Your Love Won’t Rule The World

On the day I sold my house, my best friend asked me. “Aren’t you getting married soon? Why are you selling your new home?” I signed the transfer agreement and replied, “Because I’m breaking up with him.” We were supposed to buy a particular couch for our new home. Caleb Graham said he had not managed to snag it yet, so he asked me to wait a little longer. Then, I saw that very couch in Claire Silva’s Stories. She had specifically tagged Caleb. [It’s the one I’ve been waiting for so long! He still knows me so well!] In the comments section, Caleb simply replied, [Don’t mention it.] That was followed by a bunch of trivial chatter between the two of them. I stared at that Stories post for a long time. Then, I canceled the order for the matching pajamas. I scrolled back through my order history. I had ordered over a hundred packages. They were all for furnishing our new home. At first, Caleb would enthusiastically pick things out with me. Later on, he did not even bother to reply to my messages. It was because Claire, his first love, had gotten divorced. His attention toward me and our new home had shifted elsewhere. “If a buyer contacts us, I’ll let you know right away.” The real estate agent slid his business card across the table. I reached out to take it. Then, I cast one last glance at this place. ‘Caleb, I admit that I regret it,’ I thought. Seven years had passed, and I no longer wanted to build a home with him. Chapter 1 I received a message from the law firm’s HR department. [Does the attorney, Mr. Caleb Graham, know you’re planning to resign?] [He doesn’t need to know.] After replying to HR’s message, I pushed open the front door to my home. Claire Silva was sitting in the massage chair I had bought, holding a cup of hot cocoa. She was chatting happily with Caleb. When he saw me, there was not a single trace of guilt on Caleb’s face. He just said casually, “Claire is on her period and isn’t feeling well. We happen to have a massage chair at home. “I plan to give this chair to Claire. We’re moving anyway, and we can’t take that much stuff with us.” Claire smiled at me and said softly, “Thank you, Shannon.” They seemed so at ease with each other that my joining them felt a bit abrupt. After thinking it over, I decided to wait until it was just the two of us to tell him about the breakup. It would be a dignified way to end our seven-year relationship. I turned and walked into the bathroom. While I was washing up, I booked my flight abroad. Outside the door, the two of them were still talking. Occasionally, Caleb’s soft laughter filled the air. I looked at the matching toothbrush cups sitting on the sink. For a moment, I could not remember the last time Caleb had been so cheerful when talking to me. It seemed to be last month on our anniversary. In a rare move, Caleb got off work early and treated the entire law firm to a team-building outing. On the way there, he talked more than usual. He was even gentler with his subordinates. When I saw his playful expression, I thought he was just happy about our anniversary. I could not help but laugh along with him. However, the very next second, Claire appeared on the scene, soaking wet. I instinctively looked at Caleb, but he acted even faster than I did. He took off his jacket, strode over, wrapped it around Claire, and led her away. It was only then that I realized Caleb had been so happy because Claire had just gotten divorced. They did not come back that night. I forced myself to hold back my sadness and hosted the rest of the team-building event for him. Afterward, I went home alone amid a sea of sympathetic glances. Looking back, I realize I should have broken up with him that very day. It was just that I was unwilling to accept it, so I dragged things out until today before I could finally let go. At 7 p.m., Caleb invited Claire to stay for dinner. I did not join them; instead, I turned and went back to my bedroom. Chapter 2 I was scrolling through my phone until 10 p.m. when I finally heard the sound of Claire closing the door and leaving. I finally got up, ready to talk to him about breaking up. Unexpectedly, Caleb turned his head. He looked displeased as he fired an accusatory question at me. “Shannon, what was that attitude of yours when Claire was here just now?” I froze. When I looked up, I met Caleb’s disapproving gaze. I opened my mouth to speak. Yet before I could say a word, he turned away and cut me off. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked,” he said. “You’ve always been so petty, haven’t you?” Without giving me a chance to respond, he pushed open the door and stormed into the bedroom. Then, he slammed it shut loudly. I stood frozen in the living room for a full twenty minutes. It was not until I heard the text message notification confirming my flight booking that I snapped back to reality. With trembling hands, I tapped open the app and changed my flight, which was originally booked for next week, to the earliest available departure. I would leave at dawn the day after tomorrow. After changing the flight, the slight hunger I had been feeling turned into nothing but nausea. Finally, I downed a glass of cold water, which stung my stomach and left a bitter taste in my mouth. