Chapter 4

At work, I handed in my resignation letter.

My manager was shocked and tried to convince me to stay, but I was firm.

When I’d taken this job, it was because I wanted to be near Sarah, to take care of her.

But that wasn’t necessary anymore.

The night before, I’d called my parents over video chat and told them I was planning to move back home.

I saw the tears of joy in my mom’s eyes.

My dad hasn’t been in good health lately, and running the family’s small convenience store on his own has been taking a toll on him.

“Home” isn’t some far-off rural place. It’s a small coastal city—quiet and comfortable.

Sarah, on the other hand, is from the South. She loves her spicy food and always refused to move with me, saying she couldn’t handle the change in cuisine.

So I’d left my family behind and moved here for her, building my life around hers.

Now, that life was crumbling, and I was going back to the one place that had always been constant: home.

That evening, I went out to dinner with my friends and told them about my plans.

They all agreed I was making the right choice. “Your parents’ health comes first,” one of them said.

After a few rounds of drinks, someone finally asked the question I’d been avoiding.

“What about Sarah? Is she coming with you?”

I was quiet for a moment before answering with a bitter smile. “No. We’ll probably break up.”

For years, I’d believed we could build a home together here, and that one day I’d bring my parents to live with us.

But now I knew better. That dream was gone.

The home I wanted wasn’t here. It was the one with my parents, the one where love wasn’t conditional.

When I got back to the apartment, Sarah was sitting on the couch in a white dress, her hair perfectly styled, her makeup flawless. She was holding her phone, smiling brightly as she FaceTimed Daniel.

“Sarah, you’re stunning,” I heard him say. “Even in something as simple as a white dress, you look like an angel.”

Sarah giggled, covering her face with her hand. “Really? You’re always so sweet with your compliments.”

I stood silently in the doorway, watching.

That dress wasn’t “simple.” It was the one I’d spent an entire month’s paycheck on, a gift I’d given her.

When Sarah turned and saw me standing there, her smile vanished.

She turned back to the phone. “I have to go now, Daniel. I’ll see you soon. Don’t forget to eat something before I get there.”

She ended the call, gave me a look of pure disdain, then walked past me to put on her shoes.

Without a word, she left the apartment.

This was her usual pattern—silent treatment, passive-aggressive behavior, all over Daniel.

In the past, I would’ve panicked, desperate to win her back.

This time, I didn’t feel anything.

I quietly unpacked the groceries I’d brought home and made myself a late-night snack. I hadn’t eaten much at dinner, and I was starving.

Over the next few days, I focused on wrapping up work and packing my things.

Little by little, my presence in the apartment grew smaller, but Sarah didn’t seem to notice.