Chapter 3
Ewing was truly angry this time.
We lived under the same roof, but in separate rooms.-
The only thing connecting us was a cat.
We’d adopted Joy together.&
Back then, my confession had been awkward–I’d blurted out, “Let’s take care of her together.”
He’d looked at me with gentle eyes, a hint of a smile on his lips, and nodded. That was his way of saying yes.}
From then on, I did the feeding; he took care of the litter box.
But lately, Ewing had been coming home late every night.
So, I simply kept Joy in my room.
The little creature seemed lost, forlorn. She would usually curl up in front of Ewing’s laptop, pawing at the keys and making a mess.
She couldn’t speak, but somehow, I understood her wordless sense of grievance.
Then, unexpectedly, Magnolia messaged me.
“I can give you the watch back,” she wrote. “We’re both about to get married. Why be so petty?”
Lignored her.
I had always been a little obsessive about my things–if something belonged to me, I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else touching it.
Magnolia sent another message.
“That day was one of the lowest points in my life. A group of people laughed at my marriage, called it a joke.”
“Don’t blame Ewing.”
I stared at the screen for a while before replying, my words sharp and cruel.
“So, what, your friends and family all died? So now you have to cling to my man for dear life?”
Moments later, Ewing stormed in from the guest room.
“Are you insane? How could you talk to Magnolia like that? We’re done!“}
The last time Ewing said “we’re done” was when I accidentally broke the crystal glass Magnolia had given him.
After he’d yelled at me, I’d tried to hold back my tears and managed, “I’ll buy you one exactly the same.”>
He’d exploded. “Do you have any idea what that glass means to me?”
Then, he’d sent a text: “We’re done.“!
I’d called him from a payphone, desperate, my words dissolving into sobs.
He’d stayed silent for a long time, then finally said, “Aren’t you embarrassed to cry like that in public?”
I’d stopped immediately, filling in the unspoken “Stop being so dramatic, will you?”
After a stunned pause, I replied, “Okay.”
The moment I hung up, it felt as if a ton of cement had been poured into my chest, hardening in an instant.
When it came to Magnolia, Ewing’s loyalty was absolute–a forbidden line I could never cross.\
But so what?!
Now, I just didn’t care anymore.
I kept asking myself: What am I to him? Why force myself to chase after a standard I’ll never reach?
Even when Ewing tried to provoke me by posting photos online, I felt nothing but a strange sense of calm.&
He’d help her fix her laptop, save her a parking space, even order the same pair of shoes for her online.
She’d bring him lunch, grab his packages, even fix typos in his work drafts.
There were days, when Ewing was out of town for work, that we wouldn’t speak for four or five days.
But he and Magnolia would still message each other every day, sharing songs and inside jokes.
No matter how much I cared for Ewing, I could feel my love for him slowly draining away, worn down by his coldness,
Eventually, someone else couldn’t stand it any longer
Our mutual friend, Melvin Lloyd, organized a get–together.
For the first time ever, I was half an hour late.
Magnolia looked at me with a smirk. “Running on your own schedule, Irene?“%
I shot her a look–she’d arrived late countless times herself.
But if so much as questioned her, Ewing would jump in, stone–faced, to defend her. “Magnolia’s still adjusting to the time difference. It’s normal
I forced a smile. “Don’t worry, dinner’s on me.”
We split into two tables, as if by unspoken agreement.
! sat with Melvin.8
20.16
Chapter 3
Ewing and Magnolia sat across from us.
I ordered a hearty beef stew for the table–a dish Magnolia loved.
Ewing added, “No cilantro in the base, please.“8
I remembered our first dinner together, the three of us.
Knowing Ewing loved cilantro, I’d made sure to pile it into the soup.
He’d barely frowned, shot me a glare, and quietly asked the waiter to bring out a new pot.
Magnolia had beamed with satisfaction: “See, Irene? Ewing is so thoughtful. He remembers I can’t stand cilantro.”
When you care about someone, you remember everything about them–even the little things, like what they can or can’t eat.
Under Magnolia’s taunting gaze, I nearly bit through my lip.
Ewing had simply muttered, “No harm done if you didn’t know.”
But after that, I never ate beef stew again.
Melvin laughed. “Is it a girl thing, hating cilantro?”
Ewing looked at me, confused.
I think, in that moment, he finally understood why I always ordered a split pot whenever we went out–the spicy side for him, the mild for me.
He could skip the cilantro for Magnolia.
I could choke down the spicy broth for him, even if it left me coughing for minutes.
“Ewing’s not some paragon of thoughtfulness,” I wanted to say. “He just cares when it’s for you.”}
I’d kept that thought to myself for a long time.
I never understood why Magnolia’s every word and action felt like a knife twisting in my chest.
And she always wore that innocent face.
Just like tonight, after dinner, when Melvin suggested Ewing and I head home together.
But Magnolia insisted on a game of Truth or Dare.
When the bottle pointed at her, she turned to Ewing, feigning shyness. “Ewing, if you weren’t engaged right now, would you get back together with me?”
It was such a blatant power play.
Everyone went silent–you could hear a pin drop.
Ewing, of all people, nodded slowly. “I would.”
Melvin, anxious, tugged at my sleeve to keep me from losing face.
But I just laughed. “Well then, since we haven’t signed the papers yet, I’ll step aside. You two can have each other.”
Chapter &
Chapter 4
