Chapter 2

Marvin froze for a moment.

I turned and walked away without a second thought.

Vivian's voice came from behind me. "Marvin, aren't you going to go after her? She's mad."

"It's fine. We're about to get engaged. She's throwing a tantrum. She'll get over it. It's nothing," Marvin replied.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was especially harsh.

But he didn't know that I was preparing my documents to go abroad.

I wouldn't look back.

After returning to my shared apartment, I started packing my things.

"Serena, are you moving in with your boyfriend?" My roomate, Vanessa Warner, came out of her room when she heard the noise. "Ugh, you're not staying with us anymore? I'm gonna miss you so much.! I wish you happiness."

I spaced out for a second.

Yeah, everyone knew Marvin and me were together. I'd even told Vanessa that once my lease was up, I'd move in with him.

Everyone thought we'd get married.

At that thought, my hand stopped mid-pack. I clarified, "No, we broke up."

Vanessa was stunned. "Why? You and Marvin were the golden couple in college. What happened?"

"I don't love him anymore," I replied concisely.

Vanessa looked confused. "That doesn't make sense. Marvin's handsome and treats you well. He always remembers your preferences, takes you to concerts and art exhibitions, and he's always there for you.

"One time when I wasn't around, and you were on your period, he came over in the middle of the night in the pouring rain to take care of you.

"He was asking me if there was anything you liked lately. How could you suddenly not love him?"

How could I stop loving him out of nowhere?

Maybe Vanessa was talking about Marvin from before, the boy who cherished me and always had my back.

He was not the boyfriend he was now, who calleds me out for being too pushy because of his best friend.

It was that simple.

I gave a wry smile. "Maybe it all comes down to him not answering my call this morning."

Vanessa could tell I didn't want to talk, so she sighed and let it go.

After a while, she waved her phone at me and asked cautiously, "Is it because of Vivian?"

She pulled up her social media update, and there it was, a fresh post from Vivian, who posted nine photos of her and Marvin gaming together.

In the center was a close-up of the two of them, Vivian's head leaning on Marvin's shoulder. They were both holding controllers, grinning like they were having the time of their lives.

The other photos were all screenshots of their game victories and leaderboard rankings from the launch, clearly showing off how well they were doing.

The comments were all from Marvin's buddies, hyping them up: [Damn, Vivian, you're a beast. That clear speed is insane.]

[Only Marvin can keep up with Vivian's level. I haven't beaten the first bad guy. Vivian, when are you gonna carry me? Or have Marvin do it for me.]

[Am I the only one who thinks Vivian and Marvin are both insanely good-looking? What a power couple.]

Anyone who didn't know better would think Vivian and Marvin were the ones who'd been together for seven years and were about to get engaged.

I finished packing my suitcase, and before I could say anything, Vanessa started ranting at the comments. "Seriously, is Marvin out of his mind?

"This girl posts all these flirty pictures, and he doesn't even notice? And his friends are all rooting for them. Where do you fit into all this?"

"The console they're playing on is the birthday present I gave Marvin," I added calmly. "And two nights ago, he promised me he wouldn't cross the line."

"I get it," Vanessa said, looking at me with concern before giving me a gentle hug. "Serena, if he's not worth it, get over him. But your lease is up. Where are you going to stay?"

"I'll stay with my relatives for a while. It's the right time for me to quit my job and head abroad for further studies," I said, smiling at Vanessa. "Don't worry about me. With my skills, landing a job is a piece of cake."

Vanessa sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Your current company was invested in by Marvin. We all thought you'd keep studying, since everyone knows how strong your research skills are.

"But make sure you take care of yourself. If you need anything, call me. I'm always here for you. I've got your back, no matter what."

"Okay." I nodded.