Chapter 5

After seven years together, I thought that no matter what happened, Vito should at least trust me as a person.

I never expected that as long as Lucia was involved, even seven years meant nothing.

One word from her was enough to condemn me, leaving me with no chance to defend myself.

It was blatant favoritism, and unmistakable partiality.

And in the end, I was nothing more than a substitute who had nothing of my own.

There was no point arguing anymore.

Ignoring Vito’s angry scolding behind me, I turned and walked away.

With a clear handprint still visible on my cheek, I didn’t want to ruin my colleagues’ mood, so I didn’t return to the private room.

Instead, I went to the front desk alone, paid the bill, and then messaged them to let them know I had to leave unexpectedly.

“Something came up, so I had to leave early. Enjoy yourselves and have a good time. I’ve already taken care of the bill!”

Dragging my exhausted body home, I looked around the place where I had lived for seven years more carefully than I ever had before.

Every corner held a sweet memory of Vito and me.

Everything I had once believed was perfect had now turned into countless sharp blades, stabbing straight into my heart.

I found a large cardboard box and spent the entire night awake, clearing away every trace of the happiness we had once shared.

The matching slippers embroidered with our initials, the coffee mugs whose full design only appeared when they were placed together, the paired keychains that automatically lit up whenever we came within ten meters of each other…

And an entire box filled with Polaroid photos of us together and commemorative albums.

Those things had once been the only way I could reassure myself of my relationship with Vito whenever I felt most insecure.

Now, there was no reason for any of them to exist anymore.

Vito didn’t come home for half a month.

During those two weeks, aside from finishing my design work, I practically emptied the entire house.

I also got rid of all the furniture I had personally bought, piece by piece.

By the end, the house seemed to have returned to the way it had been when I first moved in.

Black and white tones dominated the space, and everything was so simple that I could see from one end of the house to the other.

The night before I left, I thought there were some things I needed to make clear to Vito, so I called him.

But every time I called, Vito hung up on me.

After a while, Vito sent me a message.

【If you still haven’t realized what you did wrong, and you’re not sincerely willing to apologize to Lucia, then I don’t think there’s any need for us to talk.】

I gave a bitter laugh.

If that was how he felt, then so be it.

We didn’t need to talk.

The next morning, I left on an early private jet, suitcase in hand.

The warm, cozy home I had once been so reluctant to leave now stood behind me, and to my surprise, I felt nothing but an overwhelming sense of relief.

Just before I boarded the plane, my phone was flooded with birthday wishes.

Some wished me a better and better future.

Some wished me peace, safety, and a smooth, happy life.

Others wished that I would marry the right person and be happy for the rest of my life.

After replying to each and every one of them, I turned off my phone.

The moment the plane took off, I thought to myself—

I will.

With so many people wishing me happiness, I’m sure I’ll be happy.