Robin cut me off. He leaned down and patted my head. His voice carried that tone of helplessness. “But I can only stay with you for a little while today. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, Callie.”

Just like that, he rushed out the door without waiting for my response. The door clicked shut behind him, and I just stood there staring in a daze.

I shouldn’t have glanced at his phone earlier, but I did. The message was from Caitline, and it burned in my mind.

[Robin, the fireworks by the lake are breathtaking. It’s such a shame you’re not here with me.]

I let out a bitter laugh. What the hell was I still hoping for?

Deep down, I’d probably known for a while. The way he acted, the way things didn’t add up—I’d just been playing dumb.

But today, the truth had been revealed. It slapped me right in the face, raw and brutal. My chest tightened, and waves of bitter pain made it hard to breathe.

That night, somehow, I drifted into a sleep. But it was restless, haunted by memories of Robin and me.

When I woke up, I found my pillow soaked. Without a word, I stripped the pillowcase off and dumped it straight into the trash.

We’d bought that pillowcase together—matching ones, for God’s sake. But none of that mattered anymore.

Thinking about the past few months with him, I realized how much I had sacrificed. I’d skimped and saved on everything, just so I could help him pay off his so-called debts.

And what did I get for it? Lies.

My gaze shifted to the coat I’d tossed near the door last night after coming back from my stall. It hadn’t moved since.

The damn thing barely kept me warm—cheap fabric that let the cold in from all angles.

I folded it up and threw it away before hailing a cab to the biggest mall in town.

But as soon as I walked in, I saw Robin with Caitline. They were laughing, caught up in some conversation.

I tried to walk past them and pretend I hadn’t seen a thing, but Robin’s sharp eyes caught me.

“Calliope, what are you doing here?”

It took a second to catch his meaning, and Caitline clung to his arm and gave me a once-over.

“Is this even a place you can afford?” she sneered.

I opened my mouth but didn’t say anything. The air around us seemed to freeze.

Their words were full of holes—how had I never noticed before?

It’s funny how stepping back from a relationship lets you see all the red flags you ignored.

I took a deep breath, not wanting to argue with them anymore. Turning on my heel, I made to leave, but Robin stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

“Well, since you’re here, why don’t you help me pick out a Christmas gift?”

“For who? Caitline?” I shot back. “Sorry, but that’s not my problem.”

My expression hardened as I forced a smile while my nails dug into my palms so hard that I couldn’t feel them anymore.

The old me would’ve never said no to him, but this time, the shock on his face was almost satisfying. He clearly hadn’t expected me to refuse.

“Calliope, don’t make a scene,” he said with a sigh. “Caitline is just my little sister.”

I stared at him for a moment. The mole under his eye used to look so faint in the light, but now it seemed to vanish completely into the shadows.

“A little sister?” I sneered. “You mean a very special little sister?”

Without waiting for his response, I brushed past him and headed straight for the exit.

Behind me, I could feel him staring at me with a frown. I even heard him trying to smooth things over.

“Caitline, don’t take it to heart, okay? She’s just upset right now.”

Back at school, I had just one political science class that day, so I decided to show up 10 minutes early. The professor looked surprised to see me.

I used to stay out late working at the stall, sometimes until 2 a.m., trying to make money to help Robin pay his debts. I’d barely made it to class on time, and sometimes I’d even show up late.

My prof had always had a poor impression of me because of that. But today, when he saw me, I noticed a hint of approval on his face.

Just as he was about to say something, Caitline walked in, arms full of books.

She walked straight to the seat next to mine and sat down, casually making sure I noticed the gold bracelet on her wrist peek out.

The bracelet was delicate, its surface glinting with tiny diamonds embedded in it.

“Isn’t it pretty, Calliope? Guess what? Rob gave it to me,” Caitline said.

I didn’t bother responding, just shifted my gaze away.

Caitline seemed stunned by my indifference. For once, she shut up and we got through the class in peace.

But as soon as class ended, she shrieked, “Oh no, my bracelet… my bracelet is missing!”

“It’s the one my boyfriend just gave me. Please, you guys, help me find it!” she cried out.

That made me freeze. Oh, hell no. This was one of her setups, and I just knew the next second she’d pin it on me.

I hurried to pack up my books, but as I stood, a gold chain slipped out from between the pages and hit the floor.

Caitline dove for it like a damn hawk, held it up, and pointed at me. “Calliope, I never expected you’d be this kind of person! How could you steal my bracelet? This is a gift from my boyfriend!”

