Chapter 2

2: 2

2

I hit the ground hard, a dull, bone-deep pain shooting through my knee.

The look on Dylan's face was awkward.

"Carmen, are you okay? Can you stand up?"

"You know I'm afraid of physical contact with people."

"It happened so fast, I dodged on instinct."

He stood exactly where he was, not moving, not the slightest intention of coming to help me up.

I clenched my teeth against the pain, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.

A young man rushed over, flustered, and helped me to my feet.

"I'm so sorry, I've got something urgent and I was running too fast, I didn't mean to knock into you!"

He was so anxious he kept circling around me. I waved him off and told him to go.

Dylan watched me, uneasy.

"Carmen, go to the hospital and get it checked. Call me if anything comes up."

"I told Ursula I was going to the restroom. If she can't find me in a bit, she'll worry."

I gave a bitter smile and shook my head.

Even after watching me fall with his own eyes, watching my face go white with pain,

Dylan still chose to go back and finish the movie with Ursula.

Anyone who didn't know better would think the two of them were the couple.

I limped away and went to the hospital alone.

By the time I got home, it was deep into the night.

A dim yellow night light was on in the bedroom, and Dylan was already fast asleep.

I looked at the empty notifications on my phone.

The whole evening, Dylan hadn't sent me a single message, hadn't made a single call.

But Ursula had posted three times to her social media, and he'd liked every one of them.

On the nightstand, Dylan's phone kept flashing.

As if something moved my hand for me, I picked it up and opened his chat history with Ursula.

There were a lot of photos together. Dylan letting Ursula hug him from behind, their faces pressed close, both of them grinning.

【Dylan, maybe the two of us are the ones who should be a couple!】

【With someone you really like, of course you'd want to be all over them.】

【You won't let Carmen touch you—probably because you don't like her, right?】

To all of that, Dylan replied with just three words.

【You have a point.】

I set the phone down gently.

Seven years together, and Dylan and I had fewer than seven photos of us together.

When I wanted to hug him, he'd pull away with a look of open reluctance.

When I got upset and made a scene, Dylan would tell me coldly,

"Carmen, my fear of physical contact isn't about you. Don't read into it."

"I'm seeing a therapist and working on it. You have to give me time."

So I waited seven years.

What I got was him holding hands and hugging another girl, and a "You have a point."

Down the middle of the bed lay a thick, wide comforter, cutting the bed clean into two halves.

That was what Dylan used to mark the boundary between him and me.

I thought for a few seconds, then picked up my own pillow and blanket and went to the couch in the living room.

Before I fell asleep, I sent a message to my boss.

【Mr. Fox, I agree to the overseas transfer. I can leave in a week.】

The next morning, the moment I opened my eyes, I saw Dylan frowning at me.

"Why did you sleep on the couch last night?"

I got up calmly and gave a short answer.

"I haven't been sleeping well. I need to make some adjustments."

That much was true.

I'm a restless sleeper. I turn over and kick off the covers without knowing it, and I couldn't help brushing against Dylan.

He never let it slide. He'd push me awake on the spot and correct my sleeping posture.

Over time, my nerves grew so tight that the smallest sound would jolt me awake.

To stay by Dylan's side, I'd never once brought any of this up.

From now on, I didn't want to accommodate him anymore.

Dylan frowned slightly, then turned and left for work.

Once I got to the office, I started the paperwork for my transfer.

Dylan texted me a reminder.

【Dinner at Mom's tonight.】

I replied okay.

After work, I bought a big bag of fruit and went to Dylan's mother's place.

Lily Henson opened the door for me, her face breaking into a smile.

"Perfect timing, Carmen. Dylan just got here too. Come in!"

I looked toward Dylan by the entryway.

He was bent over, changing Ursula's shoes for her. When our eyes met, his hands froze.