Chapter 5

Upon turning around and seeing Julian's cold expression, Saoirse instinctively lowered her gaze. "It's just a competition I'm joining in a few days." When she offhandedly offered the excuse, she was surprised to find that she was capable of lying. But seeing Julian's indifferent expression, she didn't dwell on it any further. In this three-year-long pursuit, she only wanted to leave gracefully, not as a pitiful loser who had been abandoned. Although her decision to leave was triggered by Georgina's return to the country, she didn't want him to know that. She planned to leave quietly. After all, Julian didn't really care about Saoirse. It wouldn't matter whether or not she said goodbye. Julian, unaware of her thoughts, hailed a taxi. Just as they were about to get in, Georgina ran down the stairs from upstairs. "Julian, you left your phone. Saoirse, let's exchange contact information." After handing over the phone, Georgina looked up at Saoirse with a smile. Saoirse glanced at Julian. Seeing that he didn't object, she hesitated for a moment before opening the QR code. After Georgina scanned it with her phone, she looked at Saoirse with surprise. It seemed as though she was going to say something. However, she ended up only bidding Saoirse goodbye. Once they were in the taxi, the evening breeze helped dissipate the remnants of alcohol. Julian started to sober up. Finally coming to his senses, he explained rather indifferently, "Saoirse, Gina and I grew up together. The top contact was set back in high school. I've just forgotten to change it over the years." Saoirse didn't respond to him. After a long silence, Julian turned to look at her, only to see her face streaked with tears. It was the first time he had seen her cry in their three years of dating. "What… What's wrong?" he asked, flustered. "It's nothing. Sand got into my eyes." Saoirse then wiped her tears away and forced a smile. As she turned to look at the fleeting scenery outside the window, she kept thinking about Georgina's surprised expression from earlier. It was Saoirse's utter defeat the moment her boyfriend's childhood friend noticed her spying. That was the reason for her tears. In this love triangle, she was always the one in the shadows and begging for scraps. If only she hadn't stubbornly pursued Julian and stayed in the country for him, she might have had the chance to maintain her dignity. But unfortunately, there were no "what ifs" in this world. She had chosen this path herself. She had no one to blame but herself. Fortunately, it was all about to end. She would soon be free. Upon arriving home, Saoirse immediately tore off a page from the calendar on the dining table. Seeing the large, glaring "21," Julian found it somewhat eye-catching and couldn't help but glance at Saoirse. She, with her head bowed, silently walked into the bedroom. She didn't notice his gaze. After washing up, Julian reached out to Saoirse, who was brushing her hair, and leaned in to kiss her. He had never been one for such intimate gestures; over the years, Saoirse was always the one who initiated the feather-like pecks. Seeing him making the first move for the first time, Saoirse was momentarily stunned. She quickly raised her hand to push him away. "You've had too much to drink today. You should rest early." When she turned to leave, Julian felt increasingly unsettled as if something was slipping from his grasp. Instinctively, he held onto her. This time, Saoirse did not push him away. Julian's pounding heart gradually began to calm down.