When I heard the news that Willa Tray had broken up with her boyfriend and returned, I knew that Simon Luke and I were done.

"Lily. Willa just flew back home after surgery. I have to pick her up at the airport now."

"Okay. Drive safe."

He seemed a little surprised. "Wait for me. We'll have dinner together."

"Sure."

After hanging up the phone, I watered the flowers and made food for Peyton.

He smelled the food and circled me, whimpering.

I squatted down and touched his head. "Wait a minute, sweetie."

I didn't wait for Simon to come back that night. I knew he wouldn't return.

I went to work, walked the dog after work, and lived as usual. It was just I started to pack my things up when I had time.

On the third night, I saw Simon at home when I got back from work.

Willa was there, too.

"Willa missed you. So, she came to see you." Simon sat beside Willa, his brows relaxed and his smile bright.

"Willa, long time no see," I greeted her with a smile.

Willa stood up and hugged me. "Lily, long time no see."

Then, she whispered in my ear, "Thank you for taking care of Simon for me over the past few years."

I looked at her calmly, and she looked back at me, smiling.

She seemed to be determined to have Simon.

But I never thought of competing with her.

I never understood why women had to fight to the death over a man.

In the second week after Willa came back, I had almost finished packing my luggage.

"Lily. Willa isn't feeling well today. She is alone in the hospital, and she has no any relatives or friends. So, I am a little worried."

"Well, you go take care of her. I'm going to sleep."

"Lily. I'll take you to the new restaurant some other day. Willa is starting a new job today, and she's a little scared."

"Okay."

"Lily. The temperature dropped sharply today, and Willa didn't have time to buy thick clothes. So, I gave her one of your coats. I'll buy you a new one later. You and Willa are friends, so you won't be upset, right?"

"No. It's okay."

Simon probably forgot that the coat was a birthday gift he gave me. It was a Madison brand coat and the most expensive clothes I had.

I never wore it once.

I stared at my half-empty closet

and the half-empty sink.

If Simon were a little circumspective, he would notice these changes at home.

But he didn't.

I let out a sigh of relief as if I finally made up my mind.

I got a chance to have a business trip for half a month.

As I was leaving, Peyton dragged my trousers.

My heart ached. I couldn't help but squat down and pick up Peyton.

"I'm sorry I can't take you. I'll come back to see you when I have time."

Simon bought Peyton. Although I spent more time taking care of Peyton, I had no right to take him away.

I put Peyton down, put him in the cage, then turned around and left with my luggage.

On the third day of my business trip, I received a call from Simon.

"Lily Skye. How could you be so intolerant of an old friend like Willa? You can just tell me if you don't want her here. I will keep my distance from Willa. Why are you running away without telling me?"

"Simon, let's break up."

"Break up?"

Simon laughed sarcastically. "Lily, have you forgotten you pursued me in the first place?"

Yes, it was me who was obsessed with him and pursued him.

I was surprised and delighted when he agreed to be with me.

It was not until later that I accidentally heard him tell the truth while drunk.

The reason he agreed to be with me that day was because I was wearing a green dress and had short hair, which made me look a lot like Willa at first glance.

I knew it very well in my heart that I would break up with him since I learned that fact.

"You know me. If you break up with me, you will never get me back!"

"Yes, I know."

"Fine."

Simon hung up the phone.

When my business trip was almost over, one of Simon's friends suddenly called me.

"Lily, where are you? Peyton is sick. Why don't you come back and check on him?"

"I'm sorry. I'm still on a business trip. Ask Simon to take him to the pet hospital downstairs. Dr. Liam knows Peyton's condition well."

"Lily, did you have a fight with Simon?"

"We broke up."

"What? Are you serious, Lily?"

"Who told you to call her? What does my dog have to do with her? Just stay away from me! I hope you won't beg me to take you back!"

Simon must have forced his friend to hang up.

I was also tired of it. So, I thought about it and deleted all these people's numbers.

Later, I secretly inquired about Peyton's condition and learned that he had gradually recovered, which made me feel relieved.

After all, Simon and I were in the same circle. We also had some mutual friends.

Even if I didn't ask intentionally, I knew that Simon and Willa were very close and seemed to be in a relationship.

