Chapter 1

"Are you finally planning to... go public with our relationship?" Sinead Green asked Nelson Lane as she looked at him with hope.

Nelson raised his brow and gave her a sideways look. "Go public with what? My family set up a date for me at my home tomorrow. Come over and help keep things lively so she doesn't feel awkward."

Sinead was shocked upon hearing those words.

She could hear her heart beat as her mind went blank. "Your family is setting up a date for you? Then what am I supposed to be?"

Nelson had already gotten up and was getting dressed. He simply gave Sinead a lazy glance as he said, "You? You're my friend for everything. My food buddy, my gaming buddy, and the one I sleep with to take care of each other's physical needs."

A chill ran down Sinead's spine as the color drained from her face, her lips trembling.

Seeing her expression, the smile on Nelson's face slowly faded. He leaned in toward her. "Come on, Sinead. You didn't really think we were boyfriend and girlfriend all these years, did you?"

That teasing tone pierced straight through her heart. She fought off the urge to sob as her voice cracked, the words coming out unevenly. "How... How could I? I'm going to take a shower."

Sinead scrambled to her feet and staggered into the bathroom. As soon as the door shut, she felt all her strength drain away as she sank to the floor. Nelson's words still echoed in her ears as she stared at the kiss marks he had left all over her body, and she couldn't stop her tears from streaming down her face now.

They had known each other for more than twenty years. They had grown up together, shared the same glass of milk, and even read the same comic books.

When they were eighteen, they had even gotten drunk and slept together.

Once there was a first time, there was a second, a third...

At night, their intimacy was close and tight. During the day, they did all the things a normal couple would do. They walked hand-in-hand through crowds, kissed at midnight on New Year's Eve as they promised to stay together for the coming year, and spent hours on the phone every day keeping the spark alive...

Sinead had always thought the two of them were already together and had simply never made it public.

Yet now, Nelson was telling her they were not a couple at all.

The pain in her heart was so intense she could barely breathe. Only when she turned the water on for the shower did she sob out loudly.

She did not know how much time had passed before her tears finally ran dry. She pulled herself together once she was more emotionally stable and stepped out of the bathroom.

Nelson was already dressed and sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone as he said, "There will be a lot of people tomorrow, so book a bigger private room at the restaurant. She likes food with lighter flavors, so nothing heavy on the menu will be fine. As for the cake, get a Black Forest cake. The flowers have to be pink and white roses. When you have finished setting things up, send me pictures so I can give it a look. Then, get a dozen suits ready for me to pick from when I get back, all black. Irene only likes that color."

Hearing that name, Sinead's heart jolted.

She could not help looking over, and she saw the faintly sweet smile tugging at the corner of Nelson's mouth.

Irene?

So, the woman he was meeting was Irene Johnson.

The light in Sinead's eyes dimmed. If it were Irene, then she would understand why he was so happy. Back in high school, Nelson had had a crush on Irene and would whisper that name in Sinead's ear dozens of times a day. Unfortunately, before he had the chance to confess, Irene had gone abroad.

Ever since then, Sinead had never heard him mention Irene's name again.

Later on, after that one-night stand between the two of them, they had only grown closer. She thought he had long since let go of Irene. She had never imagined that Irene was still the perfect first love he never talked about, yet never forgot.

The heartache that had only just eased surged up once more, and the pain left her hand shaking so badly she could barely hold her phone.

There was a heavy thud, and Nelson turned at the sound, a lazy smile on his lips. "Done with your shower? Then you can check out later. I've already paid for the room."

He picked up his coat and stood to leave, but just before he went out the door, he turned back to look at her with a faint smile.

"Sinead, I've always treated you like one of the guys, so don't show me that despairing look again, or I'd really think you're having some awkward thoughts about me. I know you like the back of my hand, and you can read my mind with just one look, too. Don't you think days like that are way too boring? If we really got together, it would feel like life was already over."

His voice faded with his footsteps, yet it kept echoing in Sinead's heart. She sat on the cold bed, smiling until the smile dissolved into tears. So, this was how Nelson had seen her all these years.

She sat there alone until late at night, then finally went downstairs to check out.

It was pouring outside, yet she wandered home as if she could not feel the coldness of the rain at all.

When she arrived home, her parents, Jackson and Liana Green, immediately hurried over with a dry towel, seeing that she was completely soaked. They asked her nervously, "It's raining so heavily, why didn't you take a cab?"

Sinead looked at her parents with a numb face. Her eyes were empty, and her voice was hoarse. "Dad, Mom, because of the recent changes at the company, you wanted to relocate abroad, right? I've thought it through. Let's all go and never come back."

Jackson and Liana were a little surprised to finally hear their daughter give in after trying to persuade her for more than half a year. "You've really thought it through? Did you break up with that boyfriend of yours?"

Thinking of what Nelson had said, Sinead felt a sharp ache in her heart and shook her head with a bitter smile. "There's no boyfriend. There never was. I made him up on purpose so you'd stop pushing me to get married."

Jackson and Liana were still delighted, although they did not know whether she was telling the truth. They hurried to prepare the paperwork while urging her to pack her luggage.

Sinead simply hummed in response and went back to her bedroom before throwing out everything that had to do with Nelson.

The thick photo albums she had carefully kept for more than ten years, the jewelry he had given her, the dresses, the hand-carved figurines...

All of them ended up in the trash.

"Ms. Green, there are so many things in good condition here. You really don't want any of them?" Sinead gave a slight nod, seeing the regret in the maid's eyes.

She then said in a faint voice, "I don't want them anymore."

It was not just those things. She didn't want the love anymore. She also didn't want Nelson anymore.