Chapter 5 · Waiting In Spring Night

On the third day of Leopold's business trip, I got a call from Doran.

"Leopold's in the hospital. He's at Central Hospital," Doran said.

I took a break during my lunch hour and headed to the hospital.

Leopold was lying in bed, hooked up to an IV, looking weak.

Doran stood by his side, her voice sharp with anger. "What did you do to him? He's so scared he won't even go home. He's been crashing at Alex's place for the past few days!"

I looked at Leopold. "You weren't on a business trip."

He avoided my gaze. "I'm sorry."

I sighed, "Leopold, running away isn't the answer."

"Can we talk about it after I get better?" he asked.

I nodded and turned to leave.

Leopold called out, "Jessica!

"Are you not staying?"

I replied, "You just caught a cold. Come on, you're an adult. No need to make such a fuss."

He stared at me, speechless.

Last winter, I was burning up with a fever of 102.2°F. I was hooked up to an IV all alone in the hospital. I called him, hoping he'd come be with me.

But he said, "Come on, you're an adult. No need to make such a fuss."

On the other end, I could hear loud music and Doran giggling.

He never came home that night.

He texted me, saying he'd be staying at Alex's place until I got better, and we'd talk then.

I'd already decided to break up with him.

We'd been together for seven years, ever since our junior year of college.

At first, we were really in love. After graduation, we rented a place together and turned it into our own cozy place.

I wondered when everything started to fall apart.

I felt that it was probably when Doran showed up in town.

If she called, Leopold would rush off to her side and leave me.

All my arguments and drama only made him drift even farther away.

I'd thought about breaking up, but I couldn't accept it.

I hadn't done anything wrong, so I didn't want to be the one to walk away.

I thought we'd keep dragging things out forever.

But that day, when I happened to see Doran's post online and realized I wasn't upset at all, it finally hit me.

I didn't love Leopold anymore.

I didn't feel jealousy or pain. I just felt free.

Chapter 5

On the third day of Leopold's business trip, I got a call from Doran.

"Leopold's in the hospital. He's at Central Hospital," Doran said.

I took a break during my lunch hour and headed to the hospital.

Leopold was lying in bed, hooked up to an IV, looking weak.

Doran stood by his side, her voice sharp with anger. "What did you do to him? He's so scared he won't even go home. He's been crashing at Alex's place for the past few days!"

I looked at Leopold. "You weren't on a business trip."

He avoided my gaze. "I'm sorry."

I sighed, "Leopold, running away isn't the answer."

"Can we talk about it after I get better?" he asked.

I nodded and turned to leave.

Leopold called out, "Jessica!

"Are you not staying?"

I replied, "You just caught a cold. Come on, you're an adult. No need to make such a fuss."

He stared at me, speechless.

Last winter, I was burning up with a fever of 102.2°F. I was hooked up to an IV all alone in the hospital. I called him, hoping he'd come be with me.

But he said, "Come on, you're an adult. No need to make such a fuss."

On the other end, I could hear loud music and Doran giggling.

He never came home that night.

He texted me, saying he'd be staying at Alex's place until I got better, and we'd talk then.

I'd already decided to break up with him.

We'd been together for seven years, ever since our junior year of college.

At first, we were really in love. After graduation, we rented a place together and turned it into our own cozy place.

I wondered when everything started to fall apart.

I felt that it was probably when Doran showed up in town.

If she called, Leopold would rush off to her side and leave me.

All my arguments and drama only made him drift even farther away.

I'd thought about breaking up, but I couldn't accept it.

I hadn't done anything wrong, so I didn't want to be the one to walk away.

I thought we'd keep dragging things out forever.

But that day, when I happened to see Doran's post online and realized I wasn't upset at all, it finally hit me.

I didn't love Leopold anymore.

I didn't feel jealousy or pain. I just felt free.