Chapter 3

The next day at work, I submitted my resignation.

The job back home wasn't settled yet, but I still had to wrap up what was on my desk first.

While I was sorting through my files, I remembered that an important document had been left in Charity's car.

At noon, Charity had the receptionist bring me her car keys.

During my lunch break, I went down to the underground parking garage.

The document was pressed at the very bottom of the passenger-side storage compartment. When I pulled it out, a bank statement fell to my feet.

I was about to just tuck it back in, but then I saw Herbert's name in the cardholder line.

Below that were six straight months of spending records.

The account being charged was Charity's, every single time.

I stared at that statement for a long time, then called Charity right away.

"Come down here."

Ten minutes later, she appeared in the parking garage.

I handed her the statement.

"What's this?"

When Charity saw the name on it, her expression shifted slightly.

I clenched my fingers.

"Why have you been paying all of Herbert's bills for the past six months?"

Charity was silent for two seconds.

"He forgot to make a payment a few times before, so I just went ahead and set up automatic payments for him."

I froze.

"So for the past six months, you've been the one paying for him?"

"He pays me back."

Her tone grew more and more impatient.

"It's just a favor. Do you have to make it so complicated?"

"Then why did you never tell me?"

Charity glanced at me, as if the question made no sense at all.

"What's there to tell? His income isn't steady, sometimes he's short on cash, so I cover it for him."

I looked down at the statement.

The most recent charge was over twenty thousand in luxury purchases.

"You call that being short on cash?"

Charity's face darkened at once.

"Spencer, since when do you get to control even what Herbert spends his money on?"

She pulled the statement out of my hand.

"We're just dating."

"When I use my own money, do I have to report every single transaction to you?"

Just dating.

Those words circled around in my head.

So in Charity's eyes, three years amounted to nothing more than this.

Right then my phone lit up with a message from HR, asking when I could finish my resignation paperwork.

I looked down and replied with a date.

When I looked up again, Charity was already far away.

That weekend was Charity's mother's birthday, and I'd promised to go.

When I arrived, Herbert was already sitting in the living room chatting with Virginia.

After the meal, Virginia smiled and gathered everyone for a photo.

I had just walked over when Charity handed me her phone.

"Spencer, you take it. You take good pictures."

Herbert was already standing beside her.

Virginia held Herbert's arm with one hand and Charity's hand with the other, smiling happily.

After the cake, Virginia brought up marriage again.

"You two have been together three years now. It's time to settle down."

I was about to speak when Charity cut in first.

"Mom, don't push him about this."

"Spencer's been working hard lately. Let's wait until he's thought it through before we talk about it."

Virginia turned and smiled at Herbert.

"Oh, right, Herbert, what color do you want for your room?"

My chopsticks stopped dead in the air.

"What room?"