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I suddenly heard Caleb opening the front door. He had gone out. Not long after, Claire updated her Stories. [I posted on my Stories that I wanted to watch a tear-jerker, so he bought tickets in the middle of the night. The two of us ended up crying our eyes out at the movie theater.] In the photo, I saw Claire’s hands, which were full of crumpled tissues. Caleb was partially in frame, holding her bag. I exited my Stories but accidentally tapped into my own feed. There was a post visible only to Caleb. It was the one I had posted saying I wanted to see a certain movie—a hint for him to go with me. We had a bit of a falling out that day, so I used this approach to give us both a way out. However, I waited for him at the movie theater entrance until midnight. Even after the cleaning lady at the mall had gone home, he still did not show up. When I got home, I realized he had gone to bed early. Then, when I brought it up the next day, he replied irritably, “If you don’t just say these things outright, how is anyone supposed to understand? Not everyone has the time to keep guessing what you’re thinking.” However, he had picked up on Claire’s hint. My phone rang again. The real estate agent sent a message saying he had found a buyer and wanted to set a time to meet with me. I replied that tomorrow afternoon would work. After sending the message, I held my phone. It was as if I’d just remembered something, only to have it slip from my mind moments later. Once the house was sold, Caleb and I would have absolutely no connection left. I assumed Caleb would not be back for a few days. To my surprise, when I went downstairs the next day, I found him sitting on the couch. A steaming hot breakfast lay on the table, and when he saw me, he gave a rare smile. “You’re awake? Perfect timing. I just went out to get breakfast.” I sat down at the dining table and paused for a moment as I unwrapped the breakfast bag. It was my favorite crab bun. I never expected that he would still remember. Caleb sat across from me and hesitated before speaking. “Shannon, you remember that full set of security cameras you ordered for the new place? I would like to install them at Claire’s new home first. “After all, she lives alone, and her safety isn’t really guaranteed.” My hands paused mid-motion. So, that was the real reason he had gone out of his way to buy breakfast. However, he had forgotten that I had installed the security cameras to ensure my own safety, too. Caleb was always so busy at the law firm that he would not come home even once a week. One day, while I was home alone, I heard someone picking the lock on the front door. I was so terrified that I called him more than twenty times, but he never picked up. That night, I hid on the bed, holding a fruit knife, too terrified to sleep. Later, I had this security camera system custom-made to prevent something like that from happening again. Chapter 3 When I came back to the present, I smiled with relief. I pushed the crab bun aside and nodded. “Sure.” Caleb let out a sigh of relief and said with a half-joking smile. “I thought you were going to make a fuss about this again.” I opened my phone and started ordering takeout for myself. Then, I replied with a soft laugh, “I won’t.” I would not ever again. It was rare for the two of us to have such a calm and peaceful moment. I put down my phone and looked at Caleb. “Let’s have dinner together tonight. There’s something I want to tell you.” Since this would be our final meal together, marking the end of our seven-year relationship, I thought it best to be a little more formal. Maybe because I was so compliant earlier, Caleb agreed readily. “How about 7 p.m. tonight? You pick the place. I’ll be there on time.” As soon as Caleb finished speaking, his phone rang. He glanced at me before answering it. Then, he instinctively headed toward the door. His deliberately hushed voice still reached my ears. “Claire? Okay, I’ll be right over...” Caleb went out again, but I did not feel the slightest stir in my heart. After eating takeout, I met with the real estate agent to discuss the resale. “It’s a newlywed couple who’s eager to buy a place to call home. Don’t worry. The price is very reasonable.” I looked over at the young couple snuggled up together nearby. They huddled close, whispering to each other. When our eyes met, they smiled gently. Their eyes were brimming with happiness. I recalled the time Caleb and I first came to view this house. We, too, had leaned in close and whispered to each other like that. They called it a discussion. In reality, nine out of every ten sentences were just trivial small talk. I once read somewhere that the happier people were, the more of their conversations consisted of such small talk. I did not know when it started, but our interactions had reached the point where even handing off work was so brief and to the point. We finished signing the agreement. Just before leaving, I smiled and offered them my best wishes. “Congratulations on your marriage.” They thanked me, clasping their hands tightly together. Their wedding rings glistened in the sunlight. At 7 p.m., I waited for him at the restaurant for over half an hour. Another half hour passed before