Chapter 5

"Am I wrong?" I asked. "Why do you keep taking Declan's side when he's the outsider? Or maybe I'm actually the outsider among the three of us?"

Lilith completely lost her temper. She slammed her hand on the table and snapped, "You're acting like a child, throwing a tantrum whenever you feel like it. Fine! If you insist on believing that there's something going on between Declan and me, I'll make it a reality then!"

She then threw the door open and stormed out of the room.

In the past, I would rush forward and stop Lilith from leaving if her emotions were running high. I didn't want her to do anything drastic in the heat of the moment. However, at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care about her well-being in the slightest.

Lilith became even angrier when I didn't chase after her. She got into her car and slammed her foot on the accelerator, zooming off into the night.

…

In the next few days, Lilith intentionally went out and shared meals with Declan. She would snap countless photos during their little "dates" and send them to me.

The photos included shots of them holding hands while strolling along the street, pressing their faces together while taking pictures in a photobooth, and watching movies together.

I knew that Lilith was trying to rile me up, but the photos that she sent were still proper and didn't cross any lines. However, what she didn't know was that Declan had gone behind her back and sent me far more intimate photos.

The photos included shots of Lilith's sleeping side profile and the intimate kisses that they shared. It was blatantly obvious that the photos were meant to provoke me. Declan wanted me to know that my girlfriend already belonged to him.

I ignored Declan's provocations and calmly focused on my work.

…

A week flew by in the blink of an eye.

After I was done handling everything that needed my attention, Lawson hosted a small farewell party for me. My colleagues were sad to see me go since we had worked together for many years. I left the company carrying the few personal belongings I had.

As I ambled along the street, I spotted a group of people in the distance.

A man had sunk down to one knee while holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. He was proposing to the woman standing before him. When the woman happily agreed, the couple ecstatically embraced each other.

The other couples in the onlooking crowd were drawn to the romantic atmosphere and ended up hugging and kissing their respective partners as well. I spotted my girlfriend, Lilith, and my former best friend, Declan, among the kissing couples.

Lilith and I had been in a similar situation when I agreed to be her boyfriend. Somebody else's proposal had succeeded, prompting the couples around us to hug each other.

"Why don't you be my boyfriend?" Lilith asked.

It had been her 19th confession. We kissed each other after I agreed, basking in the happy and wonderful atmosphere just like the couples in the present were currently doing.

However, at that moment, she was kissing Declan.

Disgust roiled in my gut. How could I have fallen for such a fickle woman? What a joke.

…

I returned to the house that was filled with memories of Lilith and me, throwing away everything that belonged to me.

After I was done, I placed a breakup letter and the 18 marriage vouchers that Lilith had personally created on the table.

Carrying my suitcase with me, I hailed a cab to the airport. Just as I was about to enter the airport terminal, I received a message from Lilith.

"How much longer are you planning to sulk, Theo?" she asked. "If you keep ignoring my messages and giving me the cold shoulder, I'm going to have to take back all the marriage vouchers that I gave you. I'm not going to marry you anymore."

I finally replied to her message this time.

"Do whatever you want. I've already left the vouchers on the table. Let's break up, Lilith. Let's never meet again."

I blocked her after I sent the message and boarded the plane.

As the plane rose into the sky, I left behind the city that broke my heart for good.