Chapter 3

With only ten days left, I handed in my resignation to my boss.

After work that day, I walked back to my apartment feeling a mix of relief and nostalgia.

Just as I pulled my keys out of my bag, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the stairwell.

"Chloe, it’s me."

Finn looked exhausted.

I immediately took a step back, maintaining my distance.

"What are you doing here?" I made no effort to hide my annoyance. "How did you get in?"

"Waiting for you," Finn said shortly. "I wanted to surprise you."

I was speechless.

If this were the past, coming home to find Finn waiting at my door would have been a miracle I prayed for.

Now, looking at the strange, searching look in his eyes, I just felt tired.

I sighed, feeling a sudden urge to just tell him the truth.

But I suppressed it. I didn't want any unnecessary drama.

"You should be with Nevaeh instead of coming here. Don't make her misunderstand."

I spoke calmly, trying to be reasonable.

"Misunderstand what? We’re legally just siblings," Finn said, ignoring the obvious reality of their dynamic.

I tilted my head, looking at him, choosing not to call out his lie.

"Whatever you are, I’m just the ex-girlfriend."

Even if our breakups were a joke to him, I was still the ex.

Silence fell over the hallway, save for the faint hum of city traffic below.

After a long pause, Finn looked up, trying to make his twisted logic sound reasonable. "I know it was wrong of me to break up with you again. But Nevaeh can't handle you being around. I can't trigger her. Chloe, you're different. You’re strong. You can bounce back from anything. But she can’t. If I leave her, she’ll completely fall apart."

I turned away, feeling a sudden wave of disgust.

Nevaeh couldn't be triggered, so I deserved to be discarded nine times?

With my back to him, my voice sounded muffled.

"How thoughtful of you, Mr. Collins. I have nothing to say."

Finn opened his mouth to speak, but his phone started ringing. It was Nevaeh.

The loud, custom ringtone sounded incredibly grating in the quiet hallway.

I turned around, looked at her name flashing on the screen, and said calmly, "Go to her. We can talk about us later."

Finn looked at me, then down at his phone. Finally, he turned and walked toward the elevator.

I watched his shadow disappear.

Only then did I open my door, walk inside, and lock it tight.

Locking away everything that had just happened, and everything from our past, behind a door he could never open again.

***

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