Chapter 3

I sent the message at ten in the morning.

For a long time, no one replied.

At four in the afternoon, Noah finally messaged.

Congratulations, Leah. Three years of hard work finally paid off. You're incredible.

I sent him the address for the dinner.

The typing bubble lingered on his end for a long time.

I tapped my mouse absently, closed my eyes, and prayed.

When I opened them again, I saw his message.

Kayla says the client loved her proposal, but they want a deeper breakdown of the user data.

I'll help her break down the data and try to finish early. Then we'll come meet you together.

If I don't, she'll bother you all night and ruin your evening.

When my first product launched, Noah had promised to celebrate with me.

That same day, Kayla's dog developed a sudden kidney infection. She called me sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

I asked Noah to take me to Kayla first.

He had genuinely resented it then. The irritation was plain in his eyes.

"It's our date. Can't we go after we celebrate?"

Somewhere along the way, the two of them had become "we."

Somewhere along the way, I had become the person they saw only after they were finished.

The dinner started at seven.

Seven-thirty. Eight. Nine.

I chewed slowly and steadily, forcing down one bite after another.

It was as if the evening couldn't end as long as I kept eating.

Eventually my coworkers stopped asking whether they were coming.

At ten-thirty, I made sure everyone got home safely and took a cab back to the apartment alone.

The place was dead quiet.

As I changed my shoes, my knees gave out. I caught myself on the entryway cabinet and slowly sank to the floor.

I texted the lawyer I'd exchanged numbers with earlier that day.

Please draft a divorce settlement agreement for me.

After I sent it, something inside me finally loosened.

I walked into the master bedroom, locked the door, and turned off my phone.

I just wanted to sleep, undisturbed by anyone.

The next day, a knock at the door woke me.

"Did you have a good time last night?"

I slumped against the headboard and said nothing.

Noah brought in two fried eggs, a slice of buttered toast, and a glass of warm milk.

"I'm sorry. We were up too late sorting the data last night."

"Kayla and I talked. We'll throw you another celebration dinner this weekend."

Kayla and I talked it over.

I set down my fork and hid my trembling hand under the table.

I looked up at him.

"Noah, my coworkers all envy me."

"They say my life is basically Friends: no money worries, perfect love, and a once-in-a-lifetime friendship."

The tears fell anyway.

The tears spilled anyway.

Noah crouched beside me and took my hand.

"Of course. Anyone who tries to take that happiness from you will answer to me."

"I took the morning off so I could go with you to have the dressing changed."

I nodded and finished breakfast in silence.

After the meal, Noah drove me to the hospital.

The nurse turned to get antiseptic and cotton swabs, then asked casually, "Where's the wound?"

Head bent over his phone, Noah answered without thinking.

"Right palm, outer left thigh, and a little scrape on the left arm."

The nurse gave my outstretched right arm a puzzled look.

Thick gauze ran from my wrist almost to my elbow.

I dropped my gaze and shook my head.