Chapter 7: The Girl Who Was Really Leaving

The next morning, I woke up before sunrise.

For a long time, I simply stared at the ceiling.

The appointment confirmation for the apartment viewing was still open on my phone.

Two o'clock that afternoon.

I had not canceled it.

Maybe because deep down, I already believed this relationship was over.

When I walked downstairs, Elias was already in the kitchen.

He was making breakfast as usual.

The smell of toasted bread and coffee filled the room.

Normally, I would have hugged him from behind and stolen a bite before he could stop me.

Today, I quietly pulled out a chair across from him.

He looked up.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

The conversation ended there.

He placed my favorite omelet in front of me without saying a word.

I stared at it.

"You remembered..."

"You always ask for extra cheese," he replied naturally.

My chest tightened.

If he remembered something so small...

Why did he still want to break up?

The floating comments appeared again.

[He's only being polite before ending things.]

[The breakup flag couldn't be more obvious.]

[The side character is reading way too much into breakfast.]

I lowered my head and quietly finished eating.

After breakfast, Elias picked up his car keys.

"I'll drive you to work."

"No, thank you."

"Nancy."

"I can take the subway."

He frowned.

"You hate crowded trains."

"I'll get used to them."

For a brief second, something flickered across his face.

Disappointment.

Or maybe frustration.

"Fine," he said.

"Have it your way."

He left first.

I waited another ten minutes before leaving.

At work, I barely finished half my tasks.

Every few minutes, I found myself staring at the apartment listing again.

At lunchtime, Jim noticed.

"Looking for a new place?"

I quickly locked my phone.

"Just browsing."

"If you're moving, I know a decent neighborhood nearby."

"Thanks... I'll think about it."

Unknown to me, someone standing outside the conference room had heard every word.

Elias.

He had come to the company to deliver documents for a client.

The moment he heard the words 'moving' and 'new place,' his steps stopped.

His grip tightened around the folder in his hand.

He didn't walk in.

He quietly turned around and left.

That afternoon, I left work early to view the apartment.

It was small.

Old.

The wallpaper was peeling in one corner.

But it was affordable.

"Would you like to reserve it?" the landlord asked.

I looked around the empty room.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Still...

"Yes."

I signed the application form.

As I walked out of the building, my phone rang.

Elias.

I answered after several seconds.

"Where are you?"

"Outside."

"Where?"

"Just... handling something."

"Nancy."

His voice sounded unusually tense.

"Jim said you're looking at apartments."

I froze.

He knew.

"Answer me."

"Yes."

Silence.

A long, suffocating silence.

Finally he asked, very quietly,

"Are you really leaving?"

My fingers tightened around my phone.

"Didn't you say we should break up?"

Another silence followed.

This one lasted even longer.

When Elias finally spoke again, his voice sounded strangely hoarse.

"I asked if you were leaving."

"Not whether I wanted you to."

Before I could respond, the call disconnected.

That evening, I returned to the villa expecting another awkward dinner.

Instead, the house was completely dark.

Only the light in the study was on.

I quietly walked toward it.

The door wasn't fully closed.

Inside, Elias sat alone.

His laptop was open, but the screen had gone dark from inactivity.

He wasn't working.

He was staring blankly at the guest room key I had left on the desk that morning.

Then, in a voice so quiet I almost didn't hear it, he whispered to himself,

"She actually believes I'm letting her go..."