Chapter 3

Since we'd started dating, I baked Connor's birthday cake every year. I saw the cartoon he was showing me on his phone. It was Giselle's profile picture. I stayed silent. After making his request, Connor seemed to realize that he'd given me an unreasonable task. However, I nodded and said, "Send me that picture. I'll head out to buy some ingredients now." Seven years ago, I wouldn't have left that dinner in one piece if not for Connor. After all, I had been a newbie in the corporate world. Once I finished this cake, I wouldn't owe him anything anymore. He watched me wander toward the door and called my name. Without turning back, I asked, "What else do you need?" "I've transferred the money for the ingredients to you." I got into the lift and opened my chat history with Connor. Funnily enough, I'd sent him 5063 messages in total. On the other hand, Connor had sent me 25. Back in our living room, Connor's phone pinged with the notification that his transaction had been rejected. His grip around the phone tightened. That night at 8:00 pm, I received a call from Connor. "Jane, where are you?" I was eating at a restaurant nearby. Without offering him a direct response, I asked, "Do you need anything?" Connor replied warmly, "No. I'd just wanted to tell you that the cake you baked is as scrumptious as always." He paused before continuing, "Thanks for your help." Before I could respond, I heard Giselle simper, "Janie, I heard Connie say you baked my birthday cake. Is that true? You're so amazing! Unlike me, I'm so clumsy. Connie keeps calling me a little clumsy bun." Giselle invited me to her birthday banquet, but Connor interrupted by saying, "Jane, you don't have to come over." He hung up immediately. However, a few minutes later, he sent me his location and said, "Get some chips for Gigi from a nearby convenience store on the way here." When I opened the door, Connor was feeding Giselle cake. My presence caused Connor to frown in dissatisfaction. I knew the location and text had been sent by Giselle. Yet, I still showed up. "Didn't I ask you to stay away?" "I'm sorry, Connie. I tricked Janie and made her come over because I wanted some chips." As Giselle pouted, Connor patted her head and called her his "little greedy kitty". Realizing that Connor was in a good mood, I pulled out my resignation letter. "Mr. Green, my colleague needs to handle a family matter, so she needs to leave as soon as possible. Please sign here to approve her resignation." Technically, resignation requests should've been handled by the company's human resources department. However, when they saw I was the applicant, they immediately rejected my application. The room was dark, and Connor had been preoccupied with flirting with Giselle. He signed the application without even checking the name of the applicant, as I'd desired. I tried to take the form from him, but he grabbed my hand and asked thoughtfully, "Is this the only reason why you showed up, Jane?" When I nodded, his expression turned dark. As though he'd been given an electric shock, he released me immediately. Connor had probably touched the blisters I got from baking and felt disgusted. Just then, Giselle exclaimed as though she had discovered something interesting. "Giselle, the red bracelet on your wrist looks so familiar! Oh! I know, I saw this exact bracelet in my rubbish bin!" I pretended not to see Connor cover his wrist and replied calmly, "It's a common bracelet. If you like it, I can give this one to you." Giselle didn't take it. The second I left, I looked for a trash bin. Then, I threw the bracelet, which I had worn for seven years, right into the trash. While waiting for the lift, Mom called me to ask whether I'd bought train tickets home. I replied, "I'll book the tickets in a few days." Suddenly, Connor asked confusedly, "What are you ordering?" I lied without so much as a blink. "There's a restaurant that has been going viral recently. It requires prior reservation." Connor said nothing. He booked a hotel room for us and began working on his laptop upon checking in. We worked in tandem till the early hours of the morning. While waiting for client feedback from our foreign customers, I could no longer stay awake and dozed off. The next day, I woke up in bed. Connor lounged in bed beside me. He was reading the financial news. When I woke up, he called room service and had them deliver breakfast. Halfway through our meal, he asked me why I'd changed my phone password. "I felt like changing it, so I did." Initially, my password was a combination of our birthdays. Since I was set on leaving him, it wasn't like I could continue using that password. Connor put his cutlery down. "Jane, didn't you throw tantrums just because you wanted me to take you to the movies? There's a cinema nearby." My boss was suggesting we play hooky. Who was I to refuse? I'd had romantic fantasies of nuzzling into my boyfriend while sharing popcorn and watching a comedy in a quiet cinema. It had come true now, but I was bored. Connor noticed my inattentiveness, likely from my constant yawning. He frowned and asked, "You picked this movie. Don't you like it?" "No, it's pretty good." Connor pursed his lips at my insincere response. It seemed as though he had something to say. However, he received a message and left immediately without giving me any notice. Even after the movie had ended, Connor didn't return. I was about to call him when I heard Giselle say, "Connie, you're so cool!" Giselle leapt onto Connor and kissed his cheek. She'd received a huge plushie from Connor. With a palm on her thigh, Connor grinned up at her. Upon seeing me, his smile dissipated. "You're here as well, Janie." Giselle stared at me in surprise. A few seconds later, she squeaked shyly and covered her face with her hands as she wiggled out of Connor's embrace. "Don't misunderstand us, Janie. I was just too excited. That's why I…" Connor booped her nose and reprimanded her sweetly, "There's nothing to apologize for." Then, he turned to me and asked dismissively, "Is the movie over already?" I was about to reply when the fire alarm blared. Everyone swarmed toward the exit. Before I could react, Connor had taken Giselle's hand and was pulling her toward the fire exit. Five minutes later, the false alarm was silenced. Connor came back to where we had been standing, but there was no sign of me. Two hours later, I completed all the procedures required for my resignation. With my luggage in hand, I headed to the train station. While waiting for the train, my phone buzzed incessantly. Connor was calling me. I couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone, so I decided to put my phone on silent mode instead. Before getting onto the train, I sent Connor a text. It said, "Let's break up." After the message was sent, I took the SIM card out and threw it into the bin. … I arrived at the station in my hometown in the early hours of the morning. Just as I left the station, I saw Dad. He'd been waiting for me. Upon getting into the car, I saw a bunch of my favorite snacks and drinks piled in the passenger seat. Before he started driving, Dad helped me open a drink. He put a straw in and handed it to me. When I saw the grey hair at his temples, I could no longer hold back my tears. I started sobbing. "Dad, I'm never leaving you guys again. This time, I'm coming back for real. I want to stay by yours and Mom's side forever." "Darling, you'll always be our precious Janie, whether or not you're with us." My parents could tell that I was in low spirits, but I didn't volunteer any information, and they did not ask. After getting home, I showered and ate my parents' cooking. That night, I got into bed at 10:00 pm, wanting to listen to some calming music to help with sleep. Instead, I saw a few messages from my closest colleague at work, Jenny Carpenter. She was taken aback by my sudden resignation. Jenny asked, "Did something happen? Can I help?" While I pondered how to reply, she sent me a video and said, "Janie, this clip of Mr. Green and Giselle has been making its rounds in our work chat."