Chapter 5
Halfway through the meal, I began to feel uncomfortable, so I ordered a spicy dish for myself. I kept it mild enough not to bother her, but still flavorful.
The moment it arrived, Gianna coughed twice, and Jarvis immediately called for the waiter to take it away.
The dish was placed a good distance from them, and I could barely even smell it. Yet somehow, she had.
I suspected she was faking it, and the sight of Jarvis’s frantic concern only fueled my anger. I stopped him, my voice cold, “What’s the issue? I’m the one eating it, not her. It’s my money, so why does it matter?”
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Chapter 5
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He shot back, “Your money is my money!” and insisted the dish be removed.
Now, I looked at him with a smile that barely hid my contempt. “This is what Gianna likes, right? After all these years, you still don’t know I prefer spicy food?”
He faltered, his face tightening before he muttered, “Why eat so much spicy food? It’s bad for your health.”
I let out a cold sport and stood up, walking away from the table.
Over the next few days, Jarvis became increasingly busy, leaving early and returning
late.
We hardly saw each other.
I knew exactly what he was doing–Gianna’s
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Chapter 5
+ 5 Points
mother’s condition had worsened, and naturally, he was caught up in it.
He was preoccupied with her illness, constantly reassuring Gianna.
But what was I doing? He had no idea.
I had quit my clerical job, found a new apartment, and packed up most of my things. All of this, Jarvis remained oblivious
- to.
I was cleaning the new place when Jarvis called.
He suggested we go camping together, with some of his friends, and of course, Gianna- something I only realized after arriving.
I watched as Jarvis carried item after item from the trunk of his car, and I couldn’t help
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* & Points
but smile.
All these things were meant for Gianna- blankets, chairs, cushions–so many that they filled half the trunk.
If someone didn’t know better, they’d think she was moving in.
On a bright, sunny afternoon, a group of us sat on the lawn chatting. I quietly sat off to the side, enjoying the breeze.
Their laughter and chatter filled the air, and I once again realized that to him, I was nothing but an afterthought.
Somehow, the conversation turned to me.
“Gianna and Jarvis look so good together, though Elena got to him first.”
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“Even if Elena hadn’t gotten there first, Gianna could never compete with her. After all, Elena’s been in the club scene.”
Their words were laced with crude laughter. I didn’t know when working as a bartender had turned into “hanging out in the club scene.”
“But still, I think Gianna and Jarvis are the perfect match.”
Jarvis’s two friends openly discussed it, with Gianna’s soft laughter in the background and Jarvis’s silence.
This wasn’t unfamiliar to me. It had happened countless times before, and Jarvis always brushed it off as a joke, never once stopping it.
If I got upset, he’d call me petty.
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I slowly opened my eyes and looked at those two pathetic souls, my voice calm as I spoke, “Since everyone thinks they’re such a great match, I suppose it’s time for me to step aside and make way for them.”
