Chapter 5: The Breakup He Asked For

I lowered my eyes.

I was about to slip away quietly when Yoana suddenly called out to me. Her eyes curved into a smile.

"You are Mr. Carter’s girlfriend, right? You are really pretty. Oh, and my name is Yoana. I like cats too."

I blinked in confusion.

I was about to respond when Elias moved too quickly. Before I could say anything, he had already ushered Yoana out the door.

Then he walked straight into the bedroom.

When he came back out, he held another pillow in his hands. It was the one I had bought for him.

Without any change in expression, he handed it to me.

"Your room probably does not have a pillow, right? Use this one."

After a brief pause, he added, "This one is comfortable."

I stared at it for a few seconds before reaching out to take it. A bitter feeling flashed through my chest, and I answered with difficulty. "Okay."

The comments had been right again.

Elias had chosen the pillow Yoana gave him and returned mine instead.

Maybe he was afraid I would make a scene about it. He had even prepared an excuse ahead of time.

I knew there would only be more moments like that in the future.

Almost like I was fleeing, I hurried back to my room.

I stayed inside all day without coming out once.

A few times, Elias knocked on my door and asked what was wrong, but I brushed him off each time.

Then the doorbell rang again.

It was Jim. Our manager had asked him to drop off a contract for me on his way home.

The door opened.

The person greeting him was Elias, wearing a dark expression.

Elias was in the middle of making dinner. His sleeves were rolled up.

"Nancy is busy. Just give it to me."

Then he added casually, "If you are done, you should head out. I am pretty busy myself. After all, not every man is as skilled at cooking as I am."

Jim scratched his head and looked inside in confusion. "Does making fondue even count as cooking?"

Elias’s expression darkened even more. Without hesitation, he pushed Jim out the door.

"Nancy and I have some private things to do later."

In reality, the private thing he meant was nothing more than rubbing my stomach after I ate too much.

After dinner, I could not even remember when I fell asleep.

When I woke again, I finally made up my mind.

I searched through the villa until I found Elias in the laundry room, washing my underwear for me.

A piece of pink fabric twisted between his fingers.

My face burned bright red.

I suppressed the strange flutter in my chest, shuffled over to him, and spoke carefully.

"Elias… I want to move out."

His movements paused.

For a long time, he did not say anything.

Maybe it was my imagination. It felt like the force in his hands grew stronger as he scrubbed.

"Were you not scared of living alone? Is this because of…" Elias never lifted his head. His voice sounded rough and strained.

He never finished the sentence.

I did not dare admit that I had lied to him before, so I only mumbled softly, "I can learn to get over it slowly."

Elias kept washing my clothes.

He stopped talking again.

I followed behind him nervously, unable to sort out my own emotions.

Part of me wanted him to agree.

Another part wanted him to refuse.

So, I asked again. "Can I?"

After he hung up the laundry, Elias finally turned to look at me. His dark eyes were so deep they seemed impossible to read.

He clenched his jaw tightly before speaking in a cold voice.

"You are already planning to move out, so what exactly do you still need me as your boyfriend for? Maybe we should just break up now."

I froze instantly.

Meanwhile, the floating comments exploded with excitement because of his words.

[So this is what the male lead really thinks, huh? He's wanted to break up with the side character for ages.]

[At least the side character finally has some self-awareness.]

[Go, go, go! Hurry up and leave so our female lead baby can take your place already!]