She was thrilled. “I knew it! You’re the type who sees what really counts. With your dual mentors from Dothan, staying in the admin department wastes your skills. Once the overseas work settles in, the director position at the main office will be waiting for you.”

Halfway through, she stopped.

“It’s only… this stretch abroad will last around five years. Aren’t you close to getting married? Your husband….”

“We won’t be getting married.”

After ending the call, I pulled out a suitcase and started sorting.

The cups we painted together.

The charms we tied together at the church.

The things we bought were matching sets.

Every one of them turned into trash, stuffed straight into garbage bags.

During that stretch, Zaria kept texting me.

A photo of a broad hand rubbing her stomach.

[Chase said my tummy aches. He has this special rubbing trick that makes it go away. Astraea, has Chase ever rubbed your tummy before?]

A hot plate of pot pies was shown late at night.

[I offhandedly said I wanted chicken soup, and Chase drove fifty kilometers to buy them for me. Nothing tastes better than chicken soup, and nothing is more fun than Chase, hehe.]

After dragging my suitcase to the trash area and throwing everything out, I blocked her.

There was no sadness.

Only a huge, freeing ease.

By the time Chase came back, it was already noon the next day.

The moment our eyes met, he seemed briefly startled by the makeup I had put on purpose.

Smiling, he walked toward me and reached for my hand.

“Good girl. Since you know you were wrong, come eat. I bought chicken soup for you.”

The cheap plastic box held only a few torn skins.

He rubbed his nose awkwardly.

“I rushed home, so they got shaken apart. Let’s just head out to eat.”

I pulled my hand away.

“Probably no time today. I’m having dinner with my girl friends.”

He froze, his voice jumping up. “You dressed so nicely and even did your makeup, wasn’t it for me?”

I stared at him, completely lost. “Didn’t you say I look awful when I dress up? Why would I dress up for you?”

I clicked my tongue in frustration, slid around him, snatched my bag, and headed outside.

Chase always complained when I wore bold colors, saying they made me look cheap and immature.

Anything shorter than the knee was “trying to lure people.”

If I put on makeup, he laughed at me, saying I was “painting over my age.”

He especially disliked it when I spent time with girlfriends.

For years, to please him, I cut down my social life and packed away the dresses I loved.

I wore bland, loose office outfits each day, bare-faced, riding to work like someone twice my age.

All this while I hadn’t even turned thirty.

Meanwhile, at the company, Zaria turned her uniform into a tight skirt, wore full makeup, curled her hair into big waves, and he praised her for “having spark” and being “eager in her job.”

It was then I understood.

When someone was biased, nothing you did was right.

Luckily, I no longer had to worry about what he thought.

When my girl friends heard I was dumping Chase and heading overseas, they were stunned.

They knew too well how pathetic I used to act around him.

When they realized I was finally waking up, they almost set off fireworks

They took turns cursing at him; apparently, they’d disliked him for ages.

To send me off right, we finished one round of drinks, then hit a karaoke room, staying out until two in the morning.

When I came home, Chase hadn’t gone to sleep.

He sat on the sofa with a dark expression. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

I replied lightly, “Maybe I didn’t notice it.”

His expression turned even worse. “Astraea, I haven’t eaten anything yet.”

I slid through a silly clip a friend sent and nodded with no real focus.

“Then order takeout. At this hour, the rider should get here quickly.”

Once he couldn’t keep it in anymore, his voice got louder, with a bit of a wronged tone.

“My stomach acts up… I can’t eat takeout.”

I finally looked up from my phone, irritation plain in my eyes.

“Then make something yourself. There are ingredients in the fridge. I’m worn out, can you stop fussing at me like some old woman?”

He froze, thrown off, the color in his face slowly fading.

I didn’t bother giving him another look.

I picked up clean clothes and walked straight into the bathroom.

When I came back out, two bowls of thick, strange-looking noodles waited on the table.

Chase had grown used to how I cared for him; his taste was picky to an extreme.

A bit too much salt or oil and he’d claim his stomach hurt.

For years, I simmered gentle broth for him every few days. I personally made all his meals, never missing one.

Yet he used my effort carelessly, carrying the dishes I made with effort to hand to Zaria or even dropping them off for the stray dogs near the hospital.

He turned into the generous “Brother Chase,” and Zaria became the “sweet angel.”

Only I ended up as the sad joke.

When he saw me walk out, Chase quickly stood, forcing his expression to soften.

“Astraea, I made noodles. Want to eat together?”

I shook my head. “I’m not hungry. You eat it. I’m going to rest.”

He blocked me at the bedroom doorway.

“I noticed the fever pills on the table. Are you running a fever?”

I avoided the hand he lifted to touch my forehead.

“It’s nothing serious. I already took medicine.”

Before, whenever I had the slightest discomfort, I would purposely mention it and act spoiled, just to get a bit more care from him.

Now I avoided his touch like it was something dangerous.

Chase stood stunned, a slow panic tightening in his chest.

He caught my hand.

“Yesterday… I spoke too harshly. Zaria had a hard childhood, you know. I just feel bad for her, so I look after her more. I only think of her as a younger sister….”

Before he finished, I cut him off in a calm, mild way, “I get it. Don’t worry. I was too hardheaded before. I won’t act like that anymore.”