his call finally came. “Shannon, let’s have dinner together another time. Claire’s stomach is acting up again. I need to take her to the hospital for a checkup.” He spoke hurriedly as he threw in a bunch of other excuses. In short, he was busy taking care of Claire. ‘But Caleb, there would not be a next time for us,’ I thought. After hanging up, I asked the waiter to bring out the dishes I had pre-ordered earlier and slowly finished them all by myself. During that time, HR sent me a message saying my resignation had been approved. He wished me all the best in my future journey and endeavors in our chat. I replied very simply. [Thank you.] Just as I was about to put my phone down, a reminder that the movie was about to start popped up on the screen. Below it was a message from Caleb. [I just came across this movie. It’s getting good reviews. I’ll pick you up when I get home later, and we’ll go see it.] [Didn’t you have something you wanted to talk to me about this morning? You can bring it up when you get there.] [No need.] I typed out those words. Then, I thought about it for a moment, decided it was pointless, and deleted them one by one. When I got home, I started packing. After living here for seven years, my belongings only filled half a suitcase. Once I was done, I glanced at the place I had called home for seven years and turned away without a second thought. The next second, the door opened. Caleb was leaning against the doorframe, standing there, out of breath. I was a little puzzled. The movie was not starting for a while yet. Why had he come back so early to pick me up? Chapter 4 The next second, Caleb strode past me. He brushed past me so forcefully that I staggered. He searched the living room, the bedroom, and even the jewelry box I had left on the table. Finally, he emerged with a grim expression. “Shannon, where is it?” I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I was just about to tell him I had thrown away everything I did not need and was about to leave. Suddenly, he raised his voice and demanded harshly once more, “Is the bracelet that Claire’s mother left her with you?” I froze. My mind went blank. “What?” Caleb looked somewhat impatient. “Do you realize that that’s the most important thing to Claire? Even if you harbor some resentment, you shouldn’t just take other people’s things. Shannon Lane, this is a matter of character!” Only then did I realize what was going on. Claire’s bracelet was missing, and he suspected I had taken it. The absurdity and outrage made my whole body tremble. I could not help but ask, “Caleb, is that how you see me?” “Who else could it be? Who else in this house would take it besides you?” His categorical answer left my heart completely numb. Just then, Claire suddenly called, saying she had found the bracelet. “It accidentally fell into a crevice. It’s all my fault for being so careless. Caleb, you didn’t get mad at Shannon, did you?” Caleb’s anger vanished instantly. He hurriedly said it was good that she had found it, then carefully reminded her to keep such a valuable item safe. After hanging up the phone, he turned to look at me. I had not spoken a word since then. Caleb was silent for a moment, then said, “Everything’s fine now.” I had completely lost any desire to communicate with him, so I pressed my lips together and said nothing. Claire sent a few more text messages to Caleb, but he did not look at them. Instead, his gaze fell on the suitcase by the door. He turned to look at me. “Are you going on a business trip?” “Yeah.” For some reason, he seemed to let out a sigh of relief. He walked toward the door while looking down to reply to Claire’s messages. “I’ve got a few things to take care of here. I’ll meet you directly at the movie theater later. “The movie starts at 9:30 p.m. Don’t be late.” With that, he slammed the door shut. After Caleb left, I stayed there for goodness knows how long before I let out a deep sigh. I exhaled all the grievances, sadness, and resentment I had held inside for the past seven years. I let them all out in one long breath. Then, I walked out the door, pulling my suitcase behind me. At midnight, I was ready to board my flight. Before getting on the plane, I opened my chat with Caleb. Two hours had passed, and I still had not received a message from him asking why I had not shown up at the movie theater. Just as I was about to turn off my phone, it finally vibrated. It was a message from Caleb. [Claire is in the hospital and needs constant care. You’ll have to watch the movie on your own for now.] When I read this message, I felt nothing. Sure enough, he had not shown up for our date this time either. I picked up my phone with a neutral expression. Just as I was about to text Caleb, his message arrived first. [The furniture set you picked out is really nice, especially the couch. I really like it.] [You have great taste. I’ll go with you to the store tomorrow to finalize the order.] [Don’t worry. I definitely won’t stand you up this time.] My heart remained completely still. Without a moment’s hesitation, I sent the message I had just typed. [No need. I’ve already sold our wedding home.] [Caleb, let’s break up.] The next second, my phone started vibrating wildly. Caleb’s messages came flooding in.