But those two single people weren't together.

One day, I was working overtime when Willa suddenly called me.

"Lily, we've been friends for years, and I don't wanna make it too hard for you. But how could you be so shameless?"

Without waiting for my reply, Willa continued quickly, "Since you and Simon have broken up, you should be a good ex and stay out of his life. Why do you have to badger him?"

I was confused. When did I badger him?

Until late that night, a stranger called me several times in a row.

"Is this Lily? Simon is drunk and making a scene here. Please come and take him home..."

"I'm sorry. Simon and I broke up."

Then, I tried to hang up the phone.

"Don't be a jerk, Lily! Come and get me now! If you don't show up in half an hour, I will never take you back!" "Simon! Don't be crazy! Come with me..."

Willa's voice sounded intermittently, but I felt nothing and just hung up the phone.

But my phone rang again soon, and I didn't want to answer it.

However, when I recall what Willa said during the day, I felt that I needed to explain to her to avoid being blamed.

So, I pressed the answer button, anyway.

"Honey... baby, where are you? I'm having a stomachache. Can you come and pick me up?"

I held the phone tightly, and at that moment, I felt terrible.

Simon and I had been together for three years. That was more than a thousand days. How could I not feel pain when we broke up?

"Peyton misses you, too. He is listless every day. Baby, come pick me up and let's go home. Peyton will be very happy to see you. Please?"

My vision became a little blurry, but I still suppressed the bitterness in my heart and said calmly, "Simon, we are all adults. Can you stop being so childish? If you feel uncomfortable, go to the hospital. It's no use to call me. Also, let me say this again. We broke up. Please don't call me anymore."

Simon was an arrogant and conceited person. Since then, he never called me again.

On Willa's birthday, Simon and Willa announced they were together on their Moments, and I also saw the photos.

Simon held Willa in his arms, and Willa was holding Peyton, who stuck out his tongue and looked happy.

'You little heartless thing. You've already forgotten about me.' I thought.

I was a bit upset but pleased. It was best that Peyton forgot about me. He would be a happy little puppy.

However, my sweet, happy little puppy was dying when I finally got to see him.

Simon asked a friend to call me.

"Lily, come back and see Peyton. He's dying."

When I rushed to the pet hospital, Willa wasn't there. Simon hurried to explain to me.

"He got mad and bit Willa. So, I kicked him in anger. But I didn't expect that would rupture his spleen..."

I pushed him away and staggered to Peyton.

He curled up like a ball and whimpered, his tiny body twitching violently and blood gushing out of his mouth and nose.

"Peyton..."

My tears burst out instantly.

He heard my voice, raised his head slowly, opened his eyes, and looked around.

I hugged him gently, my hands trembling. "Good boy, Peyton. Mom's here, and this time, I'm gonna take you away..."

Peyton seemed to understand what I said.

His wailing voice gradually faded.

He licked my palm gently, just like he used to.

I watched him close his eyes and die in my arms.

Sorrow took over me instantly.

Simon tried to comfort me.

But he could say nothing in the end. Only his eyes turned red.

I knew he loved Peyton very much.

But I also knew that Peyton meant nothing to him when he kicked Peyton for Willa's sake.

I found a small box, put Peyton in it, and walked out.

"Lily, let's get another dog that looks exactly like Peyton, okay?"

"Us?"

"Yes, us." Simon stared at me, hopefully.

"What about Willa?"

Simon was silent for a moment. "I've never thought about getting back together with her."

"But you guys slept together, didn't you?"

Simon was stunned for a moment but finally nodded. "I'm sorry, Lily. After I called you that night, I was so angry that I lost control of myself..."

"You don't have to tell me that. It's your business."

I continued to walk out, holding the box. "Peyton is gone. So, Simon, there's nothing that can bring you and me together now."

"Lily, how could I have built a relationship with Willa if you hadn't broken up with me?"

"Yes, I admit that I ignored you during that period after Willa came back, but I was just being caring to an old friend."

"Is it just out of concern for an old friend, or is it exciting to rekindle an old relationship?"

"Or does it feel better to secretly flirt with your ex-girlfriend?"

