Chapter 4

The person standing behind me in line cleared their throat impatiently. "Are you going to use the machine or what? I'm in a rush."

I quickly took my card out, stepped aside, and bowed my head.

"I'm sorry."

The man looked like he wanted to snap at me, but when he saw how pale and sick I looked, he stopped himself.

"Hey, it's fine. Take care of yourself, man. You don't look so good."

That one sentence of kindness broke my defenses. For the first time, my absolute devotion to Chloe began to shatter.

I had given Chloe everything over the years. But when had I ever taken care of myself?

Did I really need a love like this?

Sitting in the back of an Uber, I scrolled through my chat history with Chloe. The screen was filled with my long, nagging messages and bank transfer receipts.

She barely ever texted me unless she was asking for money.

At this moment, it felt like two souls were fighting inside my body—one wanting to keep sinking, and the other clearly seeing that she never loved me.

As logic fought with emotion, my chest didn't ache with that familiar, suffocating pain anymore.

My heart was telling me the truth: I really didn't love Chloe anymore.

Still, it was hard to let go of so many years of feelings. But then I got home and heard the conversation coming from inside the apartment.

"Chloe, how did you train a guy like Leo to be so perfect? Honestly, we're all so jealous."

I stood silently at the door. Chloe’s dismissive voice drifted out.

"My heart only belongs to Julian. If any of you actually want Leo, you can have him. I wouldn't even blink."

Hearing the exact answer I expected, a mocking smile crept onto my face.

I instinctively covered my chest. There was no pain, just a steady, calm heartbeat.

Thank God. I really didn't love her anymore. A strange, peaceful calm settled over me.

Right then, the door swung open. It was Chloe’s best friend, Harper.

Harper gasped the second she saw me. "Leo!"