Seeing that I wasn't angry.
Roy got even angrier.
He seemed convinced that I was sulking, determined to make amends, and pulled out his phone to book movie tickets.
I watched as he frantically searched.
Finally.
I couldn't help but softly remind him, "That movie's already off the screens."
Roy's finger froze on the screen.
In that moment, I saw a mix of emotions flash across his face.
The air was thick with a silent tension.
The food on the table gradually grew cold.
I bent down, placed the last item into my suitcase, and closed it.
......
After that day.
Roy suddenly became very attentive to me.
During my business trip, he texted me morning and night, constantly asking about my return date.
I told him.
On the day of my return, as I exited the airport, I saw his car.
A black Bugatti, parked by the curb.
Upon seeing me, he quickly got out, naturally coming over to take my suitcase.
But as we reached the car, I saw Liana in the passenger seat.
She sat there casually, one leg propped up, hand resting on the window, and when she saw me, she smiled sweetly, "Ms. Pope, I'm just catching a ride. I'll give up the front seat for you in a bit..."
She grinned mischievously.
She said this, but made no move to get out.
Roy, having put away the luggage, noticed me standing still and spoke with a hint of unease:
"She happened to be nearby, so I gave her a lift. She gets carsick, so I let her sit in the front for this stretch."
In a previous argument, I had brought up how Liana always took the front seat on our outings.
But before I could say anything, Liana poked her head out of the window, eyes crinkling with a smile as she chimed in:
"Good thing Roo was nearby today, or I wouldn't have been able to get a cab from that godforsaken place. Ms. Pope, you can check the chat logs, it's all there..."
That group chat was for their childhood friends from the same neighborhood.
I wasn't in that group.
"And if Roo hadn't come to my rescue, I would've complained to our godparents!"
Liana continued, pretending to punch Roy playfully in the chest.
Her arm halfway extended, she seemed to remember something and pulled back, glancing at me with mock concern. "Ms. Pope, it's just a habit, nothing more..."
Ever since my big fight with Roy, Liana had gone from touching him freely to pretending to be cautious about it.
It was as if my pettiness was the reason she had to pretend to keep her distance from Roy.
But if Liana was really trying to keep her distance, why did she continue to spend nights out with them, going on private dates...
I could even see a hint of challenge in her eyes, subtle but unmistakable.
This kind of petty trickery would have definitely angered me in the past.
But now.
I couldn't be bothered to react. When Roy asked Liana to get out of the car, I simply waved it off and opened the back door:
"It's fine. I have a friend who's coming along too. We'll just sit in the back."
"A friend? Where?"
Before Roy could react, I heard someone calling my name.
I turned around, and my expression changed immediately.
A handsome guy with broad shoulders, a slim waist, and a flashy outfit was dragging a suitcase as he hurried over. As soon as he stopped, he complained:
"MiMi, you're so unfair! I just went to grab my luggage, and you disappeared in a flash."
The man clung to my arm, pouting pitifully as he whined:
"I'm lost and all alone here, you've got to take care of me!"
