Chapter 5

After finishing my morning delivery shift and heading back to the studio, a friend request popped up on my SnapChat from Hunter Ross.

The moment I accepted, my feed was flooded with pictures of him and Chloe.

Photos of them watching the northern lights in Alaska, riding camels through the Sahara Desert...

Only then did the pieces fall into place. Every single "business trip" she took over the past four years had been an exotic vacation with him.

Moments later, Hunter sent a direct message:

"Hey, Logan. Sorry it took me this long to add you! Also, sorry for stealing Chloe away today. She insisted on taking me on a picnic."

"Can't help it though—she just spoils me too much."

"Oh, and she bought me a luxury yacht today. Said we're spending ten days cruising the Mediterranean next week."

"Logan? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you mad?"

I didn't bother typing a reply. Instead, I quietly began packing my belongings around the apartment.

Mugs, shirts, keychains, phone cases...

Every single item was something she had picked out—matching couple sets.

And every single item was cheap, flimsy junk.

Right. I was always the cheap placeholder. How could I ever match the radiant, wealthy Chloe Sterling?

Still, I didn't want to leave like a thief in the night. Four years together deserved a proper full stop.

I put in my two-week notices at every job, turned in my shifts, and waited for Chloe to come back.

I sat at the small wooden table, watching the phone until night fell, but Chloe never showed up.

My screen lit up with another taunting message from Hunter:

"Logan, you're not still sitting there waiting for Chloe to come home, are you? She told me she's sleeping over at my place tonight."

"I mentioned the house felt too stuffy, so she promised to buy me an even bigger mansion tomorrow. Oh, sorry Logan, I forgot you're stuck in that cramped, roach-infested rental."

He even deliberately dropped the live location of his luxury villa.

I ignored him, continuing to sit quietly on the small wooden chair, waiting for Chloe.

Late into the night, my phone finally rang.

It was Chloe.

"Logan, something came up at the office. I might not make it back tonight. Go ahead and sleep without me, okay?"

I kept my eyes down, my voice flat.

"Chloe, there's something I need to tell you. I'm leaving—"

Before I could finish, Hunter's voice cut through the background:

"Chloe, my ankle hurts so bad... I think I sprained it!"

Panic instantly took over Chloe's voice on the other end. "Hunter! Are you okay?!"

Then, remembering I was still listening, she rushed to cover it up:

"A coworker just twisted their ankle! I have to go help them right now, let's talk later!"

The line went dead.

The last trace of hope in my heart withered away.