Chapter 4

Nathaniel dragged his suitcase to the research institute's housing office and picked up the key to his temporary dorm room.

His room was tucked away in a corner on the top floor. Still, it would be enough for him to get by for the next two weeks.

He was carrying a heavy cardboard box filled with books and other personal belongings.

Just as he was about to head upstairs, he ran into Audrey and Jackson coming down.

Jackson was holding a folder and chatting happily with Audrey. He nearly bumped into Nathaniel.

"Oh!" Jackson exclaimed, quickly reaching out to steady the box in Nathaniel's arms before it slipped.

"Nathaniel, what are you carrying? It looks pretty heavy. Want me to help you take it upstairs?" Jackson asked with a bright smile.

Nathaniel instinctively tightened his grip on the box and stepped away from him. "No, thanks."

"It's fine! I'm pretty strong!" Jackson said, reaching out again.

Audrey, who had been silent until then, suddenly stepped forward and took the box from Nathaniel's hands.

Seeing this, Jackson laughed. "Audrey, your hands are meant for delicate experiments. How can you carry something so heavy?"

Audrey's usually cold eyes softened with the faintest hint of a smile as she looked at Jackson. Her voice held a playful warmth Nathaniel had never heard from her before. "Your hands are more precious than mine."

Those words cut Nathaniel deeply.

Not long after he had first become her assistant, he had once tried to carry a huge stack of heavy research papers. He couldn't keep his grip, and the papers scattered all over the floor.

He had scrambled to pick them up, his hands moving in a panic. Audrey happened to walk by at the time, and he had been terrified that she would think he was clumsy.

But she had simply stopped, glanced at the mess, and said nothing. She hadn't even helped him pick up a single paper. Later, she had merely asked the administrative staff to give him a wheeled cart.

She had never helped him herself, much less teased him so affectionately.

Jackson's ears turned red as he laughed at Audrey's remark. "Audrey, you're making fun of me again!"

Audrey said nothing more. Instead, she turned to Nathaniel and asked, "What floor are you on?"

"Fourth floor," Nathaniel replied, his throat dry.

Jackson and Audrey then carried the box upstairs together, chatting and laughing as they went.

When Jackson brought up a funny incident involving the research data they'd been working on, Audrey even responded a few times. Their conversation flowed with an easy warmth.

Nathaniel followed several steps behind them in silence.

It was a familiar sight.

For most of the past ten years, he had walked behind Audrey just like this.

At first, he had watched her walk away alone. Later, he had watched Jackson appear at her side.

And there he was, still following her like an unwanted shadow, trying desperately to catch up while never truly entering her world.

When Nathaniel reached Room 402, he took out his key and unlocked the door.

The dorm was simple, with only a bed, a desk, and a cabinet. It had its own bathroom, but everything was clean and tidy.

Audrey casually set the box down in the open space by the door. Only then did she seem to notice how small the room was.

She turned to Nathaniel and asked, "Why are you staying in the dorms?"

Nathaniel dragged his suitcase inside and answered calmly, "I sold the house we bought for our marriage."

He paused after speaking, as if waiting for her to say something.

But Audrey remained silent.

After a moment, she said indifferently, "If you're not comfortable staying here, you can switch to another dorm. You don't have to stay in this one."

Nathaniel slowly straightened up and looked at her.

She didn't care about the house. She didn't care why he had moved out. She might not have even taken his words about calling off their engagement seriously the night before.

Standing behind Audrey, Jackson watched the scene unfold and let a slight smile tug at the corner of his mouth. "Nathaniel, go ahead and get settled in, then. Audrey and I still need to head to the data center."

Audrey gave Nathaniel a small nod in farewell before leaving with Jackson.

Nathaniel stood there, staring at the empty doorway. Then he looked down at his hand, where the box had left red marks across his skin.

What hurt most was that after giving so much for so many years, he was still invisible to her.

All he had received in return were bank transfers and an engagement that was now coming to an end. He would never measure up to someone who could make her smile, someone whose hands she considered precious.

The realization left a bitter ache in his chest.