Chapter 3

On the first day of waiting for my visa, I returned to the apartment I once shared with Luciano Washington to pack my things.

While sorting through my belongings, I stumbled upon an unopened tie under the bed. A wave of bitterness washed over me. It had been meant as a birthday gift for Luciano, something I had saved for months to buy. I had been so frugal that I avoided spending even on a bottle of water, choosing instead to endure my thirst. Yet there it lay, neglected and forgotten in a dusty corner, still in its packaging.

Finding a cheap leaf bookmark on Luciano's desk felt like a slap to the face. It was a birthday gift from Genesis Brooks, a piece of roadside trash he valued and kept with care. Both were birthday presents, but they couldn't have been treated more differently.

Gifts were one thing, and people another.

I let out a bitter laugh and put the necklace up for sale online for a measly ten bucks. There was also the tent I’d bought for a camping trip, along with the barbecue skewers and grill I had carefully selected. At one point, I'd been excited about going camping with Luciano. But now, it seemed pointless, so I sold all of it secondhand online for next to nothing.

After tackling the bedroom, I turned to the game room. It used to be my study until Luciano's love for card games led me to convert it. It wasn't until I saw Genesis's Instagram post that I realized she was the one who loved card games. Luciano would invite her over to play when I was away on business trips, often until dawn.

The sight of the game table made me feel sick. I grabbed a hammer, smashed it to pieces, and tossed the whole mess in the trash.

On the third day of waiting for my visa, I gathered the necessary documents and went to a real estate agency to sell our marital home at a low price. I had bought this house outright before Luciano and I started his business, and only my name was on the deed. I had once considered adding his but decided against it.

Previously, I had used my savings to buy a small apartment as an anniversary gift, intending to later trade up to something larger. This apartment was in Luciano's name. He later gifted it to Genesis.

When I confronted him, demanding an explanation, he had the nerve to justify his actions. "You gave me the apartment, so I get to decide. Besides, Genesis is alone in New York, struggling. What's wrong with helping her out? Why are you so cold-hearted?"

In hindsight, I'm grateful I was cautious back then. Otherwise, I would have lost everything.

Because the house was priced low, a buyer quickly came along, and we signed the contract.

On the fifth day, I received my visa and headed to the airport with my luggage. As I waited, a familiar voice echoed nearby. I looked up to see Luciano and Genesis, fresh from their trip to the Alps, with Luciano's group of friends, who had come to welcome them back.

"Luciano, you guys are finally back from your vacation! The restaurant is booked. We've been waiting for you!" Jayden Harvey exclaimed as they took their luggage.

"Hurry up, or the food will get cold," another chimed in.

I was taken aback by their warmth. They had always been cold to me, excluding me from gatherings and treating me with disdain. On rare occasions when I was included, they would belittle me behind my back, claiming I wasn't good enough for Luciano and treating me like their servant. They would make me pour drinks and run their errands, even flicking ash into my hands like a human ashtray.

Luciano would just say his friends were like that, and I shouldn't take it to heart. But if he hadn't badmouthed me to them, why would they treat me this way?

As I stood there, lost in thought, the group began pushing Luciano and Genesis together.

"Luciano, Genesis seems like a great catch. When are you two getting married?"

"Genesis is much sweeter than that dull Matilda Arnold. Plus, Genesis's parents are alive and well, unlike Matilda, whose parents have passed. She's bad luck for whoever marries her!"

Luciano's lips were pressed tight, offering no defense. Yet in the past, when his friends criticized me for being boring, he would always defend me fiercely, proudly declaring me the best partner in the world.

In just five years, the Luciano who once took pride in me now seemed ashamed.

The group wanted to say more, but Luciano cut them off. "Alright, let’s head to the private room."

As he turned, our eyes met, and we both froze. He let go of Genesis's arm.

"Matilda, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Genesis smirked. "Matilda, were you waiting for Luciano after seeing his Facebook post about returning today?"

Her words ignited Luciano's anger. "Matilda, we were together for five years, and you still don’t trust me?"

He noticed my luggage and grew even angrier. "Luggage? Are you planning to run away from home?"

Genesis seized the moment to add fuel to the fire. "Matilda, don't be so petty. If you leave, what will happen to the company? Can you really leave all the work to Luciano?"

"If I were you, I wouldn’t want him to be overworked. He already provides for the family."

The group turned their displeasure toward me.

"Matilda, how dare you act superior when you've been living off Luciano?" one of them spat.

"Luciano, why bother with her? Just fire her!" Jayden added.

Luciano, clearly irritated, glared at me. "Matilda, if you keep this up, I'll really fire you. Think it through. You're not young anymore. Finding another job won't be easy."

Amid his threats, I simply smiled coldly and pulled out my resignation letter, tossing it in his face. "Luciano, have you forgotten? I resigned five days ago. And by the way, we're done."