Chapter 1

The moment Mom found out, she called me. She was crying on the other end of the line, saying she was relieved—finally, I'd come to my senses.

After a few small talks with her and Dad, I told them I'd be leaving Sanderville in three days to join them abroad. I turned off my phone and looked up as Quinn walked into the hospital room.

She froze when she saw that I was awake, and surprise flickered across her face. Then, she composed herself and opened the lunchbox in her hands.

"Chad made you some chicken soup," she said, setting it down on the table. "Drink it while it's hot."

I didn't move.

She frowned slightly, and her tone softened as she coaxed, "I know you're not a fan of chicken soup, but it's good for your recovery. Just a few sips, okay?"

I looked at her. There was concern in her eyes—real, maybe—but this was the same woman who'd been cuddling with Chad in this room not long ago.

I couldn't tell who she was anymore. Just then, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Chad walked in, head-to-toe clad in designer brands. When he noticed the untouched soup, he chuckled.

"Come on, Mateo. I spent hours making that. I even burned my hand a few times."

Without thinking, Quinn reached out to check his hand like it was second nature. Then she remembered I was there. Her hand froze mid-air before she pulled it back with an awkward smile.

"Just drink it, okay? Chad made it for you."

When Chad left, Quinn mumbled something about work and rushed out after him.

A nurse came in a few minutes later to check my vitals. While adjusting the IV, she told me that a couple had been kissing in the hallway. I just smiled and said nothing.

…

I signed myself out early and headed straight for the apartment Quinn and I shared. She was on the couch watching TV while Chad was in the kitchen, moving around like he owned the place.

When she saw me, Quinn shot up, startled. Her eyes darted toward the kitchen before looking at me.

"You should've told me you were coming back; I would've picked you up," she said while reaching for my suitcase.

But I had already noticed the kiss marks on her neck. They were bright and fresh. My fists clenched on instinct, but I forced myself to calm down. Just two more days, and I'd be gone.

I wasn't here to fight, but Chad clearly hadn't gotten the memo.

He brought the dishes out and smiled at me. "Hey, Mateo! Perfect timing. I made a bit too much today. If you don't mind, do you want to eat with us?" He motioned for Quinn to grab an extra bowl.

She glanced at me cautiously. When she saw how calm I looked, she finally relaxed.

I didn't respond to Chad. Instead, I turned to Quinn with a half smile. "Looks like you had a good time while I was unconscious."

Her face froze for a moment before she forced a laugh. "Mateo, what are you even talking about? Chad was just worried I couldn't take care of myself, so he came to help out for a bit."

Chad glanced at me and caught the tension. He chuckled, "If you don't want me here, I'll leave. But you don't have to fight with Quinn because of me."

He quickly packed up his things and left.

Quinn's jaw tightened. She looked at me and tried to stay calm. "Mateo, he's still young. You just scared him. Can't you be a little bit more polite?"

Young? Chad was 25, while I was 26. This was my place. Why should I be the one backing down?

I gave her a quiet, incredulous laugh.

As Quinn realized how ridiculous she sounded, she cleared her throat and added, "I mean... Chad's a guest. It's rude to kick a guest out, right?

Just then, her phone buzzed. I glanced at it.

It was a message from Chad. "Sorry, Quinn. Maybe I don't deserve to be around you. I won't bother you anymore."

She skimmed the message, locked her phone, and turned to me. "I have to head back to the office. Something urgent came up."

I didn't bother asking questions. I'd be gone soon anyway. I needed some time to pack up my stuff. After I gave her a distracted nod, she rushed to the door and even put on mismatched shoes in her haste.

Before Quinn left, she said, "Wait for me, okay? I'll bring back your favorite dessert from that place you love. Think of it as a peace offering."

Three hours later, I had finished packing. It was 6:00 pm, and Quinn still hadn't returned. Out of boredom, I scrolled through my feed. About 30 minutes earlier, Chad posted two photos.

The caption read, "She waited in line forever just because I said I was craving it. Love you, my Queen."

One photo showed Quinn standing in line at the dessert shop. The other was of her smiling up at Chad, and her eyes were soft, shining, and brimming with warmth.

Just then, the door handle turned.

Quinn walked in, smelling faintly of Chad's cologne. She looked exhausted. She set the desserts down on the table and gestured for me to come and eat.

I stared at the kiss marks still on her neck and then casually reminded her that there was something on her shirt.

I was leaving soon, so I didn't care about her and Chad's mess anymore. I only had one request, which was for them not to shove it in my face.

Quinn hurriedly shrugged off her coat, flashed me a gentle smile, and offered a clumsy excuse. "Someone must've brushed past me in the dessert line. It's nothing."