She yelled so loudly, with sobs in her voice, that everyone’s attention turned toward us, casting judgmental glances in my direction.

I couldn’t even defend myself. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

But then I saw Robin standing nearby, his face dark, his eyes locked on me.

“If you didn’t want it,” he said coldly, “why would you steal it?”

I stared at him in disbelief. Even my voice betrayed how hurt I felt. “You really think I’d do that?”

He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.

With a cold expression, he dropped a fancy little bag in front of me and said, “I guess I was wrong about you. Thought you were different.”

Without another glance, he took Caitline’s hand and walked away under the curious stares of the crowd.

I pressed a hand to my chest, struggling to breathe.

When I got home, I opened the bag he left me. Inside was a silver bracelet, shining brightly.

The design looked almost exactly like his gift for Caitline, except mine didn’t have a few more diamonds.

I stared at it for a while, then lowered my eyes and tossed the bracelet into its box, sealing it shut.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. ‘He obviously doesn’t like me, so why does he pretend? And now, he’s given me the same gift as Caitline. For what? Just to humiliate me?!’

This was the first expensive thing Robin had ever given me. ‘Is he done pretending now? Or is there more to this?’

The questions swirled in my head, but I couldn't figure them out, so I let them go.

Staring at the ceiling, I exhaled slowly. I’d have to find a time to settle this with him.

I didn’t owe him anything.

And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him keep humiliating me.

Lying in bed, I scrolled through my phone, only to stumble upon a post about me on the campus forum from earlier that afternoon.

The comments were full of praise about how Robin, the computer science department’s heartthrob, and Caitline, the Fine Arts beauty, made the perfect couple.

Only one person mentioned me and Robin being a thing, but that got buried fast under the congratulations.

I turned off my phone and closed my eyes, but the ache in my chest didn’t fade.

These months with Robin—there’s no way I didn’t feel something for him.

I was thinking of that when suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a message from him.

[Come to The W Seattle this weekend. Pick something expensive for her as an apology gift.]

I stared at the text and remembered—it was his birthday this weekend.

‘Is this him finally ending things with me?’

I hesitated but remembered that I’d already prepared a birthday gift for him.

I’d poured so much thought into it, hoping to make him feel cared for and that he mattered to me.

Now, I didn’t even want to give it to him anymore.

After days of being indecisive, I finally brought the gift to The W Seattle.

“Consider it as my way of saying goodbye to this foolish relationship,” I told myself.

The moment I got to the hotel entrance, I saw Robin waiting downstairs.

He was dressed casually—maybe he still thought he needed to keep up the charade in front of me.

Whatever. I wasn’t in a rush to confront him.

He seemed anxious, having called me several times, but I hadn’t answered. It was as if he feared I wouldn’t show up.

The moment he spotted me, he exhaled in relief and quickly walked over. “Why weren’t you picking up?”

I drew a shallow breath before whispering, “I have something to tell you.”

Before he could ask further, Caitline appeared, running out in a red princess-style dress.

He quickly shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. “It’s freezing. What are you doing out here?” His voice wasn’t scolding—just gentle, indulgent.

Caitline nestled into his arms, replying in a sweet tone. “I was just worried about you.”

Watching them made my chest tighten unbearably. I could only close my eyes briefly to steel myself.

Finally, I managed to say, “Robin, let’s break up.”

But a screech of tires drowned out my words.

Robin instinctively shielded Caitline, pulling her out of harm’s way just in time.

But when he wasn’t looking, Caitline shoved me forward.

I could’ve easily avoided the car. But her push sent me straight into its direction.

The second my body was thrown into the air, I caught a glimpse of him holding her tightly, murmuring reassurances.

Between the two of us, she looked more like the victim than I did—the one who had just been hit by a car.

The moment my body fell heavily to the ground, a strange sense of relief washed over me.

‘This works too, Robin,’ I thought. ‘Now I don’t owe you a goddamn thing.’

Regret followed right behind it. I regret ever meeting him.

If this was how it would end, I would rather have never known him at all.

I felt my tears leak from the corners of my eyes, blending with the blood trickling down my face.

After comforting Caitline, Robin finally turned his attention to me.

By the time he glanced over, his eyes went wide in horror, and he sprinted toward me.

At the last moment before darkness consumed me, I heard his frantic, broken voice.

“Callie!”

“Someone call 911!”

“Callie!”