Chapter 6

Actually, I had given Liam one last chance.

That year, because of Chloe and his lack of boundaries, I was angry and hurt countless times. During all the times my feelings for him wavered, and all the times I softened and forgave him, I always said one thing:

"Liam, I hope you'll keep some distance from Chloe."

He then said he'd take me to his buddies' gathering so they'd all understand my importance to him.

I looked into his eyes then and nodded.

There were about seven or eight people in the private room.

Chloe was there too, leaning against Liam, scrolling on her phone.

As soon as I sat down, I heard a guy opposite me mutter under his breath, "Who's this...?"

The atmosphere in the room immediately became awkward.

Liam tried to lighten the mood, raising his glass.

"Today, I brought everyone together mainly to formally introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Audrey."

Everyone raised their glasses half-heartedly. Chloe, meanwhile, openly rolled her eyes.

After a few rounds, the conversation gradually turned to games and basketball.

I was completely excluded, forced to look down at my phone.

"Liam, water." Chloe suddenly held an opened bottle of water to Liam's lips.

Liam instinctively took a sip from her hand, then realized and awkwardly glanced at me.

"Chloe, my girlfriend's here..."

"Oh, come on, we always used to do this, didn't we?"

Chloe said indifferently.

"Audrey, you're being a bit too controlling."

Liam awkwardly changed the subject.

My stomach lurched, and I stood up to go to the restroom.

When I returned, I heard laughter coming from the private room in the hallway.

Through the half-open door, I saw Chloe wrapping her arm around Liam's neck, playfully chiding him,

"I said it was a buddies' night, why'd you bring a plus-one?"

"Exactly," another guy chimed in. "I feel a bit awkward with Audrey here."

Liam laughed, gently pushing Chloe away. "Stop it, Audrey will be upset."

I pushed the door open. The laughter in the room instantly died again.

I didn't stay any longer.

That night, back home, Liam tried to explain,

"Chloe just loves to joke around, don't take it to heart."

I looked at him for a long time. Finally, I told him to keep his distance from Chloe.

He agreed.

That night, for the first time, he didn't reply to Chloe's messages.

He also bought me a bouquet of flowers and apologized sincerely.

I thought he finally understood.

Until the next day, Chloe sent me suggestive photos of her and Liam, with a message telling me that my boyfriend was sleeping sweetly beside her.

I called Liam, but he never picked up.

I took a cab to his place, and then discovered that the door code had been changed.

This time, I was truly exhausted.