I just gave a noncommittal "oh" and didn't press further.

She glanced at me several times, clearly uneasy. She even opened her mouth like she wanted to say something.

But in the end, she said nothing. Instead, she eagerly opened the dessert box for me. Inside was a piece of tiramisu cake, the one dessert I couldn't stand.

Of all things, she had forgotten. Yet her eyes lit up with anticipation, waiting for my praise.

I didn't move.

"You don't like it?" She finally asked after a long pause.

"Quinn, do you love me?" I asked abruptly.

The question caught her off guard. She froze but quickly collected herself.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I do. You know that."

Her hand tensed slightly. She was still wearing the bracelet I'd given her two years ago on her birthday.

That day, I had driven for hours through a storm to find the exact one she'd once mentioned in passing. I skidded off the road twice and was soaked to the bone. When I finally handed it to her, muddy and shivering, her eyes welled up with tears.

Her voice was raw as she made promise after promise. "Mateo, I swear I'll marry you. If I ever betray you, may I be struck by lightning."

As her words echoed in my head, I looked at her in disdain. "But I don't like coffee. You forgot, didn't you?" I met her eyes, speaking slowly and clearly.

Quinn flinched. She looked down at the box and bit her lip in frustration. "My bad. There were so many people. I just forgot."

I stood and, without a word, walked into the bedroom. She called out behind me just as I reached the door.

"Mateo, let me go get you something else, okay?"

I said nothing—neither yes nor no and just closed the door behind me.

What was the point, Quinn? Even if she brought back a thousand desserts, it wouldn't have brought back the way I used to love her.

Quinn said she'd go get me a new one, but she never came home that night. However, I had stopped expecting anything from her a long time ago. After washing up, I went to bed on my own.

Sometime past 1:00 am, my phone rang and jolted me awake. Still half-asleep, I answered and heard a soft moan on the other end. Then, Quinn's frantic voice came through.

"Mateo, are you asleep?" She sounded anxious and jumpy. In the background, I could hear rustling—like she was getting dressed.

Then came Chad's whining. "Quinn, come on, let's do it one more time."

"Something wrong?"I asked flatly. My voice had a strange, unfamiliar chill to it.

She paused—my tone had hit her. When she spoke again, she sounded hurt.

"No… I just wanted to see if you were asleep."

Chad laughed and took the phone from her. "Hey, Mateo. Don't take it the wrong way. Quinn didn't mean anything by it.

"I just really miss the grilled ribs you made, man. She was gonna ask if you could come over and cook for me."

I said nothing. On the other end, Chad teased her again, blaming her that she wasn't good with words. It was as if I weren't her boyfriend.

I let out a laugh out of frustration. "All this… Over that?"

"Yeah," he said with a chuckle.

Without another word, I hung up. I didn't bother to ask why Quinn, who'd gone to buy me dessert, had ended up at Chad's place instead. I just went back to sleep.

One more day. One more day, and I'd be gone. And I wasn't going to waste any more of it on either of them.

…

The next morning, Quinn sat at the edge of the bed, looking at me.

"Mateo, you've changed." She said it with certainty, and her eyes were locked onto mine.

I let out a slow breath, looked at her, and said softly, "No, Quinn. You're the one who changed."

I felt that her hands clench slightly on her lap. She asked with a trembling voice, "Changed? How?"

"Maybe you just grew up." I brushed it off, stood, and headed to the bathroom.

Behind me, she let out a shaky sigh of relief. "I made breakfast for you, Mateo," she said later, leading me to the table. She was waiting for a compliment.

I looked at the spread. The table was covered in an oily, greasy breakfast.

I smiled. "Quinn, the doctor told me to lay off greasy food and eat healthier."

I glanced at her, faking concern. "You've been really forgetful lately. What's going on?"

Quinn avoided my eyes as her face went deadly pale. Of course, she'd made the greasy breakfast Chad liked.

"Maybe I've just been too busy at work," she mumbled.

I almost chuckled.

She'd been right there when the doctor said it. She was sitting next to me but was overly immersed in her phone the whole time. She was even grinning.

"Mateo, let's go out," she blurted suddenly, her glance full of guilt. "Let me treat you."

I stayed silent.

"We can go to Cloudscape. You've always wanted to go, right?" she continued.

Cloudscape. The place she took me when we first started dating.

I remember not wanting to go as it was always crowded. But Quinn told me the place was magical. That if two people in love ate five meals there, they'd stay together forever.

We went more than ten times throughout these years, but it didn't stop us from falling apart. I smiled and nodded. Sure. That shall be our goodbye dinner.