5
The colleagues who had bet on me apologizing all started laughing.
“Told you. That girl will never change.”
“Alright, pay up.”
The colleague who had just come in looked confused. “What are you guys talking about? What about Merrin
What does this have to do with her?”
“The person who’s here is Mandy. She came specifically for Mr. Hytner.”
The jaws of the colleagues who had bet on me dropped. They started cursing.
The newcomer reminded Steve, “Mr. Hytner, you should really go down and see. It’s a huge surprise.”
The room buzzed with excitement again, but Steve remained seated, unmoving. It was clear to everyone that he was not happy. The noisy crowd gradually quieted down.
Only the colleague who had brought the news was still confused. “Mr. Hytner, aren’t you going down?”
Steve suddenly laughed. “Go down for what?”
“Mandy is down there.”
2/12
16:02
Chapter 2.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“But… she likes you, and you like her. Everyone knows that.”
“When did I ever say I liked her?”
“If I remember correctly, I’ve always said she’s just a childhood friend.”
“But you two seemed so close…”
Steve didn’t answer. He just looked down at his phone again. Still no response.
He exited the messaging app and dialed my number. A robotic female voice answered. I had blocked him.
Steve’s face darkened. He borrowed a colleague’s phone and tried again. The phone rang for a while before someone picked up.
“Hello, Mark? What’s up?”
My voice, soft and gentle as always, came through the speaker. Steve’s heart fluttered, his eyes turning red.
“Hello? Why aren’t you talking?”
“It’s me, Merrin. Steve.”
The line went dead. He tried calling back, but I didn’t answer.
He handed the phone back to his colleague. He said nothing, his face blank. He just opened another bee and chugged it down.
Then he looked at the colleague who had been waiting by the door. “Aren’t we going down? Let’s go.”
Mandy’s confession was quite the production. She was dressed to the nines, looking exquisite. As she pour ed her heart out, tears streamed down her face. It was very moving. It caused quite a stir, and many bystan ders filmed it and posted it online.
Of course, I saw the videos. The most viewed one was of Steve accepting Mandy’s flowers. The part where she cried and fell into his arms, and he kissed the top of her head.
I watched it without expression and then turned it off.
My decision to break up with him was final. I was determined to carve him out of my heart. But a heart is made of flesh and blood. I had loved him for ten years. It was impossible not to feel a pang of sadness.
My best friend silently handed me a beer. “It’s okay to drink a little more tonight. My brother will come pick us up later.”
We drank a lot. We sang a lot of sad songs at the top of our lungs. By the time her brother arrived, we could barely stand.
I looked at the clean-cut young man, feeling a little embarrassed. My mind was a mess. The first thought that
3/12
16:02
8
popped into my head was, I can’t throw up. His white shirt is so clean.
“You’re Merrin? Can you walk?”
He politely supported my arm.
“You know me?” I asked, half-drunk. Then I realized my friend must have told him.
“We met in court once. I’m Leo.”
I stared at him, the colorful lights of the karaoke bar flashing around us. A sad love song played in the backg- round, punctuated by the laughter and applause of other patrons. Waiters rushed by with trays of drinks and
snacks.
It was the most ordinary, chaotic, human scene.
But Leo just stood there, his white shirt immaculate, as if he existed outside of it all. He was so clean, sc pure, that it made me feel ashamed of myself.
5
After my shower, I saw a new friend request on my phone.
I stared at the name, Leo, for a long time before finally accepting.
He sent a message almost immediately: “Rest well. Good night.”
I typed back “Good night” and, surprisingly, fell asleep quickly.
The next morning, after I’d gotten ready and was taking out the trash, I saw Steve. He was standing under a tree downstairs, just like he used to when we first started dating.
The sunlight was so bright that for a fleeting moment, I thought we were back together.
But the moment passed. Steve had accepted Mandy’s confession. They were a couple now.
threw out the trash and went to pick up a package. When I came back, he was still there, watching me as approached.
1…”
He stepped in front of me. “Let’s talk. There’s something I need to say to you.”
ignored him and kept walking.
But he grabbed my arm and took the package from my hands. “This is heavy. Let me carry it up for you.”
Before I could refuse, he was already running up the stairs. The weather was hot, and he was sweating.
