After Being Reborn, I Decided Not to Love Him Anymore Chapter 03

After Being Reborn, I Decided Not to Love Him Anymore Chapter 03

Lily was admitted.

The surgery went well. Then came chemo.

Marcus cleared his entire schedule and stayed at the hospital with her every single day.

I was running myself ragged—back and forth between school and the hospital, plus putting together my study-abroad application.

One night I got home, and Marcus stopped me.

“Nancy.”

I turned around.

He held out a key. “I bought an apartment near your school. Two bedrooms, one bath. It’s all set up. You should… move there as soon as you can.”

I blinked, then took the key and nodded. “Okay.”

No argument. No hesitation.

Marcus looked at me like he was searching for something on my face.

But I just put the key in my pocket and went upstairs.

The next day, I started packing.

Most of my stuff I decided to donate or toss. In the new apartment, I’d buy all new things. Start a brand-new life.

I started coming home later and later. You could hardly find me at the dinner table.

My room got emptier by the day.

The bookshelf cleared out. The closet emptied. On the vanity, all that was left was a lonely little jewelry box.

One night I got home after ten.

Marcus was sitting on the couch in the dark. The tip of his cigarette glowed on and off.

“It’s late,” he said, his voice cold. “Where were you?”

I paused in the middle of taking off my shoes. “School stuff.”

I finished changing shoes and headed straight for my room.

Behind me, I heard the sound of a mug hitting the coffee table.

Lily’s chemo went smoothly.

Three months later, the doctor said she was recovering well. She could go home to rest and just come back for regular checkups.

I went on discharge day too.

Lily had lost weight, but her spirits were good.

Marcus went to handle the paperwork. Lily and I waited in the room.

“Nancy,” Lily said suddenly. “Did you and Marcus have a fight or something?”

I blinked.

Lily sighed. “He’s been in such a foul mood lately. Everyone at his company ducks when they see him coming.”

I didn’t say anything.

Lily took my hand. “I know he asked you to move out. I chewed him out for it. Don’t you worry—as long as I’m around, that place is always your home.”

I squeezed her hand back and said, very seriously, “Lily. I’m a grown woman now. I need my own life. Besides, I’m already working on my overseas application. I might leave next year.”

Lily’s eyes went wide. “Overseas? Where? For how long?”

“England. Grad school. Two or three years, maybe.”

Lily’s eyes got red again. “Then… you take good care of yourself over there, okay? You call us if you need anything. Promise me?”

“Promise.”

Lily wiped her eyes and then suddenly grinned. “Nancy, I should set you up with a friend of mine. He’s in architecture. Great guy.”

I shook my head. “No thanks, Lily.”

“Why not? You’d be all alone.”

I hesitated, then told her the truth. “Actually… there is someone I’ve been talking to.”

“What?” Lily’s eyes went wide.

“Met him while I was doing my overseas paperwork. We’re thinking of applying to the same schools.”

Lily’s face lit up. She clapped her hands. “That’s wonderful! I have to tell Marcus! We need to vet this guy—can’t have you getting scammed!”

“No, that’s not—” I started, but she was already reaching for her phone.

“Oh, he’s back,” Lily said, setting her phone down and looking toward the door.

Marcus walked in, discharge papers in hand.

When he saw our hands linked, his gaze darkened.

“What’s got you two so smiley?” He came over and casually put his arm around Lily’s shoulder.

Lily tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes sparkling. “I was just saying I wanted to set Nancy up with someone. Guess what?”

He glanced at me, sounding sure of himself. “She said no.”

“Right, she didn’t want that.”

He gave a faint “mm-hmm.” “She’s been attached to me since she was little. She didn’t even want to dorm in college. You really think she’d want a boyfriend?”

Lily grinned. “Except she said she’s already got someone she’s interested in. And she’s going abroad with him.”

I saw Marcus’s expression shift. Something flickered in his eyes—something I couldn’t read.

How strange. He was the one who wanted me gone.

Now that I was putting more distance between us, shouldn’t he be happy?

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