He Told Me to Wait While He Was With His Cheating Ex — I Sold Our Home That Night Chapter 02

He Told Me to Wait While He Was With His Cheating Ex — I Sold Our Home That Night Chapter 02

The next morning, Julian—who usually loved sleeping in—was already up early.

I was making oatmeal in the kitchen while he sat at the dining table, his head bent over his phone as he replied to messages.

As I carried the bowl past him, I caught sight of Sabrina’s name on the screen.

I set the bowl in front of him.

Without looking up, he said, “Chloe, Sabrina’s stomach is still bothering her. I need to go check on her around noon.”

“Mm-hm,” I replied as I sat down.

Julian finally raised his head and glanced at me.

“Still mad?”

I lowered my face over the bowl and shook my head.

He smiled and reached over to ruffle my hair, just as he always did.

“That’s more like it. Once we’re married, I’ll have this place redone for you.”

“Whatever style my girl wants, that’s what we’ll choose.”

“Okay.”

I lowered my gaze and took a spoonful of oatmeal.

It was completely plain, yet it tasted faintly bitter.

After Julian left, I gathered the deed, the mortgage paperwork, and all the renovation receipts, then placed them in a file folder.

The condo had been purchased three years earlier, and I had covered most of the down payment myself.

Julian had been busy at the time, so I had made more than a dozen trips to the developer’s sales office alone. I chose the floor, signed the paperwork, and supervised every stage of the renovation.

I had even compared options from three different stores before choosing the curtains for the primary bedroom.

I had always believed that once Julian finally agreed to marry me, this place would become our home.

The real estate agent was waiting outside the condo complex.

After reviewing the documents, he looked up at me, puzzled.

“You’re pricing it this low. Are you really in that much of a hurry to sell?”

I pressed my fingertips into my palm.

“Yes. The sooner, the better.”

“Does your family know?”

I signed the listing agreement with the pen in my hand.

“They do.”

In reality, no one knew.

When I returned that afternoon, I began packing.

I wrapped our matching mugs in old newspaper and placed the scarf Julian had given me inside a cardboard box.

Then I pulled the sticky notes off the refrigerator one by one.

One of them was in Julian’s handwriting.

[Chloe, don’t wait up for me tonight. I’ll take you out for a nice dinner tomorrow. Love you.]

I stared at it for a moment before dropping it into the trash.

Julian came home at nine that evening carrying a slice of cake.

“Chloe, I noticed you didn’t eat any cake last night, so I thought I’d make it up to you tonight.”

He stepped into the living room and stopped.

Three cardboard boxes sat on the floor.

Julian frowned at the wrapped mugs and framed photographs inside them.

“Why are you packing all this?”

I placed the last photo album in the box.

“I won’t need any of it anymore.”

He set the cake down, and his tone cooled.

“Chloe, that’s enough.”

I sealed the box and looked up at him.

“Enough with what?”

Julian looked at me, seeming a little impatient.

“Sabrina has no filter and never knows when she’s gone too far. Why are you taking anything she says seriously?”

“She called me your little live-in maid.”

He paused.

“It was a joke. You’re actually taking it seriously?”

I pulled a strip of packing tape from the roll, and the sharp ripping sound cut through the living room.

Julian walked over and reached for the tape in my hand.

“Be good, Chloe. Stop this.”

For the first time, I did not give in. I pulled my hand away from his.

Julian stared at me in surprise, his hand suspended in midair.

He was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.

It was Sabrina.

His expression changed almost immediately after he answered.

“You’re at the hotel?”

Her voice was too quiet for me to make out.

Julian immediately grabbed his coat.

I stopped packing and looked directly at him.

“Julian, didn’t you say you were going to make up for our… anniversary tonight?”

He paused, glanced at the cake on the table, and looked conflicted.

“Chloe, don’t start this.”

“Sabrina’s stomach is hurting right now.”

“My stomach has hurt before too.”

The words surprised even me.

I never would have said something like that before.

Julian looked taken aback as well.

“Julian…”

Sabrina called his name again through the phone.

He quickly bent down to put on his shoes, forcing a lightness into his voice.

“Chloe, don’t pick a fight with someone who’s sick.”

The apartment fell silent after the door closed.

The ribbon around the cake box was still untouched.

I placed it in the refrigerator.

After a moment, I took it back out and threw it in the trash.

My real estate agent called late that night.

“I have a cash buyer, but they want the condo vacant within three days, and they’re asking for an even lower price.”

I looked at the boxes filling the room.

“That’s fine.”

“Are you sure? The place was renovated pretty recently. You’re taking a major loss by rushing the sale.”

I walked out onto the balcony.

Two half-dead houseplants sat there.

Julian had never once watered either of them since I bought them.

“I’m sure.”