Love’s Bitter Pill

By the time I arrived, the showcase was already over.

In the private lounge, Charles was patiently peeling shrimp for Beverly.

The moment he saw me, he frowned.

“Sarah, what on earth happened to you? You look like a mess. How embarrassing.”

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. The wind from the walk had left my hair in complete disarray.

Beverly immediately stepped forward, pouting as she complained. “Sarah, can you please talk to Charles for me? He’s so annoying! He’s already peeled me a whole plate of shrimp. If I eat any more, I’ll get too fat for anyone to like me!”

Charles’ expression softened instantly.

“Bev, you’re not fat at all. And even if no one else wanted you, I would.”

Beaming, Beverly darted up to Charles, cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him loudly on the cheek.

“Charles, you’re the best!”

Charles ruffled her hair affectionately. “I ordered another dessert for you earlier. You girls love your sweets.”

Beverly cast a glance at me, blinking innocently as she addressed me. “Sarah, don’t take this the wrong way. There’s nothing going on between me and Charles.

“Here, let me toast to you!”

She filled a teacup with steaming hot tea.

Before I could react, she turned toward me and forced the cup into my hand, “accidentally” pouring the scalding tea down my arm.

The burning sensation was instantaneous, and I couldn’t hold back a cry of pain.

Oddly enough, Beverly also let out a shriek.

Before I could process what was happening, Charles rushed over to me, glaring at me with eyes full of disappointment.

“Sarah, I really can’t believe you!”

Then he slapped me across the face.

He immediately turned to Beverly, grabbed her hand, and examined it carefully.

From where I stood, I could see her hand was just a little red.

Yet Beverly’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice choked with sobs as she said, “Charles, I didn’t think Sarah hated me this much…

“The tea… it’s so hot…”

Charles looked at me as though I had committed some unforgivable crime.

“Sarah, I never imagined you could be this cruel. Are you so jealous of Bev that you’d hurt her on purpose?

“Do you even understand how important her hands are to her?

“I’ll give you one last chance. Apologize to Bev. If you don’t, I’ll reconsider our relationship.”

I looked at the malice in his gaze cut deep, my heart already shattered into countless pieces.

Yes, Beverly’s hands were important. What about mine, though?

There was a time when Charles cared about me just as much.

If I so much as scraped my skin, he would panic, cooking soup for me and making sure I rested until I was fully healed.

I would laugh at him for overreacting, and he would tap my nose playfully, smile, and say, “You silly girl. Nothing’s more important than you!”

Back then, his eyes held nothing but tenderness.

Now, the man standing before me was someone I no longer recognized.

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

“Charles, are you saying that if I don’t apologize, we’re done?”

He looked momentarily stunned by my bluntness, but quickly regained his usual cold demeanor.

“Yep.”

Over the past seven years, he had threatened to break up with me 99 times.

This would be the 100th, and I had no intention of stopping him.

I was filled with an overwhelming sense of disgust for his stupidity.

“Fine.

“But before that, let’s settle the expenses I’ve covered for the company…”

Before I could finish, Charles cut me off harshly. “Bev is already hurt, and you’re still harping on about money? You’re disgusting!”

Charles seemed to have forgotten everything.

How I’d drained my savings to help him start his dream company or turned down lucrative offers from other firms just to stay by his side as a lowly designer in his company.

I had never been a materialistic woman, either.

However, none of that mattered anymore, not since Beverly entered the picture.

Without a word, I pulled several reimbursement forms from my bag and handed them to Charles.

He didn't even glance at them before signing his name at the bottom of each page.

What he didn’t notice was the last sheet—my resignation letter.