Chapter 8: The Truth Finally Reaches Him

Three days later, I finished packing the last of my belongings.

Everything connected to my old life had been sorted into boxes.

The only thing left in my room was my MIT luggage.

Just as I zipped up my suitcase, the doorbell rang.

Mrs. Triton opened the front door.

"Miss Cynthia, Mr. Ethan is here."

"Tell him I'm busy."

A few seconds later, Ethan pushed past Mrs. Triton and walked inside anyway.

He looked exhausted.

Dark circles rested beneath his eyes, and his usually perfect hair was slightly messy.

"We need to talk," he said.

"There's nothing left to discuss."

"Why MIT?"

"Because that's where I belong."

He took a deep breath.

"You only changed schools because you're angry at me."

I couldn't help smiling.

"Ethan, do you really think my future revolves around you?"

He fell silent.

"MIT has always been my dream," I continued. "I gave it up because of you. The only mistake I made was sacrificing my future for someone who never planned to stay beside me."

His face slowly turned pale.

"You... gave it up for me?"

"You never knew?"

"I thought... Caltech was your first choice too."

"No."

"My teachers, my parents, even Ava tried to convince me not to change my application."

"I ignored everyone because I believed your promises."

"Now I've corrected that mistake."

Ethan stood there speechless.

For the first time, he seemed to realize just how much I had sacrificed.

"Cynthia... I didn't know."

"Exactly."

"You never asked."

"You only cared whether I would keep following you."

His lips moved, but no words came out.

At that moment, his phone rang.

Sylvia.

He stared at the screen before declining the call.

A second later, it rang again.

"Answer it," I said calmly.

"It's none of my business anymore."

He looked at me desperately.

"Can we start over?"

"I'll break up with Sylvia."

"I'll explain everything."

"We'll go to different colleges if we have to. Long-distance relationships work all the time."

I shook my head gently.

"Ethan."

"The moment you chose her for prom... the moment you laughed about using me as practice... we were already over."

His pupils contracted violently.

"You... understood Italian?"

"Yes."

"I understood every single word."

His face lost every trace of color.

"No... that's impossible..."

"I learned it because I thought I'd one day become part of your family."

"Instead, it became the language you used to humiliate me."

Tears slowly filled Ethan's eyes.

"Cynthia... I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry isn't enough anymore."

I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the front door.

"Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for MIT."

"This is the last time we'll ever meet."

Without looking back, I stepped outside.

Behind me, Ethan remained standing alone in the empty living room, finally realizing that the girl who had loved him for ten years was truly gone.