Chapter 4

After saying that, I closed the door without hesitation.

Ryan’s curses came from the other side.

“Lily, you’re a heartless animal! Someone like you deserves to die alone!”

“Don’t regret this! Don’t come crawling back and begging us!”

I leaned against the door and listened to their footsteps fade into the distance.

All I felt was relief.

Early the next morning, I contacted my landlord.

She was surprised when she heard I wanted to end the lease early.

“Lily, didn’t you say you were going to get married here? Why are you suddenly leaving?”

While packing the last few clothes into my suitcase, I smiled and replied,

“Ma’am, plans changed. I’m getting married out of town.”

“Not to that strange-looking guy who always wore a mask?”

“Not him.”

I took out my phone and pulled up a photo.

The landlady’s eyes lit up when she saw it.

“He’s very handsome! You’re a lucky girl, Lily!”

“Thank you.”

I smiled, put away my phone, and paid off the remaining utility bills.

Before leaving, I cleaned the apartment until it was spotless.

That afternoon, Ethan called me.

I had planned to hang up immediately, but after thinking about it, I answered.

“Lily, are you done with your tantrum? I only treated Sophie like a little sister. I went along with it because I didn’t want to see her condition get worse.”

“Really? Does your actual little sister need you to kiss her for three minutes to treat her illness?”

My tone was flat.

Ethan was briefly speechless.

“Lily, do you really have to be so obsessive about details?

“Do you know how you look right now? You sound like a hysterical woman.

“I’ve tolerated enough! I’m giving you one last chance.”

“All you have to do is apologize to Sophie right now.

“I promise we’ll go to the courthouse and get married by the end of the year.

“This is the biggest concession I can make!”

His words sounded so absurd that I couldn’t even find the strength to curse him.

“Do you really think I can’t survive without you?”

“Who else could put up with your domineering, petty personality? Do you really think anyone else would want you?”

Ethan let out a mocking laugh.

Sophie’s voice came from the other end.

“Ethan, don’t say that to Lily.

“If Lily is really angry, I’ll never appear in front of you two again.”

I felt sick listening to them.

I cut them off.

“Don’t bother. You two should stay permanently attached and stop ruining anyone else’s life.”

“Lily! Who are you insulting?”

Ethan completely exploded.

“Do you not understand plain English?”

I looked around the empty apartment and said one final sentence.

Then I hung up and blocked Sophie’s number as well.

I pulled my suitcase behind me and walked out of the complex.

The autumn wind swept past, sending a few fallen leaves skittering across the ground.

When I reached the security booth at the entrance, Uncle Jack, the security guard, heard the noise.

He looked up, saw me, and froze.

“Lily, where are you going?”

“Uncle Jack, I’m moving away. There are quite a few things in here. Please take them and give them to your daughter.”

Uncle Jack silently turned off his phone screen and handed me a cup of warm water.

“I’ve worked here for three years, so listen to me. There are plenty of good men out there. Leave now, and go as far away as you can!”

I forced down the ache in my chest and handed the cup back to him.

“Thank you, Uncle Jack. I don’t want that kind of trash anymore.”

On the way to the high-speed rail station, my phone kept vibrating.

I didn’t answer a single message.

When I arrived at the station, I showed my ticket and boarded the train.

As the train pulled away from the platform, the smart lock on my door sent out an alert.

Meanwhile, Ethan and the others arrived at my apartment.

But the landlady told them,

“She moved out. She said she was going to get married out of town, and she even showed me a photo of the groom. He’s very handsome.”

The four of them were instantly stunned.

Ethan’s eyes turned red, and his fingernails dug into his palm until it bled.

“Who is he?”