window. The sunlight fell across my body, but I could not feel the slightest warmth.