Chapter 2

My mom had slightly elevated blood pressure. The doctor wanted to keep her overnight for observation.

After getting her admitted, I was walking down the hallway when I came across Chloe whining about how bitter her medicine was, with Ethan patiently coaxing and pleading with her to take it.

"Come on, sweetheart, you won't get better without it."

Chloe shook her head, refusing to drink it.

Ethan sighed. "Just drink it, okay? I'll take you on a vacation when you're out of here."

Chloe smiled and downed the medicine immediately. He exhaled with relief.

I stood there watching the tender scene in silence, thinking about how cold his face always looked when I was sick.

He never coaxed me.

He'd just stare at me, completely expressionless.

"Ivy, your body is your own responsibility. You're an adult. Stop being dramatic."

"I'm not going to coax you. Drink it or don't."

Seeing him now, gentle and soft with Chloe, I almost felt disoriented.

So this was what Ethan looked like when he cared enough to coax someone.

Too bad his own girlfriend had never gotten to see this side of him.

Chloe finished her medicine.

"Should I go apologize to Ivy? I mean, you did leave her on the train because of me."

Ethan didn't hesitate.

"So what?"

"She knows perfectly well that you're my friend. We grew up together. Even getting jealous over something like this just proves she's immature."

Hearing those words, my expression slowly hardened. I turned and went back to my mom's room. I stayed with her the entire afternoon.

Mom noticed the look on my face and asked if something had happened.

I shook my head. I said nothing.

In the evening, my parents told me to go home. I nodded and left the hospital without staying the night.

When I dragged myself through the front door, every light in the apartment was on. I could hear a man and a woman laughing.

Chloe was sitting on the couch, hugging my throw pillow.

I froze.

Ethan didn't look up. Didn't even glance at me. He just explained.

"Forgot to tell you. Chloe has nobody to take care of her, so she's staying with us for a while."

Chloe leaned over to steal a piece of fruit from his hand, then turned to me with a smile.

"Sorry for the trouble these next few days, Ivy. You don't mind, do you?"

I took a deep breath, pushing down the storm rising in my chest.

"If I did mind, would you leave?"

Chloe's face went rigid.

"Ivy!"

Ethan whipped around, glaring at me, his voice dropping into a sharp reprimand.

"Are you done with the passive-aggressive bullshit? Does everyone have to put up with your attitude?"

I met his impatient eyes.

"You saw me at the hospital today and didn't even ask why I was there. Now I come home and you're scolding me for Chloe's sake?"

"Did you even bother to ask where I've been the past two days?"

His brow furrowed.

"Fine. Where were you?"

His tone was as casual as if he were asking about the weather.

I opened my mouth.

I looked at this man I'd spent so long chasing. The man I'd bent over backwards for, even letting my own parents be hurt, just to keep him.

In that moment, I felt like the biggest fool alive.

He didn't actually care where I'd been. He only asked because I'd brought it up, and even that was done with irritation.

If I hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have even noticed I'd been gone for two days.

Suddenly, I didn't want to say anything at all.

"Forget it. It doesn't matter. Let her stay. I don't care anymore."

I was tired.

I didn't want to fight with him anymore.