Chapter 3

It was dark by the time Saoirse was done busying herself around the apartment. She finally had some free time after dragging a bag full of trash to the bin. Leaning against the couch to rest, she took out her phone to check her social media. The latest post was of a sunset from the woman with a pink bunny profile picture. The central image featured a side profile of a man holding a box of apple tarts toward her. Saoirse's gaze flickered when she saw the stunning sunset and the photo on the screen. She had added Georgina's contact information after contacting many people behind Julian's back. One day, she saw Georgina post, "I really want to eat some apple tarts from abroad!" That was when Saoirse knew the reason Julian always bought her apple tarts. Slowly, she discovered more clues. The specific laundry detergent he insisted on using, the flowers he gave her, and the decorative items he bought—all could be found in Georgina's social media posts. It was clear that Julian dated Saoirse to forget Georgina, but instead, he had become deeply entangled with Saoirse and even treated her as a substitute. Thinking about it, Saoirse sighed softly with a mix of emotions reflected in her gaze. Perhaps it was because she had been heartbroken too many times that she wasn't particularly sad this time. With her hand over her slightly heavy chest, she stood up and opened the fridge to take out a cucumber. After washing it, she slowly nibbled on it. As the hour hand on the wall clock continued to tick away, it was almost midnight when Julian finally arrived home. He entered empty-handed, seemingly forgetting the promise he had made before leaving. He had a frown as he looked around. "Why does it feel like something is missing?" he commented. "I cleared out some things I don't need this afternoon," Saoirse replied. Julian nodded, slowly unbuttoning his cufflinks. His realization didn't seem to bother him. Looking at his upright back, Saoirse lowered her gaze. If Julian had looked closely, he would have noticed that many of the missing items were things she used regularly. Given his intelligence, it would have been easy for him to guess that she was planning to leave. But since his attention was solely on Georgina, it made sense that he didn't notice these subtle changes. After all, who would pay attention to the unusual behavior of a girlfriend who was like a roommate? Just as she was bitterly reflecting on this, Julian suddenly asked her, "Where can I customize a liquid-filled keychain? I'm not very familiar with trends like this." Georgina had only posted about it on social media today, and Julian was thinking of getting it for her already. Saoirse hesitated before she replied, "Liquid-filled keychains are trending recently. It's hard to find a reliable person to customize one. But I happen to know how to make them. I can help you." Upon hearing that she could make it, Julian looked slightly taken aback. It seemed he felt a bit uncomfortable having his girlfriend make something for the woman he liked. However, perhaps because he was so eager to please Georgina, he eventually nodded. "I'll send you the specific design and requirements," he said. Saoirse agreed with a soft hum. She then turned around and left, making sure Julian didn't notice the redness at the corner of her eyes. She stayed up all night making the keychain, using Georgina's social media posts as a reference. Before Julian left the next morning, she handed the liquid-filled keychain to him. When Julian saw her reddened eyes, there was a rare look of sympathy as he quietly thanked her. Saoirse shook her head. Her voice was tinged with fatigue when she uttered, "No need to thank me. I hope you like it." Julian swiftly turned around and left the room. As Saoirse watched him walk away without turning back, her lips moved slightly. She whispered a barely audible comment, "Consider it my last gift to you before I leave." After this departure, Julian did not come home for the night. He didn't notice anything different about Saoirse. Other than attending classes, he spent his time with Georgina, leaving early and returning late, occasionally not even seeing Saoirse. Saoirse didn't disturb him further. As she continued packing her belongings, the room grew increasingly empty. A few days later, she suddenly received a call while she was sorting through her winter clothes. "Saoirse? Julian is drunk. Can you come to the bar and pick him up?" Julian was drunk? Wasn't he supposed to be teetotal? Saoirse frowned but didn't think too much about it. She grabbed her phone and went downstairs to catch a cab. The bar wasn't too far away. 20 minutes later, she arrived at the private room of the address sent to her. The door was slightly ajar. When she pushed it open a bit, she immediately saw Julian lying in a woman's embrace. The two were whispering intimately to each other, looking very much like a couple in love.