Chapter 1

My boyfriend, James Hendrick, had an obsessive need for personal space. It took me five years of pleading before he finally agreed to let me move in with him.

As I dragged my luggage and waited downstairs at his apartment building for five hours, his phone remained switched off the entire time. Just as I was shivering from the cold, I looked up and noticed the lights in his apartment were on.

Thinking he had gotten home early, I asked the security guard to let me in.

After the doorbell rang three times, the door finally opened. However, the person standing there was not James. It was Serene Alison, wearing one of his oversized shirts.

"Maria? What brings you here?" Serene asked innocently as she wiped her half-dry hair.

Then she explained, "James said there would be a hurricane in the next few days. He was worried my apartment might leak, so he left me his keys and told me to stay here for half a month."

Through the crack in the door, I saw the entryway shoe cabinet stuffed with her high heels.

I froze where I stood.

Just then, James' WhatsApp message popped up on my phone.

"The company suddenly sent me on a business trip. Let's postpone moving in until next month."

At the same time, I saw Serene's post from ten minutes earlier.

"Having a caring big brother is the best. He even changed the bedsheets to my favorite pink by himself."

The attached photo showed James making the bed for her. Only then did I finally understand that his so-called obsession with personal space had only ever applied to me.

Chapter 1 A Heartbreaking Truth

My grip on my phone tightened instantly, and my blood ran cold.

James had always been fiercely protective of his personal space. Even when I spent a weekend at his apartment, he would frown in displeasure if I so much as moved his water glass. I had spent five years accommodating him before he finally relented and agreed to let me move in. He had even taken the initiative to clear out half of his wardrobe for me.

His compromise had filled me with excitement. I even went out and bought a complete set of matching couple's clothing. Only now did I realize that the forbidden space I had tiptoed around so carefully was a place someone else could enter effortlessly.

Looking at Serene's innocent face through the crack in the door, I suddenly found myself too exhausted to even feel angry.

"Maria, would you like to come in for a while? James said there's going to be a hurricane these next few days, so he told me not to wander around." Serene stepped aside as she spoke.

The living room was crammed with luggage. There was not even enough room for me to step inside.

Then, my eyes fell on the oversized shirt she was wearing.

It was James' favorite.

I had once forgotten to bring my pajamas after showering and casually threw it on. Back then, James had frowned immediately and told me to take it off. He said he did not like other people getting water stains on his clothes, even if that person was the girlfriend he had dated for five years.

Now, that very same shirt hung loosely on another girl.

"No, thanks," I said calmly. "Sorry for bothering you."

I turned toward the elevator and pressed the button to go down. By the time I walked out of the building, the cold wind hit me, and only then did I realize my limbs had gone numb from waiting.

I was still carrying a large shopping bag, and inside was the matching couple's clothing I had carefully picked out. It was made of silk and had cost me more than half a month's salary. James had finally agreed to let me move into his apartment, and I had been excitedly planning every detail of our life together.

When I passed the garbage bin at the entrance of the residential complex, I stopped. Then, without the slightest hesitation, I tossed the entire thing into the bin.

As the lid fell shut, it crushed the very last of my hopes.

I checked into a budget hotel nearby.

Early the next morning, I put on makeup and took a taxi to the company.

Today was the day I was returning to my former office to hand over the last business documents before officially leaving.

To end our long-distance relationship and devote myself fully to taking care of James, I had handed in my resignation half a month earlier, giving up what had been an excellent opportunity for promotion.

After the handover was complete, my supervisor sighed and said, "Maria, you're giving up your career for a man. I hope you won't regret it someday."

At the time, I had only smiled. Looking back now, my supervisor had seen things far more clearly than I ever had.

After leaving the office building, I walked past the upscale restaurant downstairs.

In that split second, my steps came to an abrupt halt.

Through the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, I saw James, who was supposedly away on a business trip.

He was sitting by the window. Across from him sat Serene, the same girl who had been wearing his shirt the night before.

Serene was pouting as she poked at the steak on her plate, seemingly complaining about something. Meanwhile, James smiled helplessly and naturally pulled her plate toward himself.

James had an extreme obsession with cleanliness. In the five years we had been together, he had never once eaten my leftovers. Even when we shared a cup of milk tea, he refused to use the same straw as me.

Yet, he was now patiently picking every piece of onion out of Serene's steak with his own fork and placing them onto his own plate. When he was done, he casually cut up a piece of steak and held it to Serene's lips.

Serene smiled and took a bite.

