He Spent Three Years Hating the Woman He Loved Chapter 05

He Spent Three Years Hating the Woman He Loved Chapter 05

Julian’s face went utterly rigid. He stood there, mouth open, paralyzed.

I knelt back down, collected the clothes, and zipped the suitcase shut.

“Elena, what did you just say?” he finally found his voice, though it shook. “Break up?”

“Yes,” I said without looking up.

“Why? Just because—”

“Julian.” I stood up, pulled a stack of bank statements and my ledger from my bag, and slapped them hard against his chest.

“During our one year of cohabitation, I paid the lease. I covered the utilities. I bought the gold bangle for your mother’s birthday. I paid for the bespoke suit when you got promoted, and I funded your designer sportswear for your corporate retreat.”

I locked eyes with him. “The absolute most expensive thing you ever bought me in three years of dating was a ninety-nine-dollar convenience store lipstick.”

Julian’s pale face flushed a furious, embarrassed red. “Is this about money to you now? You’re reducing our relationship to dollars?”

I smiled coldly. “Yes. Because if it isn’t about money, then it’s about your pathetic, deceitful heart. And that’s worth even less.”

He was entirely choked by my words.

I grabbed the handle of my suitcase. Julian lunged forward, grabbing my arm again. “Don’t go. Let’s at least have dinner first. Fine, if you don’t want to check on Chloe, you don’t have to.”

I stared at him. “So you’re backing down now? Chloe’s safety suddenly isn’t that urgent anymore?”

He stammered, “I… I just want us to work things out.”

I tilted my head, letting out a soft laugh. “Julian, the first sentence out of your mouth when you walked in was accusing me of throwing a tantrum. Your second was begging me to comfort your secret lover. Do you honestly think I am an idiot?”

His face drained of color once more.

I dug into the trash bin, retrieved the red velvet box, and slammed it into his palm. “Take your garbage back.”

Julian stared at the cheap silver band, frozen in place like a statue.

I dragged my suitcase toward the door. Behind me, his desperate voice rang out, “Elena Linley, walk out that door and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

I stopped at the threshold, turned around, and smiled radiantly.

“Julian, the only thing I regret isn’t breaking up with you. It’s the fact that I wasted three whole years of my youth on a parasite like you.”

I stepped out and pulled the door shut behind me. The elevator

descended. The wheels of my suitcase rolled across the polished floor with a steady, hollow rhythm.

I watched the digital floor numbers tick down. 18… 17… 16… With every floor we dropped, the phantom weight of those three years felt like it was being systematically carved off my bones.