Chapter 4

"Chloe, why do you have to see it that way? Lily and I are strictly mentor and student."

I pulled out my phone and opened Lily’s Instagram.

Her latest post was from this morning.

[Night shifts are exhausting, but my mentor brought my favorite coffee! Fully recharged now!]

The photo showed Julian’s side profile beside a cup of coffee.

"Do ordinary mentors and students take photos from angles like this?"

"And when you're constantly buying her things, did you ever stop to think when was the last time you brought something for me?"

Julian stared at the phone screen, at a loss for words.

"Chloe, she was just exhausted."

"Julian, we're done." I turned to leave. "Please don't come looking for me again."

"Chloe!" He stepped after me. "You want to end things over this? Eight years of history, and you're just throwing it away?"

"It's not over one post. It's over ninety-nine times." I looked into his eyes, firm and unwavering.

"I gave you ninety-nine chances. You're the one who threw them away."

With that, I walked away.

The glare of the afternoon sun stung my eyes. I raised a hand to block it, realizing there were no tears left.

So this is what it feels like when your heart goes completely numb.

The next morning, I went straight to my lawyer's office to sort out the division of assets.

Although Julian and I never registered the marriage, we had bought a house together after our wedding ceremony, with both our names on the deed.

When I stepped out of the law firm, Julian was rushing toward me.

With shadows under his eyes, it was clear he hadn't slept a wink.

"Chloe, let's talk."

"Talk about what?" I looked at him calmly.

"Talk about how you abandoned me time and again for Lily? Or talk about how you still think none of this matters?"

"I know I was wrong," he pleaded, his voice breaking.

"I swear it'll never happen again. Lily and I are just colleagues, that's all."

I snatched my hand back. "Julian, do you even remember when we first postponed our registration?"

He froze.

"It was Valentine's Day three years ago," I answered for him. "Lily said she had a breakup and threatened suicide, so you rushed over to be with her all night."

"The second time was our anniversary. She said she was terrified of the dark during her night shift, so you stayed at the hospital with her."

"The third time, the fourth time... all the way to this one."

I met his gaze. "Every single time, you had a perfectly noble reason."

"And every single time, I told myself that you're a doctor, that saving lives is your calling."

"But Julian, I'm a human being too. I get tired."

He parted his lips, but not a single sound came out.

Right then, a familiar black sports car pulled up to the curb.

Ethan rolled down the window, looking at us with a half-smile.

"Need a hand, babe?"

He lingered on that last word, making Julian's face drop instantly.

"Chloe, what is this?"

"Exactly what it looks like," I said, walking toward Ethan's car. "I'm married."