Goodbye My Ex

Sheldon was startled, blinking rapidly.

After a long pause, he asked incredulously.

"Nora, what did you just say?"

I've always loved him dearly and the thought of being apart from him terrified me.

On the other hand, Sheldon would threaten me with breaking up every time he and I had a big fight over Winter.

He had me by the throat, forcing me to yield repeatedly.

But all I ever gained was a series of deep wounds.

Winter abruptly grabbed my hand, putting on a show of being reasonable and hastily advised.

"Nora, don't be impulsive. Let's talk this over."

"You’ve been with Sheldon for eight years. How could you possibly bear to give up on this relationship?"

"Besides, Sheldon is already the vice president of the company now."

"If you fall out with him, aren’t you worried it will affect your career in the future?"

Hearing this, Sheldon stood up straight with a smug look on his face. He adjusted his suit cuff and looked at me reproachfully.

"Winter is right. I've provided you with everything you need for all these years. What more could you possibly want?"

"Nora, that's enough. Stop making a scene."

"There are so many people here—aren’t you embarrassed? If our colleagues notice, how am I supposed to face them at work?"

Sheldon put on an air of superiority as if I owed my job to him.

But he seemed to have forgotten that I had accompanied him to that cramped, ten-square-meter basement where we were struggling to start our business.

It was I who accompanied the client to drink until I got a bleeding ulcer to help him get promoted and secure the project.

I chose to stand by his side resolutely when everyone else dismissed and looked down on him.

A bitter smile twisted my lips as tears pricked at my eyes.

After eight years of devotion, what had I gained?

"Sheldon, if you feel ugly, I will go back now and not disgrace you here."

"Don’t worry. There’s no future between us anymore. Let’s part amicably."

Perhaps my tone was too flat.

As Sheldon watched me force back my tears, a rare trace of panic crossed his face.

"Nora, I didn’t mean to … "

Noticing that Sheldon was starting to warm up to me, Winter bit her lip in frustration.

Her eyes instantly turned red and she looked like she was about to cry.

"Nora, I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault for being too selfish today and hurting your relationship with Sheldon."

"I’ll go and explain everything to everyone right now. At worst, they’ll laugh at me."

"As long as the two of you are fine, nothing else matters to me."

Winter had an expression of enduring humiliation, as if she had made a great decision and pretended to walk into the crowd.

"Winter don't go."

Without thinking, Sheldon grabbed her hand.

He turned to me, his eyes filled with impatience.

"Nora, why are you pushing Winter to this point?"

"She’s just starting her career. What if she is ostracized because of this?"

Sheldon's words made me feel sick.

Looking at him protecting Winter behind him like a treasure, it seemed like I was the one who broke up the couple.

Someone behind us suddenly called out teasingly.

"Mr. Sheldon, you and Miss Winter are the company’s next golden couple."

"Drink a few more glasses today and share some of that luck with us lonely singles!"

Sheldon smiled unconsciously when he heard this.

"We'll be right there!"

Sheldon adjusted his emotions and responded loudly.

He then wrapped his arm around Winter's slender waist, brushing past me as they walked straight towards the banquet.