I hurriedly looked away, afraid he would see my reddened eyes.

"Okay, I get it. Thank you for sending me home tonight, Gerald. It's late. I should head up."

I started to step away, but he grabbed my wrist.

Gerald gently wiped my tears, his face wearing that I-told-you-so look.

"You're such a crybaby. Won't you fight for the chance to stay with me? Perhaps for Elle's sake, I may play along a little longer," he said lightheartedly.

However, I could not believe him anymore.

The square outline in the right pocket of his jacket gave him away. It was the protection he kept for his trysts with other women.

I took a step back and forced my voice to sound calm. "No thanks, Gerald. Enjoy your night."

Then, I walked straight into the apartment complex without looking at him. I walked fast. My breath came out in harsh clouds against the cold night.

I thought I would not cry again. When I unlocked my door and glanced down from the balcony, Gerald was still standing where he had been, staring into space.

I knew he was waiting for my room light to go on so he could leave without worry. How could he wound me so recklessly and then go on being comfortably kind?

I shut the balcony curtains and collapsed to the floor. Finally, the dam broke. I let it all out until I felt empty, pouring out five years of hurt and humiliation.

My phone chimed. It was a message from Gerald.

[Nessa, you should go out and explore the world while you're young.

[There are plenty of men out there. Don't just tie yourself down to one person.

[Also, get some rest.]

Those three messages lined up on the screen suddenly felt extra absurd.

All of a sudden, it felt to me that none of this mattered anymore. Somehow, all the obsession I had carried for the past five years loosened its grip because of those three lines of messages.

I wiped my face and messaged back.

[Okay. I will.]

Then, I called my mother.

"Hello, Mom. About that arranged marriage with Scott Henderson in seven days… I'll do it."

After I hung up, I fell onto the bed, utterly spent. I had warned myself not to dwell on the past, but my mind and my heart were not in agreement.

I could not help but reminisce about the past. Memories of my first meeting with Gerald resurfaced in my mind. It was Elena who introduced me to him.

He had been in black athletic wear that day. When he scored a three-pointer on the basketball court, those young women screamed.

To my surprise, he came straight to me and took the half-drunk bottle from my hand. He turned toward Elena and asked, "Who's this friend of yours? Why haven't I seen her before?"

Who would not be stirred by an entrance like that? I swooned, falling hopelessly for him.

For him, I fell out with my family. For him, I was willing to be his secret lover for five years without making things official.

Later, I learned that his move during our first meeting was not unique to me. He had said the same thing to every young woman he met.

…

"What? You're getting married?"

Three days after I split up with Gerald, Elena invited me out for a meal. She had not expected to hear my news.

She sat beside me, worry written all over her face.

"Nyssa, I don't know who you've kept hidden for the past five years, but you can't just marry some random guy because of one piece of trash!"

I smiled. "I'm not that delicate, alright? This marriage is something I've thought through carefully. And he's not just some random guy. He's…well, an old family connection. We just haven't seen each other in years."

I was not lying. It was not so much an arranged marriage with Scott as it was fulfilling the childhood promise our parents once made for us half-jokingly.

If Gerald had not come into the picture halfway, I probably would have become Mrs. Henderson years ago.

The worry in Elena's eyes did not fade. She really was concerned about me.

I reached over and pinched her cheek. "Alright, don't be upset. You're going to be my bridesmaid."

"Bridesmaid?"

The private room door swung open. Gerald strolled in carelessly with another new date.

Just like he had always claimed, anyone could be his girlfriend. Well, anyone but me.

He stopped in the middle of the room, scanning the faces until his gaze landed on mine.

"Who's getting married?" he asked.

I caught Elena before she could answer and brushed it off. "It's nothing, Gerald. What brings you here?"

The woman behind him piped up innocently, "I asked Gerald to bring me. I wanted to meet his family and friends. I'm Belinda Campbell. Nice to meet you."

Maybe it was just me, but her glance at me carried a sharp, unspoken challenge.

Elena, oblivious as ever, grabbed Belinda and pulled her over to pick songs for the karaoke.

Meanwhile, Gerald sank into the seat beside me. In the dim light, his glass of liquor swirled lazily in his hand. "Starting to date now?"

