Regardless of her reluctance, it was time to return home. Zoe lowered her gaze, using her key to unlock the door.
The emptiness greeted her, the house spotlessly clean, devoid of any human touch, even the shoes by the entrance untouched.
She tossed her medication into the drawer beneath the bedside table and closed it.
While hanging laundry, she noticed the night-blooming cereus on the balcony had blossomed.
Its white petals unfurled in their most enchanting form, tugging at her heartstrings.
A faint smile graced her lips, a rare moment of solace amidst recent days.
She fetched her phone, found the perfect angle, and snapped a couple of photos.
Uncharacteristically, she posted them on her social media, where she had a small circle of friends from high school, university, and a couple of colleagues from her two-month stint at work, though they seldom interacted.
Quickly, several people liked her post, and a girl teasingly asked if she had vanished, wondering why she hadn't been active.
Zoe smiled wryly, realizing she had no one to share her thoughts with.
Cooking held no appeal, so she ventured out for a simple meal of noodles.
Her sensitive stomach couldn't handle spice, and the simple meal reminded her of times past.
Snapping out of her reverie, she shook her head, refusing to dwell on what couldn't be undone. She quietly finished her tasteless bowl of noodles.
Half an hour later, she fetched her medicine, pouring out a colorful handful, and sat on the sofa ready to take them. Just as she was about to, the door clicked open.
Zoe’s heart tightened, clutching the pills tighter in her fist. Evan changed his shoes, his expression souring at the sight of her emotionless face.
"You're back," she said automatically, echoing a habit from before, then faltered slightly after the words left her lips.
Evan averted his gaze, not uttering a word, and walked straight into the bedroom.
The pills in her hand felt scorching, Zoe blinked slowly, squeezing them harder. Disregarding whether she could swallow them all at once, she popped them into her mouth, gulping down water forcefully.
It proved too much to handle, as she spat out two larger pills, her face contorting. The medicine tasted bitterly.
She took another sip of water, forcing them down.
Not long after that，Evan changed his clothes and emerged, dressed anew.
Zoe sat on the sofa, scrolling through her phone.
He put on his shoes, threw her a fleeting glance, and complained, "Can't you dress up a bit?"
She was in her pajamas, her long hair cascading down her back, neat but with a complexion too pale for Evan's liking.
Zoe rose, wooden in her response, "Do I really need to at home?"
He had once praised her natural look, stating his admiration for her just as she was. Yet, those were the words of a man who spoke falsely. Zoe had learned it firsthand.
Suddenly, a pang in her stomach made her wince, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to appear weak before him.
Evan uttered a nonchalant "suit yourself," and upon studying her face, chuckled coldly, "Are you doing this on purpose, to elicit sympathy from me?"
Her heart constricted, fighting off discomfort, "Doing this on purpose? How am I—"
Her words were interrupted by his ringing phone. Evan signaled for her to stop, glanced at the caller ID, and stepped out.
Zoe sighed in relief, massaging her aching stomach. Evan's words had cut deep, accusing her of intentionally presenting herself this way.
Intentionally… Intentionally.
