The Past Is Only a Prelude

I ignored Alicia and hailed a taxi home.

Once inside, I pulled out my suitcase and began packing.

It didn't take long—everything fit neatly into a single suitcase. The bulkiest items were actually my PC tower and the two monitors, 32 and 24 inches.

After carefully packing everything and shipping it off, I bought a late-night flight to Ricott City. I left the keys on the shoe rack, and the next second, my phone rang.

"My clothes are dirty. Bring me a fresh set," Alicia said before hanging up. Almost immediately, a location pinged my phone.

I grabbed the gift bag from the dealership and, twenty minutes later, arrived at the private room's door.

The door was ajar. Just as I reached to push it open, I heard my name.

"Alicia, weren't you just toying with Benjamin back then? How come you still haven't kicked him to the curb? It's been three years… you're not really starting to like him, are you? Chuck even came back just for you!" someone said.

Alicia's words dripped with mockery and disdain.

"Like I'd ever like some kid like Benjamin! He's annoying enough to drive me crazy, but over the years, he's been obedient, attentive, and mostly well-behaved. Even when he throws a tantrum, I can tolerate it because he's otherwise so good."

Her friends leaned in, curious. Alicia continued with an air of pride.

"Oh, and work-wise? Super diligent. Never shirks responsibility, always grabs extra tasks. One salary, but he works like two or three people. A hardworking mule like that—where else would you find one?"

Laughter rippled through the room.

"Alicia, you praise Benjamin so much, then who are you going to marry?"

"Yeah, we're all shipping you and Chuck! You can't just break the ship!"

Alicia smiled. "Marriage is marriage, love is love. Honestly, if we talk about marriage, Benjamin's actually more suitable—he can manage formal events, cook at home, works hard, and puts his back into it."

At that moment, I pushed the door open. The once lively room froze instantly.

When Alicia saw me, panic flashed across her face before being replaced by annoyance. She waved me off. "See? I told you guys he'd show up fast."

All eyes turned to me, everyone clearly waiting for a scene, waiting to have a laugh at my expense.

I tossed the bag onto the table in front of her. She glanced at it.

"I asked you to bring clothes, and you show up with this little bag? What, did they give you this at the dealership?"

I gave a faint smile. "I sold my car. They gave me the bag."

Right away, someone jumped in to defend her.

"Benjamin, are you out of your mind? You sold your car? Did Alicia even agree to that?"

I let out a small laugh.

"My car got trashed, so I sold it. What does Alicia have to do with it? She didn't buy it for me.

"Inside… are your clothes. And yeah, Chuck helped take them off you, personally.

"You two are something else. Grown adults, and you can't even spring for a hotel room—had to hook up in my car? Want me to pull up the dashcam footage and help refresh your memory?"