"Gabriel, wake up, wake up..."

I was jolted awake by a series of shakes, looking outside to see the sky cloaked in darkness.

"Do you really have the heart to let me go hungry?" Scarlett said, her voice filled with a pitiful tone.

"Scarlett, take a good look at me, do you notice anything different from usual?"

"You look particularly handsome today."

"Really?" I forced a smile, though feeling a sense of desolation within.

Entering my exclusive kitchen, I started preparing dinner.

In the five years we had been together, I could immediately sense any slight discomfort in her body, often nipping illnesses in the bud.

Now, I was covered in sweat, with my t-shirt soaked through, my face flushed, and walking as light as a feather, but she couldn't discern that I was sick.

Suddenly, a phrase came to mind. "When the heart is not with you, even if you lose a hand, she or he wouldn't notice."

After dinner, I continued to lounge on the sofa.

"Are you still sulking about Benjamin and me..."

"Your relationship is innocent, I know that."

"Then why are you protesting by sleeping on the sofa?" Scarlett asked, hands on her hips, her expression stern.

With a wry smile, I said, "Take a closer look at me today. What's different?"

"You didn't shave?"

I shook my head.

"You didn't prepare fruits for me after dinner."

I chuckled self-deprecatingly.

I thought, "Scarlett, oh Scarlett, I've pampered you too much."

"Don't keep me in suspense, just say it."

"I have a cold and can't go into the bedroom to use the air conditioning."

I had hoped she would say, "I turned off the air conditioning, come in and rest."

But I overestimated her, and I overestimated the bond between us.

"In that case, you'll be sleeping on the sofa tonight," Scarlett said, grabbing a bag of snacks and heading into the bedroom.

A few minutes later, she came running out again.

I thought she would ask if I had taken any medicine.

But I was mistaken.

"Gabriel, tomorrow is your birthday. We had planned to have dinner together, but I have to accompany a very important client tomorrow night. I promise to be back before midnight to celebrate with you."

"Alright, remember, be back before 12, or the fancy clothes and luxurious carriage will disappear, and you'll turn back into Cinderella."

She walked into the bedroom, smiling.

In the past, I would have felt uncomfortable, gotten angry, thrown a tantrum, and begged.

I would say, "Please, don't accompany the client, celebrate my birthday with me, it's only once a year."

But it would not happen anymore.

I remember when we first got together; it was her birthday, and I happened to be away on a business trip. To be able to celebrate with her, I rushed back from over 300 miles away, spent her birthday with her, and then hurried back to the city where I was working the next night.

Walking along the bustling food court at 7 p.m. the next day, watching happy couples pass by, I recalled the first time I met Scarlett.

It was at a popular restaurant, coincidentally on Valentine's Day. Being single, I felt a pang seeing the couple's set meal at half price, a bitter taste in my mouth.

A very attractive girl smiled and asked me, "Hey, handsome, want to share a couple's meal with me?"

She was Scarlett.

From then on, we pretended to be a couple and ordered the couple's set meal at half price.

During the meal, we discovered numerous shared interests, like watching thrillers, admiring the same celebrity, and enjoying hiking...

"Why did you choose me out of all these people to share a meal with?" I asked.

"I don't know, I just felt like I knew you from somewhere," Scarlett replied with a smile.

"Even though it's our first meeting, I also have this strange sense of familiarity with you."

"Really? Maybe we were lovers in a past life, haha..."

I unknowingly found myself at the entrance of a restaurant. Despite it being summer, business was surprisingly good. Guided by the waiter, I took a seat on the second-floor terrace. After placing my order, I deliberately asked, "Do you have any small cakes? It's my birthday today."

The female server said, "Yes, happy birthday to you."

"Thank you."

As the server walked away, I heard a voice saying, "We plan to get married next month."

It was Scarlett's voice.

Turning towards the voice, I saw the dining area 16 feet to my left.

Scarlett was sitting next to Benjamin, with a young girl in her twenties sitting across from them. The girl had dyed red hair and heavy makeup.

The red-haired girl stubbornly said, "I don't believe you're getting married. You must be tricking me."

"How many times do I have to say it for you to believe me? She is my girlfriend, and we are getting married. Stop pestering me," Benjamin replied, annoyed.

"You say you are Benjamin's girlfriend? Fine, tell me then, what does Benjamin like to eat? What brand of clothes does he wear? What shoe size does he wear..."

"He likes to eat mousse cake, but it must be made with vegetable oil, or else his stomach will bother him. He only drinks iced Americano; he doesn't like pungent smell; he eats noodles without cilantro; he eats beef but not lamb. He wears clothes that are two sizes larger, likes tops from Vance & Se, suits from Yohji Yamamoto, and summer collections from Paul. He wears size 10 shoes and likes Air Jordans..." Scarlett rattled off for over ten minutes.

Listening from the second-floor terrace, I heard it all clearly and, shocked, I couldn't help but wear a wry smile...

After being together with me for five years, she had forgotten several times that I didn't eat cilantro, buying me clothes that were either too small to wear or too large.

As for coffee, it was no wonder that when we went to Starbucks several times, she would inadvertently blurt out "iced Americano" before correcting herself to cappuccino, which was my favorite.

The dishes soon arrived, along with a small cake.

I ate and watched their drama unfold.

It was quite interesting.

The red-haired girl persisted, saying, "You must have been prepped by Benjamin to say all that."

"Then how else would you believe that I am his girlfriend?" Scarlett retorted.

"You two don't look intimate at all."

Benjamin wrapped his arm around Scarlett. "Is this enough for you?"

"A hug doesn't prove much. At least give each other a kiss."

Benjamin hesitated, and Scarlett took the initiative to peck his cheek.

"Now do you believe us?" Scarlett said.

"A peck on the cheek doesn't prove anything. Give each a kiss on the lips, then I'll believe you're a couple."

My hand holding the fork froze.