The next day, I was deeply focused on reviewing old cases when I heard a female voice outside the door.

“Scott, today I have to see your legendary studio!”

“Come on in any time! You’re always welcome here!”

I couldn’t help but smirk at his hypocrisy. He had always had this double standard.

I remembered a time when I had brought a friend home while we were going to a business trip. When Scott returned that night, he had scolded me sternly. “Lillian, don’t bring strangers into the house without my permission.”

Now, without a word to me, he was bringing Hannah into our home.

I wasn’t interested in dealing with them.

But then the door swung open, and Hannah gasped in surprise.

“Ah… Lillian, you’re here too!”

She was younger than both Scott and me, and the first time we met, she had called me “Lillian” with such condescension, as if I were just a junior.

“Why are you hiding in here? It’s so rude not to come out and say hello!”

Scott’s face darkened with clear irritation.

“Scott, am I bothering Lillian? Is she not welcoming? Should I just leave…”

Before she could finish, Scott hurried over to reassure her, patting her shoulder.

“Not at all, make yourself at home!”

I watched them interact with a sense of resignation, feeling completely indifferent.

Hannah suddenly stepped closer, staring at my cast with wide-eyed exaggeration.

“Lillian, your arm is injured. Scott said you were just faking it to get sympathy…”

She quickly realized she’d let something slip and clamped her hand over her mouth.

“But Lillian, you’re so brave! It was so dark and dangerous out there. Were you scared?”

Her overly dramatic manner brought back the memories of that night.

Scott was missing, and based on the timeline, he should have been on the mountain.

I had pleaded with several rescue teams before one finally agreed to accompany me.

It was raining heavily, and the mountain path was pitch black. When lightning illuminated the sky, it revealed the wreckage of the landslide.

Was I scared?

More than anything, I was terrified that if Scott died because I wasn’t fast enough, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

Fueled by desperation, I moved rocks with my bare hands, calling out Scott’s name continuously.

Three days and nights without rest, until I was hoarse and finally struck by a falling rock.

The doctor said if that rock had been just a bit more off-target, I might not have survived.

Just thinking about it now makes me break out in a cold sweat.

I nodded. “Yeah, I was scared, but when it comes to saving Scott, I don’t really think about that.”

A flicker of remorse crossed Scott’s eyes, and he seemed about to say something.

But Hannah lowered her head with a hint of melancholy.

“You’re amazing! I don’t think I could have done it if it were me.”

Scott hesitated, then turned back to her with a gaze full of affection.

“Everyone is different. Just take care of yourself.”

Even Hannah's briefest hint of sadness was enough for him to soften.

She laughed lightly, playfully punching Scott with a faux-shy gesture.

“Who said I’m only taking care of myself? If I hadn’t changed my mind that day, we might both have been buried.”

“Scott, you should remember I actually saved you!”

Scott’s face lit up with a smile as he affectionately ruffled her hair.

“Right, you’re absolutely right. You’re my lucky star!”

But Hannah seemed to forget that Scott’s trip to the mountain was because of her in the first place.

“You’d better thank me properly for this big favor. I won’t accept anything less!”

Hannah pouted, putting on an innocent act.

“Just tell me what you want, and if I have it, it’s yours!”

“Then let’s cook a meal together and cheer up injured Lillian!”

I was about to refuse, but the thought of the nauseating instant noodles made me keep quiet.

“You don’t know how to cook, so I’ll handle it.”

Scott grinned and headed to the kitchen.

After years of dating Scott, this was the first time he’d ever set foot in the kitchen. Hannah followed him in, excitedly directing his every move.

The table was set with a feast that looked and smelled incredible. Hannah couldn’t stop praising Scott.

“Scott, you’re amazing! This food is delicious! Don’t you think so, Lillian?”

I gave a neutral nod. “I had no idea he could cook like this!”

Unfortunately, everything on the table was drenched in spice.

Hannah eagerly served Scott a piece of spicy water-boiled beef.

He ate it without a hint of hesitation, nodding approvingly.

I used to be a huge fan of spicy food myself. On my first weekend after moving in, I prepared an entire spread of spicy dishes.

The setup was the same, the water-boiled beef just as fiery.

But as soon as Scott tasted it, he spat it out, scrunching his face.

“This is too spicy! How is anyone supposed to eat this?”

Without a second glance at me or our guests, he stormed off to bed, slamming the door behind him.

From then on, whenever I cooked, everything had to be mild.

It wasn’t that Scott couldn’t handle spice. He just needed to see who was cooking.

They were eagerly serving themselves, and when they noticed I hadn’t touched my food, Scott's irritation was palpable.

“Scott worked hard on this meal. Why aren’t you eating, Lillian? Are you still upset with him?”

Hannah’s tone dripped with sarcasm, making Scott’s expression darken further.

“Lillian, why are you showing the attitude? I didn’t force you to go on that rescue mission; you chose to do it yourself.”

I stood up and gestured toward the dishes.

“From doctor’s orders, I should have no spicy food.”

Go ahead and eat if you want.”

Scott’s anger shifted to embarrassment.

“Scott, you should be gentler when you talk to girls.”

Hannah tugged at his sleeve, clearly trying to help him out of the awkward moment. “Apologize and make it right!”

