Chapter 4

The city bus rattled down the bumpy road.

This place was far from the bustling downtown. I met Mrs. Gable at the end of a quiet alley.

Without any bargaining, I quickly signed the lease and paid six months of rent upfront.

Right after, I submitted my request to transfer to our company's remote branch.

By evening, the weather turned violent.

A sudden thunderstorm hit the city. Street water quickly rose to my ankles, and all bus lines were suspended.

I opened my rideshare app. There were over three hundred people ahead of me in the queue.

I stood shivering under the awning of a closed grocery store, the burn on my hand throbbing in the freezing wind.

Just then, Ethan’s black Maybach slowly pulled up across the street, right in front of a trendy dessert shop.

I thought he had tracked my location and came to pick me up. I was about to open my umbrella and walk over, but then the car door shut loudly.

Ethan got out, ran into the shop, bought several boxes of luxury pastries, and ran back to the car.

My phone rang at that exact moment.

"Chloe, are you still stuck in the rain? Find a Starbucks to dry off."

"Sienna has been terrified of thunder since she was a kid. The noise just now made her turn pale."

"The traffic here is horrible. I can't make a detour to pick you up. Find your own way back, okay?"

"Don't be childish and overthink this. I'll make you something good when I get home."

The call cut off. I watched the luxury car make a U-turn, splashing muddy water everywhere as it sped away.

I remembered when he couldn't even afford a used car, and we got caught in a storm like this.

He didn't have an umbrella back then. Without hesitation, he took off his only jacket and held it over my head.

He had held me tight as we ran through the downpour. Even though he was soaked to the bone, he smiled and kissed my forehead.

"How could I let my girl get rained on and catch a cold?"

Now, his luxury car had heated seats and warm drinks, but there was no longer a place for me.

Unable to get a ride, I walked through the howling storm for three hours.

When I finally pushed open the door of our villa, I was drenched and shivering. Dragging my numb legs, I went straight to the closet to pack my oldest belongings.

Since I had decided to disappear, I wouldn't leave a single trace behind.

As soon as I taped up the last box, Sienna posted a short video on Snapchat.

Ethan was holding a soft towel, gently drying her hair.

Someone in their friend group chat commented:

"Is Mr. Vance rekindling his old flame? Settling down for real this time?"

He didn't reply. In their circle, silence was basically confirmation.

I stared at the video for three seconds.

Ever since Sienna came back, the constant anxiety and fear of losing him that had plagued my heart suddenly vanished. It was completely quiet now.

I no longer wanted to try those trending couples' challenges, nor did I crave his instant replies.

He had personally crushed my sense of security and handed it all to someone else.

But none of that mattered anymore.

The Ethan who used to kiss my forehead in the rain had died long ago in the passage of these three years.

My phone screen lit up again with an email notification.

"Your transfer request to the remote branch has been approved. Please complete your hand-off within three days and report to your new office."