Chapter 1

After my boyfriend stormed out over the litter box (again), I didn’t chase him.

This time, I just stood there—

—until text flooded my vision:

【He’s waiting right outside!】

【Open the door and he’ll cook for you】

【He’s insecure! Just say ‘I love you’ and he’d die for you】

【Hurry! He’s digging nails into his palms!】

My hand hovered over the knob...

Then my phone buzzed:

"We’re done. Be gone when I’m back."

"Okay."

1

I put my phone down, wiped my tears, and pulled out my suitcase.

【Oh, he’s just being difficult. He’s dying to come back and make up with her, but he’s too proud to admit it. Is this what insecurity looks like?】

【Yeah, his parents divorced when he was a kid and they both remarried right away. He was basically abandoned. Chloe knows all this! Why is she actually packing? Honey, don’t! He loves you so much, how will he live without you?】

【Don’t listen to a word he says when he’s angry! If you just open the door, he’ll come back wagging his tail. Don’t really pack your things! What will he do if you leave?】

【There is no one on this earth who loves you more than him! You were together through high school, all four years of college, you were supposed to get married! Don’t do this, you’re his whole world! What about him? What about Jellybean?】

I ignored the floating text and started packing.

I’d lost count of how many times this had happened. Every time he broke up with me, he told me to move out. And every time we made up, he’d cling to me, all sweet and clingy, and tell me he didn’t mean it.

I remember the first time Chad told me to leave. I was terrified.

We were supposed to go on a trip the next day, so I’d stayed late at work to make sure everything was handled. I wanted to be able to relax and enjoy our vacation. But to Chad, my working late meant I didn’t care about our trip.

He wouldn’t listen to my explanations. He didn’t care that I’d gotten home at eleven and hadn’t even had dinner. He just shoved my suitcase at me and slammed the door in my face.

No matter how much I begged and explained through the door, he wouldn’t open it.

I stood outside in the hallway all night, starving. It was the middle of winter, and he’d pushed me out without even letting me grab a coat. I shivered uncontrollably, but he never once came out to check on me.

If my neighbor hadn’t found me passed out from low blood sugar and pounded on the door until Chad finally came out, who knows what would have happened.

That time, Chad had been scared to death.

When I woke up, he swore up and down, promising me, “Chloe, I love you so much.”

“If I say things when I’m angry, you can’t take them seriously, okay?”

“You know how insecure I am. If you just give me that sense of security, I’ll be fine.”

And I believed him.

So, every time we fought after that and he told me to leave, I knew he was just saying it out of anger. I knew he was difficult. I knew he was insecure. I made my entire life revolve around him.

But now… I was just so tired.

Eight years. Eight years of me always being the one to give in, of being kicked out every time he got mad.

I was done.

2

It didn’t take long to pack.

I made myself a cup of instant noodles. I felt a tug at my ankle and looked down. It was Jellybean. The moment I knelt, she jumped into my lap.

Jellybean originally belonged to one of Chad’s junior classmates in college. The girl had gotten bored of her after two weeks. Chad brought her home, and she became my responsibility. Cleaning the litter box, taking her for baths, shots, deworming—it was all on me.

And if I was ever late with any of it, Chad would give me a cold look and say, “I only brought her home because you said you liked her. When did you become so irresponsible, Chloe?”

This time, the fight had started because I hadn’t changed her litter box and the apartment smelled.

As I ate my noodles, I scrolled through my phone and saw that his old classmate had posted on her feed.

【QAQ, my poor, homeless senior. I guess I can take you in for a bit. (๑>ᴗ