All this time, I was standing outside the glass window. The sunlight fell across my body, but I could not feel the slightest warmth.

Chapter 2 A Change of Plan

I could not help thinking back to my birthday three months ago. James had taken me out for dinner.

That night, the restaurant brought the wrong dish, and my pasta was mixed with onions.

I was severely allergic to onions. Even the slightest amount would leave me covered in hives, and in serious cases, make it difficult for me to breathe.

Looking at the onions on my plate, I turned to James with a pout.

At that moment, he was busy replying to work messages and did not even bother to look up as he said, "Can't you just pick them out yourself? You're a grown woman. Do you really need someone to wait on you just to eat a meal?"

The impatience in his voice made my eyes sting.

In the end, I painstakingly picked out every piece of onion, but the sauce had already been contaminated.

That night, I ended up in the hospital for an anti-allergy injection.

After paying the bill, he stood beside my hospital bed, frowning as he scolded me. "Maria, can you stop being such a baby? I can't believe you managed to end up in the hospital just from eating dinner. I'm very busy, you know?"

But now, I finally understood. It was not that he had no patience. It was not that his obsession with cleanliness could never be overcome.

His patience simply had never belonged to me.

Standing outside the window, I watched him casually take a bite of steak with the very same fork he had just used to pick onions out of Serene's plate.

Then, I looked away and dialed the headhunter who had been contacting me.

"Mr. Chafiled, is the director position at Bluming Town that you mentioned before still available?"

The excitement in the headhunter's voice was unmistakable as he replied, "Of course! They've been very satisfied with your resume. As long as you're willing to start, you can start anytime!"

"Okay." I took a deep breath before replying, "I can fly to Bluming Town tomorrow."

After hanging up, I did not spare another glance at the people inside the restaurant. I turned and disappeared into the crowd.

The day before my departure, the city issued a rare super hurricane warning, and the news repeatedly urged residents to stay indoors unless necessary. The sky over the entire city was terrifyingly dark. Gale-force winds swept thick storm clouds across the horizon as though they could come crashing down at any moment.

I stayed in my hotel room, stuffing the last few pieces of clothing into my suitcase.

The moment I zipped it shut, the phone lying on the bed suddenly vibrated, and the screen lit up with one name.

James.

This was the first time he had contacted me during the three days he was supposedly away on his business trip.

The moment I answered, his voice exploded through the phone before I could even speak.

"Maria, you've really got some nerve now, don't you? Why didn't you tell me you moved out of your apartment? Didn't I say we needed more time to think about moving in together? Why were you in such a hurry? Do you have any idea how worried I was when your landlord told me you'd moved out?"

My grip on the phone tightened slightly.

He did not explain why he had disappeared for days. He did not ask where I was staying. He did not offer even a single word of concern.

When I remained silent, he suppressed his irritation and continued, "Alright now. There's a hurricane here these days. Wherever you are, don't come over to my place for now—"

"Don't worry." I cut him off without hesitation. "I won't be going to your place anymore."

After my words fell, there was a brief pause on the other end. It was obvious that he had not expected such a straightforward response from me.

In that split second, James' voice turned cold. "Maria, can you stop being so petty? If you're throwing a tantrum over the moving-in thing, then don't move in for the next half month! Take some time to cool off instead of acting like the whole world revolves around you!"

He had always spoken to me in a superior tone. In the past, whenever he said things like that, I would immediately start questioning myself whether I really had been unreasonable. Then I would carefully coax him, afraid of making him angry.

However, this time, I simply replied, "Okay. I won't move in."

James was obviously caught off guard. He froze for a second before letting out a cold laugh.

"Fine. Since you are so stubborn, suit yourself! Just don't come crawling back to me when you regret it!" Then, he hung up the phone.

I casually tossed my phone onto the bed and continued zipping up my suitcase.

Less than half an hour later, someone began pounding violently on the door of my hotel room.

Chapter 3 A Heated Argument

I frowned, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole.

When I saw who it was, I froze.

Standing outside was James.

The rain had already turned into a torrential downpour. His hair was completely soaked, and several wet strands plastered against his forehead. He looked utterly bedraggled.

I did not expect him to know that I was here.

The moment I opened the door a crack, James pushed his way inside, bringing the cold rain and his anger with him.

"Maria, you really got some nerve to hide out here of all places!"

The moment he stepped inside, he wrapped me tightly in his arms. His eyes were red, and his chest rose and fell heavily.

