Chapter 3

"Eva, why haven't you been checking on me lately?" Ellis called out, following me into the bedroom.

"And... it feels like something's changed about you, like you're avoiding me. You used to call me constantly, and now—nothing."

Ellis strolled in, still enveloped in steam from his recent shower. He raised a towel to his hair, wiping away water droplets, his dissatisfaction evident despite himself. The scent of women's perfume still clung to him, poorly masked by soap.

My hands paused mid-action. Suddenly, memories flooded back. During our eight years together, we spoke nearly every day. Even when swamped with no time to spare, we never lost touch. I thought our lives were intertwined.

Yet, Ellis always claimed I was hovering over him. Now, if I look at our WhatsApp messages, our last conversation was half a month ago. The current ease and distance were what Ellis had wanted, yet now it seemed to bother him.

I managed a slight smile, "You're reading too much into it. I've just been busy and didn't want to intrude. Besides, Laylani seems to need you more than I do these days."

"Get some rest, early." I shut my laptop, picked up my pillow, and headed to the study. Although we'd been together for eight years, we'd been living apart for the past six months. I disliked the smell of cigarettes. Ellis had quit smoking for three years for me, but as soon as Laylani came back, all that effort was undone.

Laylani, the childhood friend who grew up alongside him, was a shadow he couldn't quite shake. They shared a bed openly, claiming they had since they were kids. When I was sick and feverish, needing him the most, a single call from Laylani was enough to pull him away.

Laylani, the childhood friend who grew up alongside him, was a shadow he couldn't quite shake. They shared a connection openly, claiming they had since they were kids. When I was bleeding and losing his child, needing him the most, a single call from Laylani was enough to pull him away.

At first, I was jealous and resentful. I hated that my boyfriend had such a close childhood companion. But now, my heart had turned cold and indifferent; even if Laylani claimed to be pregnant with his child, I no longer cared. After all, I'd already decided to leave.

As I resolutely walked away, Ellis suddenly panicked. "Eva!" he called out, trying to stop me. "Tonight, I've rinsed my mouth and washed away all the smoke. Can we... sleep together? It's been so long."

Seeing my lack of response, Ellis got up and hugged me from behind. "Eva, we're getting married in just two weeks. Haven't you always wanted a home? I've made mistakes, but I'm still the same Ellis you fell in love with."

A home? My eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Yes, for eight years, I had longed for a home. Since my mother passed away early, I craved security and a sense of belonging. I desperately wanted to build a small family with Ellis. But later, I realized that Ellis's life was bound to be chaotic, endlessly tangled with Laylani and whatever child she might be carrying—real or imagined.

If the rest of my life were to be like this—constantly second to another woman, abandoned when I needed him most, my pain dismissed as inconvenience—I'd rather not have that home at all.

I sniffled, pushing Ellis's hands away. "We'll talk about it then," I said, then walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me.

What Ellis didn't know was that tomorrow, I would be gone for good.