I shot him a side glance. "Since when do you care about my love life?"

He chuckled under his breath, then leaned closer and studied me with an amused look.

"Think of it as a follow-up service. If you can't find a boyfriend, I can help scout one out for you. Don't worry, he won't be like me.

"At the very least, he won't make you deliver condoms while running a fever or drag an endless parade of women in front of you. He'll actually be faithful. How does that sound?"

My hand tightened around the glass.

So, it was not that he did not know those things hurt me. He just did not care. Or maybe he only thought of me as a joke.

I tipped back the drink in one gulp, then turned to him with a bright smile.

"It's okay, Gerald. I'm getting married."

…

The room went silent as awkwardness permeated every corner.

Gerald's brows knitted, his dark eyes stormy.

In a disgruntled tone, he said, "Nyssa Bennett, I don't like that kind of joke."

I smiled at him. I was in no rush to explain anything to him.

Just then, Belinda walked over with a drink. Whether on purpose or not, she stumbled, spilling the entire glass down my front.

She covered her mouth in mock horror, voice dripping with sweetness as she said, "Oh, no! I'm so clumsy! Are you alright?"

Gerald's face darkened, and he shot me a cold glare. "It's not your fault. She's the one in the way."

"Gerald, what are you even saying? How is this Nyssa's fault?"

Elena stepped in front of me, shielding me with her body.

"Aren't you the one always protecting Nyssa? Why are you so pissy today, as if the entire world has gone against you?"

She started to say more, but I cut her off. "Forget it, Elena. It's not important."

I ignored Gerald's dark expression and stood to freshen up in the bathroom.

In the mirror outside the stalls, I caught sight of Belinda behind me, her gaze brimming with challenge.

"You must be the one who's been simping at him for five years, right? Do you know how he describes you? He says you're terrifying, like a shadow that follows him everywhere."

I had been trying to let go of the past, but hearing something so degrading still stung. I took a deep breath and turned to face her.

"Is that so? Then I hope you'll last longer by his side than I did."

Her smug smile froze and twisted into something ugly. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and flashed a weird grin.

"It was only five years. In the end, he still kicked you away like a mutt. Nyssa Bennett, the only one who gets to stay by Gerald's side till the finish line, is me!"

When Gerald finally arrived, he witnessed the scene of my palm landing hard on Belinda's face.

"Gerald, I only wanted to apologize to Nyssa, but I don't know why she…"

Belinda covered her face, crocodile tears on the verge of falling, playing the victim.

Gerald's face stayed calm. He looked at me and asked, "Did you hit her?"

My palm burned where it had landed. Belinda had hurt herself just to frame me. What a vicious woman!

I met Gerald's gaze. "What if I said I didn't?"

He stared at me and fell silent for a moment. "Nyssa, you're getting worse and worse. You'd even lie and pretend that you were getting married.

"If you really are getting married, how do you think your husband would feel knowing you hit someone because you got jealous over another man?"

Gerald seemed to be in a good mood. He lifted one hand to cup Belinda's chin, then stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Such a pretty face… Don't let it get ruined. Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."

He put an arm around her and started walking away.

"Wait!" I called after him. He turned and raised an eyebrow.

I stepped closer and pointed at him. "I want that bracelet back."

The thing I referred to was the wooden beaded bracelet he had worn on his wrist. It was one I had sanded and polished myself when I was younger.

He never went anywhere without it back then.

The smile on his face froze. His brow tightened into a hard line as he stared at me intently in silence.

The air around him felt heavy. It felt like the quiet before a storm. Even Belinda fell silent.

Then, he laughed quietly and, with mock confusion, raised his wrist. "This old thing? What a coincidence. I was just about to get rid of it."

With that, he tugged hard. The red cord bit into his skin and left a bright mark. He flung the bracelet to the floor.

The wooden beads scattered and clicked against the tiles with a dull sound.

"Pick it up yourself."

Those words were cold as ice. He scooped Belinda into his arms and strode out.

I kept my head down and watched the beads roll on the floor. I had wanted to close the chapter on that childish crush.

However, I finally realized there was no need for that.