Chapter 2

At ten that night, Julian came home with Sasha, carrying a takeout box.

It was from the French bistro I used to love.

Julian set the box on the table.

"Sasha was worried you got scared today, so she waited in line for two hours to get this for you. Eat it while it's hot. And don't start sulking again."

I walked out of the bedroom and opened the container.

A strong, gamey smell hit me immediately.

Pan-fried beef liver with onions.

We had lived together for three years. He knew perfectly well that even the smell of organ meat made me nauseous.

I closed the lid again.

"I don't eat organ meat."

Sasha froze and scratched her head.

"Huh? Really? But the last time we all went out to eat, didn't you—"

"You remembered wrong."

Julian cut her off, his expression darkening.

He pushed the container toward me.

"Evelyn, she was trying to do something nice for you. Don't be ungrateful. If you won't eat it, then go hungry."

"Oh, Jules, don't get mad."

Sasha patted his shoulder, then casually speared a piece of liver with her fork and dropped it onto his plate.

"If Evie doesn't want it, we can split it. No point wasting food."

I turned around and went back into the bedroom.

The door didn't close completely, so every word from the living room carried inside.

"Why were you so mean to her? Now you're making me look like the bad guy."

Julian chuckled.

"If I don't keep her attitude in check, she'll start crying at me in that soft little voice again. Gives me a headache."

My hand froze on the suitcase.

Suddenly, I remembered the company Christmas party from the first year we were together.

Back then, several female coworkers had mocked me behind my back because of my voice. They said anyone who sounded like me had to be pretending to be cute just to manipulate men.

I had heard every word they said in the restroom.

I hid inside a stall and cried.

Julian had kicked open the restroom door and pulled me out.

In front of everyone, he wrapped his arms around me and kept comforting me.

"You have the prettiest voice I've ever heard."

"From now on, whenever you're scared, just call my name. I'll always be there."

Back then, he had been my only safe place.

Now he was the one leading the laughter.

I pulled out a large cardboard box and began folding my clothes from the closet into it, one piece at a time.

At some point, Julian appeared in the doorway.

He leaned against the frame with a glass of water in his hand, watching me with an expression that said he already knew exactly what I was doing.

Over the past three years, I had packed my bags twice because Sasha crossed the line.

Both times, all Julian had needed to do was soften his tone, hug me, and say, "You're the only one in my heart."

And I would lose the courage to leave.

So he was certain this time would be no different.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Come on. You've made your point. It's late. Stop making a scene."

I pulled away from him and shoved the last few sweaters into the box.

"I'm going to sleep. Please leave."

I quietly shut the closet door, walked past him, and climbed into bed.

Julian chuckled as if my protest were childish.

He turned off the light, closed the door, and left.

In the darkness, I opened the booking page for an international moving company.

The faint glow from the screen illuminated my calm face.

Not a single tear fell.