Chapter 3 : Letting Go?

I pondered this question all day. When he came to get me in the afternoon, I still had no answer, but I followed him anyway.

Habit is a terrible thing. After ten years, I''m used to him and used to going back to The Smith Family after work.

"Why aren''t you talking?" On the way back, Alexander seemed to sense my bad mood and asked me.

I was silent for a few seconds. "Alexander, maybe we should..."

Before I could finish my sentence, his phone rang. The car''s display showed an unnamed number, but I clearly saw Alexander''s grip on the steering wheel tighten. He was nervous, which was rare.

Instinctively, I glanced at his face, but he quickly switched the call from the car''s speaker to his Bluetooth. "Hello... okay, I''ll be there soon." The call was brief. He hung up and looked at me. "Alex, I have an urgent matter to attend to. I can''t take you home."

Even before he spoke, I knew he was going to leave me behind. It wasn''t the first time. But I still hoped he would take me home first. My heart ached for a moment, and I suppressed my sadness. "Is something wrong?"

Alexander''s jaw tightened, and he didn''t answer. Instead, he looked out the window. "Get off at the next stop and take a cab home."

He didn''t even bother to explain, and he had already made arrangements. What else could I say? Asking questions or making a fuss would only embarrass me.

"Text me when you get home," Alexander instructed as he turned the steering wheel and pulled into a temporary parking spot by the roadside. I tightened my grip on my bag and got out of the car.

It wasn''t just my imagination. From the moment he saw the caller ID to his reluctance to take the call on the car''s speaker, I had a bad feeling. But I didn''t ask or say anything. Some things are like a thin layer of paper, best left unspoken.

"Be careful on your way!" he said hurriedly before driving off. I stood there, watching him leave until my eyes stung. Then I looked down at my feet.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was my best friend, Braylon. "Alex, where are you? Want to grab dinner?"

Braylon Cavendish is a gynecologist, young and single, but an expert in her field. "Sure," I agreed quickly.

Braylon immediately teased, "Wow, the sun must be rising in the west today! Usually, when I ask you out, you always say, ''Let me check with Alexander first.'' What''s different today?"

A lump formed in my chest. For the past ten years, I had lived as Alexander''s accessory, reporting my every move to him, afraid he wouldn''t be able to find me. But today, his words made me realize I had become a burden to him.

"Are you at the hospital or home?" I asked instead of answering.

Braylon gave me an address and told me to come over. "What''s wrong? Did you have a fight with Mr. Smith?" she asked as soon as she saw me.

She was one of my few friends, and I didn''t hide anything from her. After hearing my story, Braylon cursed, "Men are all jerks! He said you''re a burden? As if he''s slept with you a million times!"

Her words didn''t comfort me. Instead, they made me feel worse. Despite being with Alexander for so long, we had never been intimate. There had been moments of closeness, like the time I got drunk and made a move on him, but he just wrapped me up and put me to bed.

I used to think he was respecting me, not wanting to take advantage of me while I was drunk. But today, I realized he just wasn''t interested. Isn''t it said that if a man truly loves a woman, he would want to sleep with her? But Alexander never showed any desire for me.

"Braylon, I think I want to let go."

The answer to the dilemma that had plagued me all day suddenly became clear. "Good, I support you," Braylon said, clinking her glass with mine. "There are plenty of fish in the sea. With your looks, you can have any man you want."

Braylon was right. At eighteen, I had won a beauty pageant. If it weren''t for Alexander, I might have pursued a career in showbiz. With my beauty, I''ve had countless admirers and suitors over the years, but none of them moved me. The only one I wanted was Alexander.

The thought made my eyes sting. I didn''t want Braylon to see my true feelings, so I quickly ran to the bathroom.

I ended up running straight into someone coming out from inside. I must have been running too fast because I knocked the person down and ended up on top of them.

Just as I was about to apologize, the person screamed and started shouting, "Help! Someone''s being a pervert!"