Chapter 2

The words had barely left my lips when Seraphina snatched the glass from my hand, tilting her head back and draining it.

“He has a sensitive stomach and doesn’t drink. I’ll drink it for him.”

For three years with Seraphina, most of the drinks at these events were consumed by me, on her behalf.

Now, Liam hadn't even refused yet, and she was already protecting him, drinking his share.

I was about to speak, but Liam’s necklace caught my eye.

The pendant on the chain was a worn, faded bullet.

Noticing my gaze, Liam’s hand instinctively clutched the necklace, his voice tinged with nervousness.

“Is something wrong, Jax?”

Before I could answer, Seraphina quickly interjected.

“Liam said this necklace was special when we met last time, so I took the liberty of giving it to him.”

I looked at Seraphina. A flicker of unease crossed her face.

After three years of constant companionship, how could I not know her?

Her hurried explanation was only because she was afraid I’d question Liam.

But she didn’t know me. I, Jax, have never been one for drama.

“Well, since your date has arrived, I’ll head home then.”

“Seraphina, Happy Birthday.”

With that, I walked out of the room without looking at anyone’s expression.

As soon as I got home, my phone rang.

I opened it and saw a video on SnapChat had tagged me.

In the video, Liam was sitting amidst a pile of gifts, a large bouquet of Black Knight roses beside him, and a party hat perched on his head.

The caption read:

“Someone who truly loves you will spoil you rotten. Who knew even non-birthday people could get so many gifts?”

Soon, the video disappeared, and a message popped up a second later.

“I’m so sorry, Jax. I tagged the wrong person. My bad.”

I smiled, put down my phone, and didn’t reply.

Liam’s little games meant nothing to me.

I began to pack my things calmly, but as I did, tears started to fall.

I didn’t have much. Apart from my everyday clothes, there was almost nothing else.

As I packed, I suddenly realized that in these three years, Seraphina had never once given me a gift.

When we were most in love, I, like a naive boy, would pull her into my arms, holding her hand and tracing her fingers.

“It’s always me trying to make you happy and giving you gifts. Other girlfriends always prepare surprises for their boyfriends, but I’ve never received anything.”

“Next anniversary, how about a small gift for me?”

Seraphina would always lean her head against my neck, clinging to me playfully.

“My Jax isn’t like those *other* men, why would he like things losers pine over?”

My mind flashed back to the video I’d just seen, that man sitting amidst a mountain of gifts.

In that moment, I suddenly realized it wasn't that I was "different," but that she simply couldn't be bothered to put effort into me.

Piles of gifts that others couldn't even stack were the surprises I’d begged for for three years and never received.

How could my heart not ache? Three years with Seraphina were three years of my life.

I genuinely believed, once, that I would build a home with her.

“Why are you suddenly packing? Where are you going?”