Chapter 5
When they saw her standing there, everyone froze on the spot.
Zara, however, quickly recovered her composure. With Xavion absent, her earlier politeness vanished. Instead, she cast a pitying glance at Camryn.
“You heard everything, didn’t you? Well, then. It would’ve been sadder if you stayed clueless. Girlie, you’re nothing more than a side character in our story. I suggest you step aside while you still can.”
With that, she strode away in her high heels.
The hallway fell into an uneasy silence. Xavion’s group of friends were red-faced as they stammered to explain.
“Camryn, it’s not what it sounds like. It’s… it’s…”
They wanted to defend him, but no one could come up with a convincing explanation. After all, deep down, everyone knew the truth was exactly as it seemed.
Seeing how nervous they all looked, Camryn didn’t want to make things difficult for them. Without saying a word, she turned and left.
When she reached the ground floor and was trying to hail a cab, a hot pink sports car suddenly splashed through a puddle, sending dirty water flying onto her and soaking most of her clothes.
Frowning, she looked up and saw Zara’s gloating face through the car window.
“Hey, side character, if you still don’t know your place and refuse to back out while you can, you will end up even more pathetic than this.”
Zara sped off after throwing out those words.
Camryn took a tissue from her bag and slowly wiped the dirty water from her face. As she tossed the wet tissue into a trash can and lifted her head to gaze at the clear blue sky, a single tear fell.
A side character?
No. She was never a side character.
It was Xavion whose part in her story had come to an end.
When she got home, Camryn ate a little, took a shower, and went to bed.
At 3:00 am, the bedroom light suddenly flicked on.
A drunken Xavion stumbled in. Without a word, he pulled the startled Camryn into his arms.
“Why do you have to torture me like this? You know I can’t let you go, so why won’t you just give me one more chance?
“You know I love you, yet you’re talking about dating someone else right in front of me. Do you enjoy humiliating me? Does it make you happy to see me in so much pain because of you?
“Fine, I’m suffering. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you—just as long as you’re still mine.”
Watching the unbearable pain on his face, Camryn clenched her hands and managed to break free from his embrace.
As she looked at him lying on the bed, muttering Zara’s name over and over again, a self-deprecating smile crept across her lips.
“So this is how you behave when you love someone, huh?” she thought. “Our three-year relationship meant nothing to you.”
With reddened eyes, she grabbed a pillow and left the bedroom, turning off the light on her way out. The room plunged back into darkness, leaving Xavion to ramble on unheard by anyone in his drunken haze.
Xavion didn’t wake up until noon the next day.
Hungover and with a splitting headache, he struggled to sit up.
Camryn was by the window, tidying up her jewelry. Her silhouette stirred a hazy memory in his mind, and he froze for a moment.
“I had one too many last night. Did I say anything stupid?”
When she shook her head, Xavion felt a wave of relief.
He raised his hand to rub his temples but winced when he accidentally touched a wound.
Camryn turned around just in time to see the untreated cut on his hand, inflamed from the alcohol.
As a pilot, Xavion couldn’t afford to let injuries go untreated. It was only now that he thought to deal with it.
“Where’s the first aid kit?” he asked.
Camryn didn’t respond and simply turned to the living room to fetch it.
“Everything you need is in here,” she said, handing it to him.
Xavion chuckled softly. “How could everything be in—”
However, he froze when he opened it and saw the neatly organized rows of medications, from cold medicine to antacids.
“Did you prepare all this?” he asked.
Camryn nodded. “Yes. You’re a pilot. You can’t afford to be hurt. I made sure everything you might need was ready and available.”
Hearing this, Xavion felt a buzz in his head as memories flooded back to him.
He recalled countless nights stumbling home drunk, only for her to patiently brew him hangover tea.
He remembered casually mentioning cravings and how she’d immediately learn new recipes just to make them for him.
And all those times he’d fallen ill, whether minor or serious, she had always been there, prepared and attentive.
When they first got together, he distinctly remembered his sister, Yvette, reminding him repeatedly that Camryn had grown up as a pampered young lady who had never done household chores. She had warned him to step up and shoulder the responsibilities of a boyfriend.
Yet, even though Xavion was a few years older than her, Camryn was always the one who took care of him.
At that moment, Xavion’s heart was a tumult of emotions.
Guilt weighed heavily on him as he looked at her, wanting to say something.
But before he could speak, he saw her pick up her bag, clearly not intending to treat his wound but rather preparing to leave. He was momentarily taken aback.
“Are you going out?” he asked.
