Chapter 8
“I’m probably going to catch a cold,” he muttered.
I couldn’t help but think back to those early days when William was tirelessly building his business. I would always worry about him, preparing blankets, hot water bottles, and making sure his thermos was always filled.
But now, it was like he had forgotten that I,
, was working hard. I used to care for him so much, but now… now, I was done. I just wanted to leave.
I sighed, forcing myself to sound apologetic. “Oh, okay. Sorry!”
He paused, studying me like he was trying to figure something out. “Are you still upset
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about Ava?”
I laughed, but it wasn’t a laugh that held any humor. “You’ve already made it clear that there’s nothing between you two. Why would I be upset?”
William didn’t seem convinced.
As I turned to head to the kitchen, he stopped me again. “Then why aren’t you taking care of me anymore?”
Before, I’d always be checking on him, worrying about where he was. If I couldn’t find him, I’d call his assistant, and he’d always complain that I was being a nuisance. Now that I wasn’t doing that anymore, he wasn’t happy about it either.
I didn’t feel like arguing. I was drained, emotionally exhausted.
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“I’m just really tired from work lately,” I replied flatly.
He stared at me for a long moment before walking off to the bedroom to change.
As I was finishing breakfast, cracking an egg into the pan, William stormed into the kitchen, his face twisted in frustration.
“Why are there so many clothes missing from the closet?” he demanded.
Before I could even respond, he continued, “And the blind box display case–what happened to that? Isn’t that your favorite?”
After I sold off the gifts, I started the painful process of clearing out my remaining belongings. The blind boxes, which I’d collected for years, had always been a little
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source of joy for me. Letting go of them wasn’t easy. But they couldn’t come with me, so I let them go.
William had never once shown an ounce of interest in them, so it caught me off guard that he suddenly seemed so invested.
I shrugged casually, trying to hide the sting in my chest. “I didn’t need them anymore.”
His eyes widened in surprise, and the air seemed to thicken between us. We stood there, the seconds stretching on endlessly.
“I’ll buy you new ones,” he said quickly. “I’ll get you whatever you want. The stars from the sky if I have to.”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I focused on the floor, my silence louder than any words I could have said.
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He glanced at the countdown calendar on the wall. His confusion deepened as his eyes tracked the numbers. “Two days left. What’s happening in two days?”
I looked at the large red digits. His ignorance was almost painful to witness.
I thought about telling him, but the memory of the ring box slipping from his pocket the day before, combined with Ava’s post linking to that particular ring brand, stopped me.
I stayed quiet.
I was still wearing the simple ring he had given me–the one bought with the savings he’d painstakingly gathered during his first year after graduation. It hadn’t been expensive, but it had meant something. It had been a symbol of his devotion. I’d worn
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it for years, never once considering taking it off.
But now, I slowly removed it and placed it gently into his hand.
His expression shifted instantly. The warmth in his eyes disappeared.
“Victoria, what do you mean by this?”
I looked at him with a calm I didn’t feel. “It’s worn out. It’s been too long.”
He seemed to grasp something in that moment. His features softened a little, but there was still a distance between us. “You’re right. It’s time for a new one. I’ll have it polished. I’ll even surprise you with something special.”
“What kind of surprise?”
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A faint, cryptic smile tugged at his lips. “You’ll see in two days.”
He paused, and then added, almost as an afterthought, “Victoria, trust me. I really do love you.”
I couldn’t answer him. Words had stopped feeling like enough. Two days from now, I would be gone. And part of me doubted I’d even be able to wait that long to walk away.
Then he said, “How about we visit our alma mater tomorrow?”
I nodded, my mind already miles away.
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