"You enjoy being pursued by your ex-girlfriend, and she enjoys the sense of accomplishment of successfully taking away someone else's man. Simon, you two deserve each other."

"Lily, are you sure you wanna break up with me?"

"Yes, no normal person would take back the trash he had just thrown away."

"Okay then." Simon wasn't annoyed. He took out a cigarette and lit it. "Go and complete the resignation procedures tomorrow. Since we've broken up, we should have no relationship at all."

I gritted my teeth and looked at him. I wanted to cry, but I held back my tears and refused to cry in front of him.

"Okay, I will resign immediately."

"Also, you know the bachelor apartment you live in now is also a benefit provided by the company to me..."

"I'll move out."

Simon frowned slightly and said condescendingly, "Lily, you know what I mean. I don't really wanna give up our three-year relationship."

"Can you please stop sickening me?"

"Lily, you are always so stubborn. Fine. Go and be crushed. When you experience more, you will know how good I was to you in the past."

Simon put out his cigarette, turned around, and left.

The tears I had held back for a long time finally came out.

After cleaning Peyton's body and burying it, I went straight to the company.

Simon must have told my boss about it. So, I was soon allowed to leave after I submitted my resignation report.

The HR department told me to move out as soon as possible. Someone else was waiting to move in.

I packed my things and left with the boxes.

The elevator door opened halfway. I saw several men in suits standing outside.

I subconsciously moved to the corner.

"Lily Skye?"

I followed the voice and saw Jacob Grant in front of me, wearing a black business suit. He was as handsome as ever but looked more mature.

He went to the same college as Simon and me, and he graduated two years earlier than us.

Jacob was a famous figure back then.

But he and Simon had some conflicts.

Every time when Simon got drunk, he would swear that one day he would defeat Jacob.

Because of that, Jacob and I hadn't had any contact in the past few years.

But the fact was that we were close in college, and he and I had the same professor. So, I was nominally his junior sister.

Recalling the past made my face turn red.

'Lily, what have you become all these years because of Simon?' I sighed.

Jacob must have realized it was inconvenient for me to carry the boxes alone. He offered to give me a ride.

I wanted to refuse, but somehow, I got in his car.

"Where do you live?"

I shook my head. "I quit my job, and my company asked me to move out as soon as possible. So, I'll just live in a hotel for now."

Jacob glanced at me and said, "Let's have something to eat."

I haven't had anything all day.

"Can I drink? I'm in a bad mood today."

Jacob didn't object to me. He ordered a bottle of red wine for me.

He had to drive, so he couldn't drink.

When we finally left the restaurant, I was so drunk that I could barely walk.

Jacob had to carry me into the car.

"Jacob, the last time I saw Senior Levi, he was already fat and bald. How come you are still so handsome and in such good shape?"

I tended to talk when I got drunk. Simon had always hated me like that and told me to shut up.

But Jacob had a good temper. I kept talking, but he just focused on driving.

"Jacob. Senior Levi told me that the most beautiful girl in your class is still single because of you."

"Jacob, do you have a girlfriend? What kind of girl do you like? Jacob, you are so cute. You must have many admirers over the years."

"Senior Levi's wife gave birth to a daughter, which made him very happy. But his daughter looked too much like him. He was worried about his daughter won't find a husband."

"Jacob, you don't have that kind of problem, right?"

"By the way, Jacob. I remember that beauty in the law school also liked you and even wrote you a love letter, but you refused her and made her cry. I saw girl the other day, and she was still thinking about you."

"Lily."

Jacob suddenly turned his head and glanced at me.

"What's wrong, Jacob?"

"Hold on tight. Your seat belt is loose."

I looked down and saw that I had not fastened my belt tightly when I got in the car.

I lowered my head to fix it myself, but I was too drunk to do it myself.

Instead of fastening my own seat belt properly, I accidentally unbuckled Jacob's seat belt.

I apologized and frantically tried to help him buckle it again.

The car happened to go over a speed bump. Suddenly, I lost my balance and fell on his chest.

My head went right into his crotch.

My forehead bumped on his belt buckle hard, leaving a red mark.

Before Jacob could get angry, I started crying. "Jacob, it hurts. Your belt buckle scratched me..."