The Soulmate System Chose Her Not Me Chapter 03

The Soulmate System Chose Her Not Me Chapter 03

When I was hospitalized with stomach pain, he stayed by my bedside for three days and nights without leaving.

When I casually mentioned that I liked the cinnamon rolls from a bakery on the South Side, he stood in line for three hours in the snow to buy them for me.

I was afraid of the dark, so every night, he stayed on the phone until he coaxed me to sleep.

It was not because I was special.

It was because he could be that good to anyone.

No wonder that over the past seven years, whenever anyone joked about us in public, Gavin always denied it cleanly and without hesitation.

I thought he was doing it to protect our secret relationship. Only now did I understand that he had been doing it so he would not be tied to me at all.

He regretted that Lila had not chosen him back then, so he hid his true feelings and settled for me as a safe harbor.

Because I loved him, I would swallow every hurt and humiliation for him.

I was the only safe harbor that let him sail off, anytime he wanted, to chase the regret he had carried for seven years.

But this time, he was wrong.

Now, I finally understood the real reason.

As long as I stayed hidden, he would always be the unattached guy from school in Lila’s eyes, free to pursue her.

I endured pain because I loved him.

I could grit my teeth and swallow my hurt for the future we were building together, but that did not make me some pathetic doormat.

Once that illusion was stripped away, the last bit of reluctance in my heart disappeared completely.

I wiped my tears, stood up, and turned toward Preston, who had been sitting in the shadows all along.

“Do you want to get out?”

He answered faster than I expected, his voice cool and clear.

“Yes.”

“Have you heard of the suspension bridge effect?”

“When people are under extreme fear or stress, their heart rates spike, and the brain can mistake that rush for attraction.”

“I calculated the system’s threshold just now. If our heart rates go over 130 beats per minute and stay there for more than ten seconds, we might be able to trick the access system.”

“Okay.”

He straightened and walked toward me.

One minute later, the system’s voice rang out.

“Ding—soulmate verification successful. The door is now open.”

I let out a breath of relief and tried to pull my hand back.

But Preston held on tightly.

He lowered his eyes to me, his chest rising and falling slightly.

“I wasn’t holding my breath just now.”

I froze for a second, not understanding what he meant.

Preston let go of my hand and took half a step back, putting a safe distance between us.

“Jenna Blake, I don’t need the suspension bridge effect.”

He looked into my eyes, speaking very slowly.

“As long as I’m standing beside you, my heart rate is always over 120. My love for you doesn’t need to be faked.”

The air seemed to still.

In my memory, every time I cried in the library after coming in second place, a warm latte would appear on my desk the next day.

Every time I argued with Gavin and walked home alone at night, a familiar car would follow at a careful distance.

I had thought it was my imagination.

“Preston, I…”

“You don’t have to answer me now.”

He cut me off.

“I’m only stating a fact. The door is open. Let’s go.”

I took out my phone and opened my Instagram DM thread with Gavin.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard before I typed a few words.

I typed: [We’re over.]

I tapped Send, but the DM failed. His profile had turned into a blank “Instagram User” placeholder.

He had blocked me.

I opened Lila’s latest Instagram post. In the photo, there was a handwritten bucket list.

Item Ninety-Nine: [I want my boyfriend to love only me from this moment on.]

The comment section underneath was lively.

Lila’s best friend teased: [That’s not enough. He needs to remove every woman from his Instagram except work contacts. That’s the only way it counts as loving only you.]

Lila replied: [He already did. 😊]

I stared at the undelivered message and the empty profile icon.

After seven years in a hidden relationship, I was not even allowed a decent goodbye.

My phone suddenly rang, and I answered.

“Jenna, it’s me. Are you okay in there? You’re not scared, are you?”

“I’m fine.”

My voice was flat.

Gavin let out a breath of relief.

“That’s good. Don’t be mad about Instagram. It was one of Lila’s bucket-list requests, and this is for work. Don’t be petty. Once I wrap up this job and collect the final payment, I’ll unblock you right away.”

“Try to understand me.”

His voice softened.

“Be good and wait inside. Tomorrow, I’ll bring people over to force the door open.”

Understand him?

Had I not understood enough over the past seven years?

“No need to unblock me.”

I looked up at the night sky.

“Gavin, we’re done.”