Chapter 6
After that day, Mason didn’t come home again.
I was too lazy to ask.
I got off work on time every day, ate on time, and slept on time. Thanks to this. routine and a healthy diet, the dark circles under my eyes had lightened up quite a bit.
One day, while I was scrolling through my phone, a notification alert sounded. I opened it. It was a photo from Mason.
It was a beach photo of him in a bikini, showing off his smooth eight–pack abs.
In the picture, Claire’s hand was visible, applying sunscreen to Mason’s abs.
There was no caption, just a picture filled with unmistakable intimacy.
I clicked over to Claire’s social media.
There, they were holding hands tightly.
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Her caption read: [Look at the person right
in front of you.]
She was bold and bare–faced.
Normally, I would’ve dialed Mason’s
number over and over, maybe even
dropped everything and rushed to confront them, acting irrationally.
But now? I just moved my finger and liked both of their posts.
Was I upset?
Of course.
After all these years, the man I treated like my life was flirting with someone else. Of course, it hurt.
But hasn’t it always been like this?
I had long since built up an immunity to it.
I didn’t let it bother me. I kept working and living as usual. I was fulfilled and happy.
I was even given a new project by my manager due to my high efficiency at work,
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and the prospects were bright.
I worked late that evening, and by the time. I left the office, it was already 10 PM.
To my surprise, I saw Mason’s car parked outside the company.
This was the first big thing we saved up for together after graduation.
But this car rarely came to pick me up. It was Claire who drove it time and time
again.
The passenger-side window rolled down. slowly, revealing Mason’s handsome face.
“Get in. I’ll take you home.”
At the same time, the driver’s side window
went down, and Claire waved at me from
inside.
“Audrey, we came to pick you up.”
They looked like the couple, just swinging by to pick up a friend.
I suddenly felt a bit nauseous and turned to
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walk back toward the office.
Mason got out of the car and grabbed my arm, sounding frustrated.
“How long are you going to keep this up?”
I calmly answered, “I’m not making a scene. Really.
“You know what it’s like when I throw a fit.
I’ll hit Claire, slapping myself, demanding answers with tears in my eyes, even hurting myself… But I’m not doing that now, am I?”
My voice caught a little at the end.
No matter how hot the summer got, I never dared to wear short sleeves, because my arms were covered in scars from self–harm.
I had treated Mason as the most important thing in my life. He wasn’t at fault; it was
all on me.
Every single scar was my punishment to myself.
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It hurt too much.
I had a problem, but I didn’t want to keep being sick.
Mason stood there, stunned, and said in disbelief, “Why aren’t you making a scene? Why aren’t you hurting yourself anymore?”
“It’s too painful…”
I closed my eyes.
Then I turned back toward the office. “I’ve still got some work to finish. You guys should go.”
Mason didn’t say anything else. I had walked quite a distance before I heard him shout behind me, “Audrey, I’m giving you one last chance! If you turn back now, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened!
“But if you take one more step, I’m really going to go sleep with Claire!”
I paused for just a moment, then continued walking without hesitation.
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Once you’ve decided to move forward, don’t ever look back.
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