My sudden composure caught him completely unprepared.

“That’s not what I’m trying to say. You’re my fiancée. If you don’t like me getting close to another woman, it just means you care. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

So he did know I hated seeing him close to other women. Yet he kept doing it.

I yawned, looking sleepy.

“Hmm, I understand. She’s your apprentice. It’s normal for you to look after her. I won’t bring it up again. I’m really sleepy. Can I rest now?”

He sighed and leaned in as if to hug me.

I tensed and instantly blocked the door.

“I’m truly tired now. Go sleep in the guest room.”

Avoiding his cold look, I shut the door.

For the first time in a long while, I slept well. When I woke up, Chase still hadn’t gone to work.

The table was full of breakfast.

Usually by this hour, he and Zaria would’ve already shared several morning selfies.

That was strange.

“Astraea, you’re up? Come try breakfast, I grabbed all your favorites.”

I sat down and was about to bite into the chicken, but suddenly recalled something and asked just to confirm. “This… I’m okay to eat this, right?”

His tall frame paused in an instant.

He obviously also recalled, a year earlier, Zaria had stomach trouble from cold drinks, so she wasn’t allowed greasy food.

I ate chicken next to her, and she instantly cried softly. “Astraea, you know my body is weak, and I can’t eat oily food… why did you tease me on purpose? Do you hate me that much?”

He remembered it clearly. And so did I.

Right there, Chase seized the whole bag of chicken soup and tossed it into the trash.

His look burned with anger, as if he meant to swallow me whole.

“Are you a starving ghost reborn? Would eating one fewer chicken end you? Even a pig isn’t as greedy as you!”

That day, I had been rushing to carry stomach-soothing soup to him and hadn’t had time to eat breakfast, which caused low blood sugar.

I bought chicken soup on the way and only took one bite before he threw them up.

When I walked out, I almost collapsed at the hospital entrance, and it was a kind stranger who gave me a candy that helped me recover.

Seeing him nod, I finally felt safe enough to take a bite.

To stay extra cautious, I even sent him the money.

He stared at the ten-dollar transfer on his phone, something unclear rising in his eyes.

“Astraea, we’re engaged. Why are you drawing such clear lines?”

We soon wouldn’t be.

I clapped my hands lightly.

“I’m done eating. I’m heading to the office. Take your time.”

He quickly called after me.

“Astraea, there’s a team-building dinner at the hospital tonight. We can bring the family. Come with me.”

I didn’t answer with the thrill I once showed at events where status could be shown.

I simply shook my head, bored. “No need. I have plans tonight.”

I thought for a moment, then kindly offered, “If you must bring a woman, bring Zaria. She’s already treated as your family anyway. Two birds with one stone.”

Before leaving, I added to him, “Oh, and there’s half a box of condoms in the nightstand. Use those first before getting more. Don’t waste them.”

He stopped cold, like his soul had been drained.

…..

That night, my colleagues held a farewell dinner for me.

I never expected it to be in the same place as Chase’s team-building.

Passing their private room, through the slightly open door, I saw Chase shirtless.

Under him lay Zaria, and he was doing push-ups above her, face close to hers, while the crowd cheered around them.

“Chase, don’t lay a hand on her! If you touch her, you’re out!”

“Zaria, slow down. If you keep yelling, Dr. Gordon’s hips are dropping lower each round.”

People laughed knowingly.

Zaria’s face turned bright red.

“Ninety-nine… just one more…”

Then Zaria reached up, smiling as she looped her arms around his neck and tugged him down.

Someone inside let out a surprised shout.

Chase turned and saw me standing at the doorway.

He shot upright as something shocked him. His sudden jump knocked several bottles across the table.

He stumbled toward me, flustered, rushing to explain, “Astraea, don’t misunderstand. We were just doing truth-or-dare! I would never actually…”

“Astraea wouldn’t be that narrow-minded, right? It’s only a game.”

“Quiet.”

Zaria jerked, her eyes instantly brimming with complaint.

A few coworkers who sensed trouble quickly stepped forward, “Astraea, we really were only playing around. Dr. Gordon kept saying he didn’t want to, but we pushed him into it. Please don’t get upset…”

I gave them a brief look, not sure why the whole group suddenly seemed frightened.

Wasn’t this exactly the sort of activity they always played?

“It’s okay. It’s part of the game. I get it. It’s just a dinner meetup, you all can keep enjoying yourselves.”

The people around me praised me for being calm and easygoing.

Only Chase’s face looked drained.

I nodded at them politely and went back to my own small room.

Right away, Chase’s messages came one after another.

[I didn’t ask Zaria to come. She showed up on her own.]

[I won’t join anything like that again.]

[Don’t stay upset. I picked up a cake so we can make up for our anniversary.]

More than ten texts in total.

I didn’t answer any of them.

The final text he sent asked what time I would reach home so he could wait for me.

I shut off my phone and mixed myself into my colleagues’ conversation.

“This time when Astraea heads overseas, the next time she shows up, we’ll need to call her Director Grant.”

“Quit joking around. When I’m back, let’s meet again.”

The night was lively.

When we wrapped things up, it was already past midnight.

I was about to book a ride when a figure standing in the dark corner startled me.

Chase’s reddened stare locked onto mine.

His voice shook. “Astraea… you’re heading overseas?”