Chapter 2

The girl’s smile froze on her face.

She looked at me, then at herself in the mirror, probably imagining some tragic love story.

"Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know..."

"It’s fine."

She leaned back into her seat. After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't help but whisper, "It’s okay. You’ll find someone better. My older sister was with someone for years before they broke up. Now she’s married to an amazing guy."

I nodded.

The man in the backseat remained silent, not uttering a single word from beginning to end.

Finally, the car pulled up in front of the most luxurious hotel downtown.

The neon sign flashed brightly in the night.

Once the car stopped, the girl got out and wrapped her arm around his. Together, they walked into the hotel lobby.

She looked up to talk to him, and he nodded, never once turning back to look at my car.

I sat in my car for a long time.

I turned off the AC and rolled down the window. The cool night breeze rushed in, making my eyes sting.

The security guard walked over and tapped on my window, telling me I couldn't park here for long.

I told him I was leaving right away. I started the engine, but I had no idea where to drive.

I looked down at the ring on my finger.

They got married last month.

Which meant, while I was driving Uber to save money, while I was staying up late editing videos to make extra cash, and while my heart was bursting with anticipation for our wedding at the end of the year... he had already signed the papers with someone else. He was already another woman's husband. He was already going to be a father.

And I was still working myself to the bone to ease his financial burden.

I pulled over to the curb, pulled out my phone, and opened our Snapchat chat.

The last message was from him at 6:23 PM: *Working late tonight. It’s going to be too late, so I’ll just crash in the company dorms. Go to bed early, babe.*

I typed a few words, deleted them, typed again, and deleted them again.

In the end, I only sent three words: *Let’s break up.*

Sent.

I slipped the ring off my finger and placed it on the center console.

The top of the screen immediately showed "Ethan is typing..."

I waited for a long time. The status kept flickering, but no message ever came through.

I put the car in drive, ready to leave.

Just as I shifted gears, a familiar figure appeared in my rearview mirror.

He was running toward my car from the hotel lobby, panting heavily as he slapped his hand against my window.

"Open the door! Let me explain!"

His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his hair was a messy nest from the wind.

I had never seen him look so pathetic.

"Open the door!" he pleaded, tapping again.

I unlocked the passenger side.

He pulled the door open and climbed in, breathing heavily. The scent of the hotel lobby’s expensive cologne clung to him.

"How did you..."

"We’re done," I cut him off. "You saw the message, right?"

He froze, his lips trembling. It took him forever to say, "It’s not what you think."

"Then what is it?"

"I..." He wiped his face in frustration. "She was just an accident."

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