Chapter 1
Gabriel stiffened when he heard my words and turned to look at me.
Rose was still in his arms, breathless. When she saw me, her eyes held a challenging glint.
“Oh, Lily! I didn’t see you there. Gabe, I’m so embarrassed!”
Gabriel looked confused for a moment when he heard Rose, but quickly regained his composure. He tried to explain, “Lily, it’s not what it looks like. Rose is just like a sister to me…”
Everyone here was Gabriel’s friend and supporter. No one dared say a word against him.
Someone even tried to cover for him: “Yeah, Lily. Gabe’s just had too much to drink tonight.”
I looked at Rose, who was impeccably dressed. Her carefully applied red lipstick was now smudged from the kiss, giving her an even more alluring appearance.
Noticing my gaze, she stared right back at me defiantly, as if to say, “No matter how long you look, this man will drop you for me with just a crook of my finger.”
“Hah.” Her arrogance made me laugh bitterly.
“Oh really? Just like a sister? Well, you’re not actually related, so why don’t you just marry her instead?”
Gabriel’s expression darkened at my words.
“Lily, I suggest you watch your jokes! I’ve already explained, what more do you want from me? Do you really need to keep harping on this and insulting Rose? Where are your manners? Rose just got back from abroad, I’m just looking out for her a bit more. What’s wrong with that?”
His words made everyone’s expressions turn awkward.
Just looking out for her a bit more? We’re all adults here. Since when did “looking out” for someone mean practically taking them to bed?
Rose smiled sweetly and said in a considerate tone, “Gabe, don’t say that about Lily. She’s always been so kind and understanding. She’ll understand us, right Lily?”
But I didn’t react the way they expected. I didn’t even acknowledge Rose.
This made everyone watch me with eager anticipation, wondering how I would handle Rose.
Anyone could see Gabriel’s clear favoritism towards Rose.
They were curious why Gabriel seemed the angriest, even though he was the one who had done wrong.
Where did he get the nerve?
In Gabriel’s eyes, I saw impatience and a “here we go again” look.
As if I was some kind of monster who would fly off the handle at any moment.
I suppose that makes sense. In the past, when faced with someone like Rose, I would have been a firecracker ready to explode at the slightest spark.
And he would be the silent observer, watching me detonate after he lit the fuse.
Until I was hysterical and completely spent.
Then he would pick up the pieces, acting as if nothing had happened.
He’d offer some empty words or a gift, and I would pathetically make excuses and forget everything.
I’ve lost count of how many times this cycle has repeated.
The worst time, I steeled my resolve to leave. But just as I was walking out the door, he called.
“Lily, I really can’t live without you.”
Just like that, with one flimsy sentence, I turned right back around.
Every single time, it was the same. Countless nights I broke down, then licked my wounds alone.
Then we’d act like nothing happened and get back together.
By now, I’m utterly exhausted from this relationship.