Chapter 5
The next day at the cafeteria, Blake’s call started buzzing frantically as soon as Adrian and I sat down.
I answered, and his furious voice came through. “Madison felt so bad about your meltdown yesterday that she quit the band! She deleted all my contact info too! What did she do wrong! Huh? She’s just naturally outgoing and gets along with everyone. You made such a big deal out of nothing, being completely unreasonable! Now you’ve driven Madison away. Are you satisfied?”
Satisfied?
Listening to his hysterical accusations, every word defending Madison’s “innocence” and “grievance.”
I curved my lips and spoke clearly into the phone, “Yes. Satisfied.”
I hung up on Blake’s unhinged rant.
Looking up, I realized Adrian had already returned with two meal trays.
“Sorry,” I felt a bit embarrassed. “I was supposed to treat you.”
He pulled out his chair and sat down, his gaze characteristically cool behind his glasses. “I’ll put it on your tab.”
“Okay,” I picked up my fork. “Next time I’ll definitely treat you to something good.”
Looking at his simple, almost austere meal, I thought this academic really was into minimalism.
Plenty of girls chased him, but he seemed to have a natural barrier–minimal material desires, zero entertainment activities, cafeteria for meals, and the rest of his time sacrificed to research.
Still, having such a reliable person to lean on, even across the ocean, felt like having a dependable companion.
But I didn’t expect Blake to corner me at my dorm the next day. “Emily, come with me to apologize to Madison. The band can’t function without her. We just signed a contract and you drove her away–do you realize you’ve ruined her future?”
Looking at his face, made unfamiliar by anger, I found it absurdly funny.
“Really?” I laughed. “That’s wonderful then.”
Blake was clearly stunned, as if my words had burned him. “Emily, how did you become like this?”
His tone was full of incredulous disappointment.
“Like what?” I met his gaze and asked back, “Vicious?”
Without waiting for his answer, I continued, “If Madison really quit the band because of this and disappeared from your world forever, never to be seen again, then yes–1, Emily Watson, am truly vicious.”
But of course she wouldn’t. The band had just signed a contract, right at the moment to reap the benefits. How could she give up such a golden opportunity?
It was just a calculated move.
Blake’s face turned ugly “Emily, do you have to make a scene?”
“Make a scene?” I almost laughed out loud, but felt utterly exhausted. “I don’t have time to make scenes with you. Blake, we’re over.” With my departure abroad imminent, mountains of coursework, tedious paperwork, and an unknown journey ahead.
Which of these wasn’t more worthy of my energy than this messy entanglement?
My future shouldn’t waste another second on unworthy people and situations.
“Emily!” He tried to grab my wrist, but I dodged. “I signed with the best talent agency, the producer thinks very highly of me! When I debut, I’ll have a better future. Whatever you want…”
Chapter 5
“So what?” I interrupted him. “Blake, I never cared about any of that.”
Fame and fortune were never why I loved him.
“Even if you became the biggest star in America, I still…” I closed my eyes.
wouldn’t care anymore.”
11
He was stunned for a moment, shocked by my decisiveness, then stared at me with angry eyes. “There’s a limit to throwing tantrums. No one will keep bowing down to coddle you.‘
I said nothing and walked away cleanly. When disappointment reaches its peak, it’s not hysteria or tears–it’s silence.
From the moment he failed to protect me, our ten–year relationship was already over.
Chapter 5
