Chapter 2
In less than a second, Dave called back,
practically shouting with excitement. “You
serious? What about Lisa?”
Dave and Lisa had started their companies around the same time.
But Dave had more resources and a better offer
to pull me over. He also knew my relations with Lisa, so he suggested the offer as part time.
But for Lisa, I turned him down.
When I almost froze to death, it was Lisa who
dragged me in and saved me.
I had a soft spot for her, so I put everything in
to growing Lisa’s company.
Now it seems I should have listened to Dave.
“I can decide.”
I talked to Dave for a bit, finalizing the time to
sign the contract.
I drove home to collect my things.
It was the house that I completely paid for, but
it was filled with Lisa.
First, I cleaned out under the bed to find a
collection of sketches.
Some showed her smiling, some were of her in
deep thought, some were of her
ng an
apple, and some were of her putting on makeup
in the mirror.
Every expression of Lisa was captured.
She also liked the sketches, treasuring them.
and put them up.
<
But since Chad came, she seemed to be
impatient, complaining how it was old-
fashioned, a waste of time and suggested
cameras.
The sketches were carelessly dumped under the
bed, yellowed and faded.
I let out a laugh.
I dumped them into a pan and light a corner on
fire.
The flames ate through the pages, turning to
ash.
Just like our love, burned out.
Then I cleared out all my belongings.
I crashed on the couch, looking for apartments.
I opened the phone and was bombarded by
images posted by Chad in the group chat.
The photos were of Lisa and Chad, the
background was a arcade and Lisa held a stack.
of dolls, gazing towards Chad with the biggest
smile.
I had not seen her smile like that in a while.
I had brought her to the arcade once but as
soon as we got the tokens she turned and left,
saying it was childish.
She never had the time.
But she had the time for Chad.
She wasn’t busy, she just didn’t like me.
A few colleagues started commenting on how
Lisa was beautiful, as if she was a goddess,
and asked if things were getting serious
<
LIVU
u yuuuu
and asked if things were getting serious.
They knew I was her boyfriend.
But they commented it because Lisa never hid
her relation with Chad.
I would usually get angry and tell Lisa to get her
shit together.
But I pretended like nothing happened.
Then I noticed a few minutes later that the
posts had been recalled including the original
photos.
I figured she would not come back until late.
Then Lisa walked into the room chatting with
Chad in a good mood.
Seeing me, she glanced with shock then
composed herself, rolled her eyes and went into.
<
the room.
She was waiting for me to talk.
Every disagreement she wanted me to
apologize and ask for her forgiveness.
Even if she was at fault I had to suck it up and
take the blame.
I had thought I needed to do this for a long
time.
I went back to what I was doing.
Then Lisa barged out.
“Did you see the post in the group chat?”
“What post?”
She sighed of relief, “There was nothing, just
something with work.”
T
I wanted to laugh.
What was she doing when I was not around?
“Chad said his car was fixed, was yours?”
Lisa asked.
I knew she was trying to make up.
In the past, I would have run to her side to
make her feel better.
“It’s just an old car,” I said.
Lisa frowned, “What do you mean?”
I raised my head, not knowing what she wanted.
She had said the same thing when my car had
been scratched before.
I thought she would get angry but she took a
<
“I know you are angry with the company, but
Chad has been working really hard so I got him
a new car.”
I laughed.
Chad did not have the experience, the things he
did wrong was uncountable.
Things like bringing white tea instead of milk
tea for clients.
Hiring him wasn’t as good as having a dog.
Lisa pulled me aside and said, “You are my
boyfriend and we are going to get married, isn’t
the company going to be yours. So why would
you care about money and him?”
“The reason I did what I did was for the
company so others didn’t think I was showing.
favor.”
<
Other colleagues thought she favored Chad and
was bullying me.
She ignored that.
I didn’t want to argue, “Okay, I’m done with the
company so you do you.”
Lisa sighed.
Then she stood up and gave me a hug,
whispering.
“We want you to rest and take a break to think
about the wedding.”
“When are you going to propose?”
She smiled.
But I had proposed multiple times but wast
rejected.
<
Lisa scratched my chin, “Don’t be mad, can you
smile?”
Then, she tried to kiss me.
I smelt Chad’s cologne on her.
My stomach churned and I pushed her back,
grabbed some tissue and wiped my lips.
