Chapter 2

Muriel Norris's voice came through with a teasing lilt.

"What's this? You two are that traditional? Can't see each other before the wedding?"

"Then just stay at a hotel. You're only there a couple of days before you move back anyway."

"That big open-plan place of yours has never even been lived in since the renovation. Packing it up..."

Before she could finish, I cut her off.

"We broke up."

On the other end, Muriel went quiet.

A moment passed before I heard her again.

"I know it was supposed to be mutual convenience, no feelings involved."

"But Rosamund, can you really let him go?"

My nose stung, and the tears came down hard.

Let him go?

How could I ever let him go?

Five years ago, the day I agreed to Bruce, I told him very plainly.

After the company went bankrupt, I'd seen through the so-called relatives and family around me, and I would never trust anyone again.

Over and over, I stressed that being with him was only about mutual convenience, that all I wanted was to get Summers Group back on its feet.

Being with him, what I wanted was his money.

But I have to admit, Bruce was a perfectly good boyfriend.

Every Valentine's Day, every anniversary, every birthday, the surprises and the gifts never once slipped.

No matter how busy work got, no matter how tight a project was, Bruce always came home to have dinner with me.

Late at night, in the quiet, the moment he saw me yawn.

Even if he was still in the middle of work, he'd close the laptop right away and coax me off to bed.

He never once brought a single bad mood from work in front of me.

With me, he was always gentle, always willing to give way.

So when he proposed six months ago, I said yes almost without hesitation.

Back then I thought.

Even if it was mutual convenience, the thing I wanted, only he could give.

But today it suddenly hit me.

The thing I wanted, only he could give. What he needed, though, was never me.

When no answer came, Muriel let out a soft sigh.

"All right. Get some rest."

"I'll bring people over in the morning to help you move."

After the call ended, I forced myself out of that memory.

After my parents died, I made a vow.

No matter what happened, I would never give grief more than five minutes.

I'd lived in this place for five years, and I had a lot of things.

By the time I'd more or less finished packing, the sky outside had gone fully bright.

I was bent over my things when footsteps reached my ears, and I thought it was Muriel.

But when I looked up, it was Bruce, who hadn't come home all night.

He was still carrying breakfast sandwiches and orange juice.

From the bag, it was the place I always loved.

Bruce set the breakfast down on the table.

"Eat first, then pack. Your stomach's bad, you need to eat properly."

I felt a little dazed.

But my time for grief was already up.

"No need. Muriel's coming to get me soon."

"She'll bring me breakfast."

Bruce drew in a deep breath.

I knew he was holding back his anger.

"Rosamund, even if we've broken up, can't we even talk to each other properly?"

"Do you have to be this prickly with me?"

I didn't even lift my head.

"Bruce, for me there's only zero or a hundred. No ninety-nine, and no one."

"Move your foot, please. You're blocking me from packing."

Bruce was about to say something more, but his phone rang just then.

"You're up? Yeah, I stepped out to get you breakfast."

"Okay, I'll be right back. Wait for me."