Chapter 4

I actually laughed out loud.

Those calluses were from gripping his gaming controller too hard, and now they were "proof" of his hard labor for our home.

I threw my phone aside and went to wash my face.

I had a lot of things to do today.

The trash bags were still piled up by the elevator. I grabbed a few more pairs of his shoes and a suitcase, adding them to the pile.

Then, I booked a deep-cleaning service for the afternoon to scrub the condo from top to bottom.

The ash on the balcony, the beer cans in the living room, the greasy smell in the kitchen—I wanted it all gone.

Finally, I contacted a local real estate agency to list the condo for rent.

The agent, Noah Davies, looked to be around twenty-five. He wore black-rimmed glasses and spoke in a very gentle, polite tone.

After inspecting the layout and decoration of the place, he asked, "How much are you looking to rent it for?"

"$2,500," I said.

He paused. "Chloe, $2,500 is a bit high for this area. Typically, $2,000 to $2,200 is more realistic."

"I know." I handed him the keys. "Let's list it at $2,500 first. If no one takes it, we can talk."

He didn't push further. He took the keys, giving me a lingering, hesitant look.

I knew what he wanted to ask.

But he simply said, "It’s a beautiful place, Chloe. I'm sure we'll find a tenant soon."

I smiled at him and walked out.

Near the exit of the community, I ran into Mrs. Gable, my neighbor from downstairs.

She was carrying a bag of groceries. When she saw me, she waved warmly. "Chloe! I haven't seen you around lately. How have you been?"

"Just resting at home," I said with a smile.

"Where's your boyfriend? The tall, skinny one who's always smoking?" Mrs. Gable peeked behind me.

"We broke up," I said simply.

Mrs. Gable’s expression shifted. She looked like she wanted to offer some comforting words, but in the end, she just patted my hand. "Honestly, good for you. No rush to settle down."

I didn't ask her why she said "good for you," but I had a pretty good idea.

Ethan was the type of guy who acted completely different in public than he did in private.

He threw things and screamed at me behind closed doors, but to the neighbors, he was always the polite, perfect gentleman.

But no matter how good an actor you are, you always leave clues.

The smell of smoke in the elevator, the cigarette butts in the hallway, the sound of doors slamming in the dead of night...

Neighbors aren't stupid.

I walked to the main street and hailed an Uber. When the driver asked for the destination, I gave him the address of my best friend, Harper.

She should be home. I needed someone to talk to—or honestly, just someone to sit in silence with.

Halfway there, my phone rang.

It was Ethan.

I hesitated for a couple of seconds before picking up.

"Chloe," his voice was incredibly raspy, like he had been drinking and crying all night. "Are you really throwing me out?"

I didn't say anything.

"I was wrong, okay? I shouldn't have said those things, and I shouldn't have thrown a tantrum. Just let me come back. I'll change, I swear."

His voice started cracking. "I have nowhere else to go. All my stuff is still at your place, I..."

"Your stuff is in trash bags by the elevator. Go pick it up yourself."