5
When I woke up, the hospital room was empty.
My throat felt dry and uncomfortable. I instinctively reached out, trying to get some water.
But my hand had no strength and I couldn’t grip the cup I had just grabbed.
The cup fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.
The door opened and a woman wearing a hat and mask walked in.
Seeing I was awake, she came to my bedside and poured me a new glass of water. Before I could ask, she explained, “Sir, you were in a car accident and hit a tree. I brought you to the hospital.”
I looked at her and asked, “Were you the car that suddenly swerved out?”
She quickly waved her hands to deny it: “No, no. I’m just a good Samaritan. Your injuries aren’t serious. I’ll call the police now and you can sort out the rest yourselves.”
Looks like I got lucky. At least nothing major happened.
The woman saw I was okay and asked, “My name is Emma. Do you want to call your family?”
Who could I call?
I didn’t want to worry my dad, so I definitely couldn’t call him.
Celine? Jack?
They were the last people I wanted to see right now.
I shook my head.
Emma seemed like she wanted to say something but held back. She didn’t say anything else and left after the police arrived.
The police said the driver who swerved out was drunk driving. Luckily I had avoided them in time. Although I hit a tree, my head was protected by the airbag so there were no major injuries.
After taking my statement, the police left.
My head felt groggy and I fell asleep soon after lying on the hospital bed.
When I woke up again, it was already dark outside.
I picked up my phone and saw that besides missed calls from my dad, no one else had contacted me.
I called my dad back but didn’t tell him about the accident. I just said I was out with Celine and wouldn’t be visiting him for a few days.
After hanging up, I stared at Celine’s chat window and impulsively decided to call her.
The phone rang several times before she picked up, sounding impatient: “Hello.”
I lay in bed staring blankly at the ceiling as I asked, “I got in a car accident. Can you come to the hospital to see me? I want to eat the porridge you make.”
11:50 PM
<
There was silence on the other end for a while, like she was doing something. Then she said, “Okay, I’ll be there soon.”
Hearing Celine agree, I felt nothing and just hung up expressionlessly.
About 15 minutes later, Celine called back.
I answered and heard her slightly guilty voice: “Alex, I’m so sorry. I have some urgent work to deal with right now. I’ll have my assistant bring you some porridge. I’ll come see you first thing tomorrow morning with more porridge, okay?”
I didn’t argue or get upset. I just said “Okay” and hung up.
Not surprising.
Thinking back on our years together, she had never really cared about me.
But I was still so passionate, believing I could be her exception.
What a fool I was, dreaming the impossible dream.
I covered my eyes as tears spilled out, soaking the pillow.
At first I cried silently, but gradually I felt more and more wronged. I started sobbing out loud until I cried myself to exhaustion. Then I moved my hand and lay on my side, staring wordlessly out the window at the sky.
My phone suddenly lit up.
It was a notification from Instagram.
I tapped on it and saw that Jack had posted an update.
[Just now! M lost to me in a game, she said she’ll buy me a new skin every week for a month. Everyone witness this!]
The photo showed them in Jack’s home, both wearing pajamas and curled up on the couch playing games, just like a normal couple.
I stared at the photo, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.
Celine couldn’t be bothered to care that I was in a car accident, but was happily playing games with Jack.
Can a person really be so heartless?
I lifted my hand and found Celine’s chat window.
My hands were shaking too much to type properly, and my eyes were too blurry with tears to see the keyboard clearly.
I wiped away my tears and steadied my hand, typing five words into the chat box.
“Let’s break up.”
6
When Celine came to see me in the morning, she was carrying a thermos.
Acting like she hadn’t seen my message, she opened the thermos and held it out to me, asking, “How did you end up like this? Nothing serious, right?”
I didn’t answer her question, just calmly asked, “Did you see my message last night?”
Celine paused for a moment, then said, “Alex, don’t say things you don’t mean.”
<
I looked down at the porridge Celine had brought – it was seafood porridge.
But I’m allergic to seafood.
The fishy smell made me feel nauseous.
I set the bowl aside and said to Celine, “You forgot I’m allergic to seafood.”
Celine’s face showed a hint of panic, but it quickly disappeared. She put the lid back on the thermos without a trace of guilt and said, “I forgot. I’ll have my assistant bring you something else.”
I leaned back in bed, closing my eyes for a moment before asking, “Did you really forget? Or was this seafood porridge meant for someone else, and I’m just an afterthought?”
Jack loves seafood.
He’ll eat anything seafood–related.
Celine frowned, “Alex, don’t be ridiculous.”
I threw the thermos on the floor and raised my voice, “Am I being ridiculous? Or are you and Jack treating me like an idiot?”
Hearing my words, Celine was surprised I already knew. She looked at me guiltily, unable to speak.
I don’t know how we ended up like this.
When we first got together, I was her whole world.
When people mocked me for not being good enough for her, she would hold my hand as we walked around campus, not caring about others‘ stares or the rumors.
When I was treated unfairly, she would be the first to stand up and argue with the teachers, fighting to get me the awards I deserved.
She would prepare little surprises for me every week, never forget any holiday, and be there for me when I was tired.
We used to be so good together.
How did it turn into this?
After a while, Celine finally said, “I just find Jack fun. He’s carefree like a kid, doesn’t restrict or pressure me.”
Hearing Celine’s words, I suddenly felt like the person in front of me was a stranger.
She was the one who told me she wasn’t afraid of pressure or difficulties, that she just wanted to be successful, and begged me to help her.
So I worked hard to become a businessman, putting aside my childish ways to give her more resources and connections.
But now she tells me she likes carefree guys like Jack.
Seeing I wasn’t speaking, Celine looked at me pleadingly and said, “Alex, Jack and I were just playing around. I can’t lose you.”
I looked at her and suddenly laughed, saying sarcastically, “Is it me you can’t lose, or my family’s resources and connections?”
Celine was exposed and couldn’t say anything for a long time.
Just then, my hospital room door opened and Emma, who had brought me to the hospital yesterday, walked in carrying a lunchbox.
Emma saw Celine and said awkwardly, “Oh, your family is here. I was going to bring you some food.”
Celine asked with a hint of hostility, “Who are you?”
Emma ignored Celine, and I didn’t respond either.
<
Emma ignored Celine, and I didn’t respond either.
Celine’s face darkened after being snubbed.
I looked at the lunchbox Emma was holding: “I’m actually hungry. What did you bring?”
Emma glanced at Celine, then at the spilled porridge on the floor. She seemed to understand what had happened and held out the lunchbox to me: “I made some home–cooked dishes. Try them.”
I opened the lunchbox to see some nice–looking, simple home–style dishes.
I was hungry, so I picked up the spoon and started eating heartily.
After finishing, I looked up at Celine who had been staring at us the whole time. I dismissed her, “I’ve said everything clearly. You can leave
now.”
Celine didn’t leave immediately. She looked at me and said, “Alex, I can end things with Jack.”
I didn’t even glance at her as I crushed her hopes.
“I’ll have my dad withdraw the investment. Whether the company can survive after that depends on your own abilities.”
