Chapter 2

The air fell silent. I could clearly see panic and shock written across Marcus's face.

I opened my mouth to speak, but then I saw the warning in Marcus's eyes.

Celeste didn't notice anything unusual between us. She pouted playfully: "I don't want to be a parasite! What if you don't want me anymore someday?"

"What are you looking at? Why aren't you answering me?"

Marcus snapped back to attention and ruffled Celeste's hair: "How could I ever not want you?"

Following his gaze, Celeste looked toward the washing machine beside me. "There's nothing wrong with it, right?"

I came back to my senses and introduced it with a forced smile.

Marcus suddenly spoke up: "Why are you selling furniture? Short on money?"

I froze for a moment.

When it comes to money, is there ever enough?

Before I could answer, Celeste punched Marcus's arm. "Don't say things like that!"

"Don't mind him. My boyfriend's like this—just because he has money, he doesn't understand us regular people's struggles."

She shot Marcus a reproachful glance and rolled up her sleeve, revealing a diamond bracelet.

"For my birthday, I wanted a bracelet. I had to save up half a year's worth of living expenses to afford it. He just went and gave me an entire season's worth of new collections! I still have unopened packages in my closet!"

Last summer, I spotted a dress I liked. After the discount, it was three hundred dollars.

Marcus wanted to pay for it, but I stopped him.

I smiled as if it didn't matter: "I can't wear it to work anyway. It'd be a waste to buy it. Wouldn't it be better to save that money toward our house fund?"

It wasn't that I didn't want it—it's just that two days earlier, Marcus had complained about being docked three hundred dollars for being late to work.

"I had a fight with my roommate. I was just going to find some random shared apartment near campus, but he went and bought an entire penthouse and put it in my name!

Eighty thousand per square foot! I could work my whole life and only afford the bathroom!"

When I was apartment hunting, I argued with the landlord until we were both red in the face over an extra hundred dollars in utilities.

When Marcus saw how upset I was, he wanted to break the lease immediately, but I refused no matter what.

Only because this apartment was close to Marcus's company, cutting down his commute time so he could sleep a little longer each day.

"And I love going to concerts, so he took me to the front row of the main floor! Oh my, now that I think about it, I really am his parasite!"

Celeste complained on the surface, but her tone was full of happiness.

And I stood there, my face growing paler and paler.

Marcus cleared his throat lightly.

Celeste slapped her forehead, looking a bit annoyed:

"Don't take it the wrong way. I wasn't trying to show off. Let's add each other on SnapChat! If you have more used furniture to sell, remember to contact me!"

Marcus tried to stop her, but Celeste quickly scanned my QR code: "I'm not relying on you for this! I'm going to be self-sufficient!"

The black Bentley was parked nearby. Marcus looked helpless:

"At least ride in my car, okay? I don't want to walk down the street like an idiot carrying a washing machine."

When I was apartment hunting, I also bought secondhand furniture from the platform.

To save on delivery fees, I refused the moving company and carried the heavy sofa and cabinets up to the fourth floor by myself.

But in Marcus's eyes, I apparently looked like an idiot.

Only after they disappeared from my view did I feel like I could breathe again.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Marcus: "It's cold outside. Go home first. We'll talk tonight."

I laughed bitterly and touched my rounded belly.

Marcus loved children. Just a few days ago, I was planning to surprise him.

Now it had turned into a joke.

Even though I knew Marcus was with Celeste right now, I impulsively called him.

First call: declined. Second call: declined. By the third call, his phone was off.

I looked down and realized my palm was bleeding from my nails digging in.

The wound was small, but my whole heart felt numb with pain.

When I got home, I accepted Celeste's friend request.