Chapter 3

We lived like this for another three years. By then, I was twenty-seven.

Two months ago, Julian said he had met a girl.

He suddenly asked me how to pursue someone.

My fingers curled slightly. I thought about it, then opened my mouth.

"I guess... you should first find out what kind of person she is, and what she likes."

"Then take it slow. Care for her, make her happy."

He took my advice.

He had me help him choose flowers that girls would like. When I picked them out, he would also buy a massive bouquet for me, calling it a "thank-you gift."

He took me to several high-end restaurants, asking for my opinion on which one she would prefer.

When a new blockbuster movie came out, he took me to watch it first, saying he was afraid he wouldn't know what to talk about in front of his crush.

The light from the cinema screen flickered across his face.

I watched him with utter boredom, thinking:

Love is truly great. Even someone as arrogant as Julian Vance can become clumsy and hesitant because of love.

On the drive back, I looked at the city lights outside the window and suddenly spoke up.

"You must be done playing by now, right?"

"Once you guys are officially together, can I finally leave?"

The light turned red.

Julian rolled down the window, resting his arm on the frame as he lit a cigarette.

The glass reflected the glowing red cherry. A gust of wind blew past, looking as if the night had been burned through.

He smiled.

"Of course."

Coming back to the present, I let out a breath of relief.

Between Julian and me, there wasn't even a breakup. It was just an expiration date.

Still, I couldn't completely escape news of him and Chloe.

After all, the tabloids loved billionaire gossip. And they were very high-profile—firework shows one day, yacht parties the next.

Meanwhile, I was crouching on the curb, eating cheap tacos from a food truck.

I checked my phone during a break and realized I had five missed calls from the same unknown number.

The next second, the phone rang again.

"Hello?"

Julian's mocking voice came through.

"Sera, blocking me and changing your number? You're pretty good at burning bridges."

He sounded completely unbothered. "Someone sent me a photo of you eating on the street."

"What, it's only been a week since you left me, and you're already living like a beggar?"

My legs were getting numb from crouching. I only asked, "Is there something you need?"

There was a silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Chloe accidentally broke your hand-painted ceramic figurines."

"She didn't do it on purpose."

I froze for a moment before retrieving the memory of those two little clay dolls representing him and me from the dusty corners of my mind.

I had dragged him to a pottery class to make them.

He had complained about how childish it was, yet he had carefully painted a pair of angel wings on my doll's back.

I used to love them so much. I had placed them right where I could see them every day.

"Oh, it's fine."

After all, so many things had broken long before those dolls did.

"Please just throw them away."

"I already did."

In the silence, I heard the sound of his lighter flipping open and closed. Open and closed.

"By the way, about the private island I gave you for your birthday... you need to sign the transfer papers."

"Chloe wants it."

The island was a gift for my twenty-third birthday.

We had stood on the beach, and I watched the wind mess up his hair, making his handsome features look even sharper.

Julian had held me from behind as we watched the sunset.

He had whispered in my ear, "Happy birthday, Sera."

Time had flown by.

Julian was still the same Julian. But I was no longer the girl who had stood on that beach, crying tears of pure happiness.

"Tell me what compensation you want. You can ask for anything."

I shook my head before realizing he couldn't see me.

"No need."

"I'll sign the papers as soon as possible."

"Goodbye."

I hung up.