“Lillian, I’m sorry for not answering your call that day. It was my fault,” Scott apologized.

But it was clear he was only doing it because Hannah suggested it.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Hannah thought everything Scott did was perfect.

“See, Scott apologized. You shouldn’t stay mad.”

“Otherwise, Scott won’t be in the mood to paint with me later!”

Their skewed logic was maddening.

“I’m fine, really. You’re making it seem like I have to be upset!”

I had no desire to watch their performance any longer. I left the room and resolved to move out as soon as I could.

In the afternoon, I saw Hannah’s new post on social media.

The caption read, “Like a Painting.”

The photo showed Scott deeply focused on a painting in his studio. It was a side profile of Hannah, with the inscription “A Lifetime with You.”

That studio had always been off-limits to me.

Yet, Hannah had free rein to wander inside.

The difference was simply a matter of love and indifference.

It’s laughable how I had deceived myself for so long.

It’s both pitiful and tragic.

I rushed to the police department's archive room to check the files.

Scott sent a message.

“What are you up to? When will you be back?”

I had left my phone outside the archive room and hadn’t seen it.

“How about steak for dinner tonight? The non-spicy kind.”

“Lillian, the gardenia has withered. What should I do?”

…

Just an afternoon away from my phone, and Scott had sent a barrage of messages as if he was catching up on years’ worth of missed texts.

In the past, my messages to him had been one-sided monologues.

He would occasionally respond with a terse “oh” if he was in a good mood, but mostly he just ignored me.

I never imagined Scott would send me so many messages in my lifetime.

If this had happened before, it would have made me incredibly happy.

When I got home, Scott was still awake, lounging on the sofa with a distant, vacant stare.

He sprang up as soon as he saw me and rushed over to my side.

“What’s taking you so long? Why are you coming back so late?”

I rubbed my temples, the complexity of the case files making my head spin.

“Just had some work to handle. Were you waiting for me?”

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m a bit tired.”

Scott stubbornly blocked my path.

“Lillian, I waited for you all night!”

“I’ve already apologized for what happened before, and I’ll be more careful about dinner next time. Is there something else you want to talk about?”

“Avoiding this won’t help. It’s going to hurt our relationship.”

It’s clear he understands the logic but has never really felt it. He just knows I care more about him.

“Scott, are you really this upset over one missed message?”

“Should I list all the times you’ve ignored my messages? Or is not responding just something only you get to do?”

Scott’s face showed a moment of embarrassment before he became persistent again. “So, you’re sulking to get my attention?”

I answered calmly, trying to stay detached.

“You’re reading too much into it. I was just busy and didn’t see it.”

“Is this because of Hannah? I can explain.”

I didn’t get why he was pushing me to admit I was hurt when I was trying to move on.

It was frustrating.

“It’s not about that! You and she are close friends, and close friends share everything, right?”

Feeling overwhelmed by the emotional conversation, I decided to change the subject.

“If the gardenia is dead, just throw it away. It wasn’t that important to you anyway.”

Scott had once mentioned liking gardenias, so I bought several pots and took great care of them.

Each one withered as if foreshadowing the end of our relationship.

I only found out that Hannah was the one who truly loved gardenias. Scott’s interest was just a byproduct of that.

Scott’s lips tightened, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

“There’s my art exhibition this weekend. Would you like to come with me?”

My mind was completely absorbed by the details of the case files, constantly wrestling with their complexities.

It felt like someone had interrupted me in the middle of solving a problem, and I was growing increasingly agitated.

“I’m too busy!”

Scott, a genius painter, was known for his works being snapped up at high prices as soon as they were exhibited.

I had once foolishly believed that my genuine love could be exchanged for a genuine return. I wanted to understand his world better, hoping that my sincerity would be reciprocated.

But he had always refused to make our relationship public, claiming it would hurt his young female fans' purchasing power.

Once, I had secretly gone to one of his exhibitions, hoping to surprise him on his birthday.

When he saw me, he turned his back and refused to acknowledge me.

I waited outside the gallery like a fool until it closed.

The security guard had to shoo me away, laughing at my foolishness. I felt like a discarded clown.

When I cried about it later at home, he looked at me with contempt.

“You, with your lack of understanding of art, what do you know?”

Now, he was breaking with tradition by inviting me to his exhibition. In the past, I would have been thrilled.

Scott seemed taken aback by my refusal, especially since I had expressed a desire to attend his exhibitions many times before.

He bit his lip as if making a monumental effort.

“Lillian, are you really not coming? This exhibition will be broadcast live. I planned to announce our relationship to the world.”

I had dreamed countless times of Scott declaring my presence in a grand, romantic way.

Now, hearing him say it, my heart felt as cold and still as a dead sea.

“Forget it. I’m just a mundane person who doesn’t understand your art. I wouldn’t want to interfere with your future.”

I repeated his words back to him verbatim.

“Lillian, what are you being so dramatic about?”

“Once this opportunity is gone, it won’t come back. Don’t regret it later!”

For the first time, I was standing my ground and repeatedly refusing him.

It finally made him angry and desperate.

Scott, I’m not being dramatic. I’ve simply stopped loving you.