Chapter 4

Dead silence on the other end of the line.

After a full five seconds, she let out a dry laugh: "What kind of joke are you playing with me?"

"No joke. I bought the condo, full payment. With only my name on it."

"Liam!" Her voice instantly rose, carrying an unsuppressed anger. "Are you done making a scene?"

I didn't speak.

"Just because I didn't go yesterday? Didn't I explain it to you? Ethan was traumatized by the car accident. What's wrong with me, as his friend, going to be with him? Do you really have to make such a big deal out of nothing?"

"Yes, I know. So I bought it myself. You don't need to trouble yourself."

"You... you just wait. I'm coming to find you right now!"

She hung up.

Ryan looked at me, raising an eyebrow: "Did she freak out?"

I tossed my phone back into my bag, finding that my heartbeat was surprisingly steady.

At three in the afternoon, Chloe burst into the coffee shop where Ryan and I were.

She was panting, sweat beading on her forehead, and when she looked at me, her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Liam, say what you just said again?"

"I said, I bought the condo, full payment, my name only."

She slammed her hand on the table, making everyone around them turn their heads.

"Where did you get that much money? Are you insane? That was supposed to be our marital home. What right do you have to decide alone?"

"It's my money, of course I can decide." I took a sip of my coffee. "As for a marital home, now it's just *my* home."

Chloe took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, reaching out to take my hand, but I pulled it away.

She awkwardly withdrew her hand, her tone softening: "Liam, I know you're upset about yesterday. But this condo is where we're supposed to live together. How am I supposed to explain this to my parents if you do this?"

She wasn't worried about me being wronged, but about not being able to explain it to her parents.

"No need to explain." I looked at her. "Chloe, I've been considering something recently."

"What is it?"

"Something about work."

She visibly relaxed, her tense shoulders slumping. She even managed a slight smile.

"You scared me. I thought you were going to call off the wedding!"

Her tone when she said that was so light it was almost cruel.

As if the idea of "Liam leaving Chloe" was a wild fantasy.

"Oh, right." She pulled a delicate little velvet box from her pocket and pushed it across the table to me.

"These are cufflinks I bought for you when I passed the mall. Consider it an apology. Ethan said this style really suits your temperament."

I looked at the box, not touching it.

"Ethan picked them out for you?"

"Yeah, he has good taste. He also said he felt bad about taking up your time yesterday and insisted I get you a gift."

I opened the box. Inside was a pair of silver cufflinks.

They looked familiar.

I opened Ethan's social media. Three days ago, he'd posted an update:

"I love these cufflinks so much, but they're too expensive. I'll come pick them up next payday."

The accompanying picture was of these very cufflinks.

I pushed the box back.

"I don't like them. You should give them to him."

Chloe's face changed: "Liam, don't be ungrateful. I'm humbling myself to appease you, and you have to be so sarcastic?"

"I'm not being sarcastic. I just think that since he likes them, they'd be more suitable for you to give to him."

I stood up and picked up my bag.

"I have something to do. I'm leaving."

"Liam!" she called after me. "If you walk out that door today, don't expect me to ever try to appease you again!"

I didn't look back. I pushed open the coffee shop door and walked out into the dazzling sunlight.