Chapter 1

The movie had been playing for ten minutes, but my boyfriend Julian still hadn't shown up.

I was about to call him when my phone buzzed.

I saw his childhood friend Lydia messaging him in their gaming group chat:

"Julian, we agreed to play together tonight."

The next second, Julian replied:

"Okay! I'm coming right now!"

I didn't argue with him. Instead, I turned off my phone, bought some popcorn, and walked into the theater alone.

After the movie ended, I found Julian had called me over a dozen times, along with one text message:

"Tonight's game is really important to Lydia! I promise I'll go to the movies with you tomorrow, okay?"

I didn't reply.

My tomorrow didn't need him anymore.

When Julian came home, I was sitting on the couch playing a game.

"I bought you roses. Do you like them?" He half-knelt on the floor, holding out a bouquet to appease me.

I barely glanced at him. "Thanks."

Seeing I didn't seem angry, he let out a long breath and hummed a tune as he turned on the TV to watch entertainment news.

I paused my game, cleaned up the takeout containers, stood up and headed toward the kitchen. As I passed the trash can, I casually tossed the flowers in.

His face stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I explained simply:

"I'm allergic to pollen."

I'd been hospitalized twice because of pollen allergies. He'd actually forgotten.

Before, when we fought, he'd bring me roses and I'd accept them all.

Looking back now, I was so stupid.

Julian looked a bit embarrassed and tried to recover: "I'll get you a different gift next time, okay? By the way, I'm hungry."

"There are chips on the table."

I yawned, preparing to head to my room to sleep.

Julian froze.

His face showed disbelief. "You're not going to cook me pasta? I want your meat sauce pasta! You used to say chips weren't healthy."

I stopped in my tracks and said seriously:

"Having them once or twice won't hurt. Besides, your stomach is fine."

Julian was left speechless.

He used to be a professional e-sports player, now he's a coach.

Because of training, he often couldn't eat on time, so naturally his stomach suffered.

That's why I learned to cook and made him good food.

But once, when I brought him soup at the training room, I discovered all the food I'd made for him had been given to Lydia.

That time I was really angry. I cried and made a scene.

Julian just quietly watched me lose it.

Only after I'd cried myself out did he pull me into his arms.

"Lydia and I are just friends. Scarlett, you're two years older than me—can't you be more mature about this? It's just a lunch box. My stomach is fine, I can eat anything."

Julian frowned, looked me up and down, then suddenly let out a mocking laugh:

"I get that you're upset I didn't go to the movie. But you left our gaming group without a word—do you know how awkward that made Lydia look as the group admin?"

I left a group chat and somehow that made Lydia lose face?

I immediately countered:

"I don't know anyone in that group anyway. What's wrong with leaving?"

With that, I headed toward my room.

But his expression changed, and he blocked me at the doorway.

"When you left the group, Lydia had just asked me to play. People who don't know better might think she ruined our relationship and made you so angry you left."

Now I really couldn't help but laugh.

So he was afraid Lydia would be labeled as the other woman.

"I'll clarify it." I said impatiently.

"That's not what I meant..." He tried to explain.

But I pushed him out and locked the bedroom door.