“We broke up.”

I was dragging my suitcase out of the building when the high beams swept across me.

A brand-new car sat parked at the curb.

The window slid down, and Sarah let her gaze travel over my suitcase before raising an eyebrow with a smile.

“What's this, running away from home in the middle of the night?”

I smiled back.

“If I don't leave, how are you going to move in?”

Sarah pushed the door open and stepped out.

“Don't make it sound like I'm the one who came between you two. That's just sad.”

“Paddy chose to spend his money on me. What am I supposed to do about that?”

She paused deliberately.

“Honestly, you're kind of pitiful. You know that?”

“One time Paddy got drunk and told me that back then, if it weren't for the fact that I was the untouchable Fox family princess and he was just the poor kid they sponsored”

“if the gap between us hadn't made him too afraid to even try, he never would've settled for someone else.”

“So don't kid yourself that you were ever the real thing.”

“If I'd actually wanted to take him from you, you wouldn't have stood a chance.”

The night wind blew through, tangling my hair across my face.

Hearing all of this, I didn't feel the slightest bit of hurt.

All I felt was how absurd these five years had been.

I gave a faint smile.

“Then I wish you two a lifetime of happiness. Locked together for life.”

My reaction caught Sarah off guard. For a second she just stood there, and you could see it—that flash of irritation when a punch lands on nothing but air.

When she saw me turning to leave, she grabbed the strap of my suitcase.

“Wait. Who said you could leave?”

“You walk out and Paddy's still lying in that hospital. I'm not about to play nurse. You need to go take care of him.”

I looked down at her hand gripping the suitcase.

“Let go.”

Sarah didn't let go. Instead, she pulled out her phone and video-called Paddy.

“Paddy……did I make Carly mad again?”

“I just wanted to show her the new car, but she's got her suitcase and she's insisting on leaving. She won't even go to the hospital to see you. I tried to stop her, but……”

On the screen, Paddy's head was wrapped in gauze, his face pale.

After hearing what Sarah said, he didn't ask why I was standing on the street with a suitcase in the middle of the night. He didn't ask if I was cold.

He frowned, his voice weary and exasperated.

“Carly, what are you throwing a fit about now? We just talked on the phone and everything was fine.”

“Stop giving Sarah a hard time. Just get to the hospital.”

I stood in the night wind, about to turn around and walk away, when I suddenly remembered what my advisor had told me.

“The security clearance review for the Iceland polar project is strict. First thing tomorrow morning, you need to bring your passport and original ID to the department office to start the paperwork.”

And my passport, along with every important document I had, was with Paddy.

Because today was supposed to be the day we'd agreed to meet each other's parents and set a wedding date, then go to the clerk's office first thing tomorrow to get our marriage license.

I'd packed all my documents into one pouch last night, and it was in his overnight bag.

That bag was sitting on the nightstand beside his hospital bed.

I looked at Paddy on the screen.

“Fine.”

“I'm on my way.”

Half an hour later, I reached the third floor of the inpatient ward.

I was about to push the door open when I heard Karl's voice inside.

“Paddy, you really crossed a line this time.”

“That was the down payment you and Carly saved up to get married, and you blew all of it buying Sarah a car?”

“You stood up her parents today too. Aren't you worried she's finally had enough and actually leaves you for good?”

“Carly's been so good to you these past five years. All of us could see it.”

My hand froze in midair.

Through the gap in the door, Paddy went quiet for two seconds. Then his voice came, utterly sure of itself.

“We're not breaking up.”

“Five years. You don't just walk away from five years together.”

“You know how Carly is. She's soft. Every time we fight, all I have to do is back down a little and she comes around on her own.”

“Once I'm out of here, I'll get her a nice gift, smooth things over. She'll let it go.”

Karl let out a sigh.

“But Paddy, you give way too much to Sarah.”

“What woman could stand watching her man bend over backwards for someone else with zero boundaries? What are you even thinking?”

Paddy's tone turned serious.

“How can you even compare the two?”

“Sarah's family went bankrupt. She's got nothing left.”

“I told her I'd take care of her for life, and I meant it. I owe her that. It's a debt I have to pay.”

He paused, and his voice softened a fraction.

“Carly's reasonable. She gets it. After we're married, I'll treat her twice as well. I'll make it up to her in other ways.”

“But Sarah? I'm never letting go of that responsibility. Not in this lifetime. Carly will get used to it eventually.”

That was when Sarah's spoiled voice rang out behind me.

“Hey! What are you doing standing at the door?”

The conversation inside the room cut dead.

Paddy's head snapped up from the hospital bed.

The moment he saw me standing outside, panic flooded his face.

“Carly, when did you get here? Let me explain……”

I cut him off.

“Don't bother.”

“Paddy, I've heard your explanations so many times they make me sick.”

Paddy's face went white.

“Carly, stop doing this, okay? Karl and I were just talking, one thing led to another.”

“Besides, didn't I already tell you? This was the last time. From now on I'll definitely……”

I pulled a thin smile.

“The last time?”

“How many times have you told me it was the last time?”

“You've been lying to me all along. You never once planned to cut her off. You were just testing me, over and over, pushing me inch by inch until I'd accept this sick arrangement. Weren't you?”

Paddy's expression shifted. His lips moved, but no rebuttal came out……

My eyes burned.

“Paddy, every single time you went to those underground boxing fights, I couldn't close my eyes the entire night!”

“I sat there gripping my phone, terrified I'd get a call from the hospital, terrified that one day you'd die in that cage!”

“But did you ever think about me? Even once? Did it ever cross your mind that I was at home, waiting for you!”

Paddy's voice shot up, urgent.

“Nothing's going to happen to me!”

“I know what I'm doing. I walk out in one piece every time. Look at me, I'm fine!”

I let out a laugh.

“Fine?”

“Then let me ask you something, Paddy.”

“Even after we're married. Even after we have kids. If Sarah says one word, if she wants something, you'll still go behind my back to that place and risk your life earning money for her. Won't you?”

Paddy said nothing. He dropped his head and couldn't meet my eyes.

I looked away.

“Give me the black bag by your bed.”

Paddy blinked, caught off guard.

“What do you need the bag for? Carly, what are you doing?”

“Give it to me.”

Karl read the room, turned around, grabbed the bag, and handed it over.

I unzipped it, pulled out my ID and passport, and turned and walked out.

The next morning at nine sharp, I was standing in Professor Lambert's office.

“You're sure about this? Once you hand over your documents and the process starts, there's no backing out.”

I answered without hesitation.

“I'm sure. I won't regret it.”

……

Three days later.

Paddy pushed open the apartment door with a thick bandage still plastered across his forehead.

He'd stopped at the flower shop downstairs and picked up a bouquet of lisianthus, planning to do what he always did: soften her up, bow his head, smooth things over.

“Carly, I'm out of the hospital. Got you some……”

The apartment was silent. No one answered.

He frowned, changed his shoes, and walked into the bedroom.

“Still mad? I came straight home the second they discharged me……”

His voice cut off the instant he opened the wardrobe.