"Why didn't you call me when you arrived? You didn't even send me a single message. What exactly are you throwing a tantrum over?"

Looking at how self-righteous he was, I found the whole thing absurd and asked in a voice that was so calm that even I was surprised. "What's the point?"

"What do you mean by that?" James instantly flared up. Then he raised his voice. "You're my girlfriend! There's a hurricane raging outside. Do you know I almost got into a car accident while trying to avoid tree branches blown down by the wind just to get here? I've gone through all that, yet you don't even care. How can you be so cold-hearted?"

Watching him accuse me with such confidence, I cut him off without mercy. "Isn't someone who is staying at your place enough? You even changed the bedsheets to pink for her. In that case, I figured that you didn't need my concern for you anymore."

In that split second, James froze, and the accusations on the tip of his tongue died instantly.

"Did you know it all along?" He stared at me in shock.

After a brief moment of stiffness, he let out a sigh of relief as if a huge weight had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders.

"I knew it. You're hiding here and ignoring me because you wanted me to come and coax you. You're jealous again, aren't you?"

Then, the anger on his face was replaced with a helpless yet doting smile. He even reached out to ruffle my hair as he said, "Who's my little jealous baby this time? Maria, you're way too possessive of me."

I turned my head and avoided his hand, but he did not seem bothered. Instead, he sighed and said, "Serene's apartment is too old. It leaks whenever there's a hurricane, so she simply can't stay there. I couldn't possibly leave her stranded on the streets, could I?

"Plus, I didn't let you move in on schedule because I was thinking about you too. Think about it. If you'd moved in while Serene was staying there, she'd definitely feel uncomfortable. She's single, so watching the two of us being lovey-dovey every day would just make her feel miserable."

As he spoke, he stepped closer, lowered his head, and gently kissed my forehead.

"Alright, stop being upset," he said softly. "Once the hurricane passes, I'll tell her to move out. Then, we'll reconsider the moving-in arrangement. Be good now."

'Reconsider?' I stood there motionless. It felt as though my blood had run cold, and an icy chill seeped from deep within my bones.

He pitied Serene because her apartment leaked during the hurricane and was worried she'd have nowhere to go. He was afraid she'd feel lonely watching us act like a couple, but what about me?

Had it ever crossed his mind that I had quit my job, given up my apartment, and traveled hundreds of kilometers to this city with all my belongings? If I had not checked into a hotel, I would not have had anywhere to stay at all.

Just as I was about to speak, a sudden ringtone shattered the silence.

"James, answer the phone! James, hurry and answer the phone!"

Even James looked stunned. He fumbled to pull his phone out of his pocket.

On the screen flashed Serene's name.

Seeing the personalized caller ID and ringtone, James blinked in surprise before muttering under his breath, "This girl is fooling around again. I don't even know when she got hold of my phone and changed the ringtone."

Though his words sounded like a complaint, his tone was gentle. Then, he walked toward the hallway window as he answered the phone.

"Serene, what's wrong?"

A pause.

"There's thunder? Don't be scared, I'll be right back."

Before he had even finished speaking, James hurried toward the elevator. He was in such a rush that he did not even spare me a goodbye.

His hurried footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Then, the hallway fell silent once more.

Chapter 4 Abandoned in the Storm

The wind outside grew louder, and the raindrops pounded against the windows like stones.

The hurricane had arrived.

I drew the curtains and checked my suitcase one last time.

My flight to Bluming Town was scheduled for three o'clock the next afternoon. As long as I made it through tonight, I could finally leave this city that was filled with memories of James.

However, fate seemed to have other plans.

That night, the hotel suddenly lost power. I had just picked up my phone in the darkness when a shrill, piercing roar rushed toward me.

A deafening crash echoed through the room. The enormous floor-to-ceiling window had been smashed apart by something hurled through the air by the violent wind.

In that split second, a violent gust mixed with the rain instantly poured into the room, sending the entire bed and its blankets flying.

Instinctively, I threw up my arm to shield my face, but I was too late as a sharp pain shot through my calf.

I let out a muffled groan and collapsed onto the rain-soaked carpet.

Using the faint light from my phone, I saw a shard of glass that was about the size of my palm had pierced deep into my right calf.

Red slowly spread across the carpet, mixing with the rainwater.

My entire body trembled, and cold sweat trickled down from my face.

Fighting through the pain, I dialed 911.

