Chapter 7

And just like that, I was stuck with Rick. After that night, he became my boyfriend. The very next day, he posted a photo of us on social media—a shot of our intertwined fingers. Then came all the dates. Unlike Xander, he wasn’t obsessed with what happened in bed; instead, he wanted a real emotional connection. "Dalia, want to see a movie? A big Hollywood blockbuster!" "Dalia, these are chocolates from a famous master—taste them, tell me if they’re good!" He acted like a boy who’d never been in love, surprising me every day. Time slipped by, a month passing in the blink of an eye, and his enthusiasm never waned. As he left me too exhausted to open my eyes once again, it suddenly hit me: I hadn’t thought about Xander in a long, long time. One early morning, a large package arrived. When I opened it, I froze in place. Rick walked over, and before I could hide anything, all the contents lay exposed in front of him—lingerie I’d worn when I was with Xander, and other intimate items