Chapter 5

I didn't quite understand.

Wasn't this the result Ethan had always wanted?

He liked Sophia, not me. What was wrong with me proposing a breakup?

I thought about it and finally answered:

"Because of that slice of pizza tonight. I was a bit sad I didn't get to eat it."

"Just because of one slice of pizza?"

"Yes, just because of that."

Ethan laughed bitterly at my response.

"Didn't I say Sophia hadn't eaten much, so I let her have that slice, and that I'd buy you more on the way back?"

"Why do you have to fixate on that one slice? Vivian, why are you so petty? What was so special about that pizza?"

His words placed all the blame on me.

But he didn't know that some food only has appeal in specific settings. Once removed from that context, there's no desire to touch it.

It's true for food, and for people too.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm.

"That slice of pizza wasn't special. What was special was your attitude."

"She wasn't the only one at the table who hadn't eaten much. I hadn't either. But your gaze only stayed on Sophia, so you could only see her."

"You like her. I can't force you to like me. I just don't want to force myself anymore."

Ethan was smart—he understood immediately what I meant.

He remained silent for a long time, then frowned and said: "You saw my diary?"

"Yes."

He rubbed his brow, his voice unable to hide his exhaustion:

"That was all written a long time ago. When filling out applications, I chose NYU for you. Isn't that enough to show my attitude?"

Seeing that I remained silent, Ethan's patience ran out. He asked me one last time:

"I'll ask you one last time, Vivian. Are you sure you want to break up with me?"

I nodded firmly: "Yes."

"Fine. You said it yourself."

"When you get to NYU, I won't wait for you. And you'd better not regret it when I'm with Sophia."

I agreed to everything.

Ethan stared at me intently, his eyes turning red from frustration. After accumulating enough disappointment, he left.

After that day, we never contacted each other again. Our relationship instantly hit rock bottom.

Mason would sometimes deliberately bring up Ethan at the dinner table, saying he and Sophia had finally achieved their happy ending.

"Ethan and Sophia are the perfect match! Both talented and beautiful—just standing there, you can't look away. So much more pleasing to the eye than standing with you! Tsk tsk tsk, too bad you didn't see it in person."

I kept my head down eating, showing no reaction.

He couldn't help but poke me.

"Hey, don't you have anything to say about this?"

"Oh, congratulations."

My tone was flat.

The day the acceptance letters arrived, I received a call from the delivery person and went downstairs. I ran right into Ethan, who had also come to pick up his letter.

His gaze flashed over me, deliberately pretending not to see me.

I kept my distance from him, walking one behind the other to the delivery person.

When the acceptance letter was handed to him, the delivery guy smiled: "After delivering all day, you're the only one from NYU in this area. Not bad, young man."

Ethan's body suddenly trembled. He immediately turned to look at me.

I knew what he was thinking at that moment.

So under his bewildered gaze, I stepped forward with a smile:

"Vivian Walker, Cornell University."