The line rang for what felt like forever before someone finally answered. Unfortunately, the dispatcher explained that their ambulances could not come over as the hurricane had brought down countless trees and flooded major roads. They told me to stop the bleeding as best I could and find a way to reach the nearest hospital on my own.

The blood kept flowing, and my vision grew blurrier with every passing second.

The hotel's landline had become useless after the blackout.

Outside, the hallway was filled with the howl of the wind, pounding rain, and the frightened cries of other guests.

With trembling fingers, I scrolled through my contacts.

I had no family in this city.

Soon, my finger stopped on James' name.

As I waited for him to answer, my consciousness gradually began to fade.

Soon, the call connected.

"James…" I called out weakly. Tears mixed with rainwater as they ran into my mouth, and they tasted bitter.

The very next second, Serene's frightened scream pierced my ears.

"James! The thunder is so scary! Hug me, please. I'm scared!"

Immediately afterward, James' voice came through the phone, overflowing with panic and tenderness.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here. I'm holding you. You're safe now."

My breathing tightened.

Strangely, I could not feel any heartache anymore.

"Hello? Maria?" Only then did James seem to realize I was the one calling, and his tone instantly turned impatient.

"Why are you calling me in the middle of the night? Is this your idea of making up? If you're not going to say anything, I'm hanging up."

Every breath I took sent pain through my body.

"James, the hotel window shattered, and a piece of glass is stuck in my leg. I'm bleeding a lot. I can't get an ambulance. Can you please come help me?"

Silence hung on the other end for two seconds before James sneered coldly.

"Maria, have you lost your mind?" His voice was filled with disbelief and reproach. "There's a Level 10 hurricane outside right now! I can't believe you made up such a lie just to trick me into coming over. If the hotel window really shattered, couldn't you ask the front desk for help? Do you seriously have to pull these pathetic little stunts for attention at a time like this?"

"I'm not lying. I really—"

"Enough!" James cut me off brutally.

As another delicate cry from Serene sounded in the background, his voice immediately softened as he comforted her. "It's okay."

Then, he spoke coldly into the phone again. "Serene has been afraid of thunder ever since she was little. The power's out here too, so I can't leave right now. You're a grown woman. Can you stop pretending to be pitiful every time something happens? If you keep acting this unreasonably, then there's really no point in us being together."

Then he hung up without giving me another chance to explain.

Chapter 5 Last Goodbye

I stared at the phone screen until it went dark.

I wanted to smile, but my tears fell onto the back of my hand first.

'Let this be the last time I cry for the foolish version of myself that had loved him for the past five years,' I thought to myself.

Then, I set my phone down. Using the faint glow of the screen, I tore off a strip from the bedsheet and tied it tightly above the wound on my calf to slow the bleeding.

Then, I took a deep breath before gritting my teeth as I grabbed the shard of glass stuck in my flesh and yanked it out.

A broken sound escaped my throat.

Agonizing pain exploded through my brain, and blood gushed from the wound.

The pain was so intense that I nearly blacked out. I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood, barely managing to stay conscious.

Using the rest of the torn bedsheet, I clumsily wrapped the wound before supporting myself against the wall and limping out of the room.

The hallway was pitch black, and the elevators had stopped working.

I did not know how I managed to make my way from the sixth floor down the emergency staircase to the lobby. I only remembered that with every step I took, another glaringly bright bloody footprint was left behind.

The front desk staff turned pale the moment she saw me covered in blood. She immediately brought over a first-aid kit to bandage the wound as best she could. Then, the hotel's security staff braved the storm and drove me to the nearest hospital.

The emergency room was overflowing with patients. Without using any anesthesia, the doctor cleaned my wound and stitched it up.

The needle pierced through flesh again and again, but I somehow barely felt the pain.

While waiting for the stitches, I took out my phone.

Ten minutes earlier, Serene had posted a new post.

The photo showed a cozy living room lit by several scented candles, and James' large hand was wrapped tightly around Serene's much smaller one.

The caption read, "Candlelight on a stormy night with the one who makes me feel safest."

I looked at the photo calmly and saved a screenshot. After that, I opened my chat with James and sent him a message.

"Let's break up. You're free now."

After sending it, I blocked every way he could contact me. Then, I erased every trace of him from all of my social media accounts.

When the stitches were finished, I declined the nurse's suggestion that I stay in the hospital for observation.

The following afternoon, the hurricane weakened.

Dragging my injured leg behind me, I took a taxi to the airport and boarded my flight to Bluming Town.

'Goodbye, James. Let's never meet again,' I thought.