The Perfumed Betrayal

Zach was always mature and composed. Talking to him always calmed me.

I felt somewhat better already.

I was concentrating on selecting a private room at the club on my phone, so I could properly spend time with Zach later.

Just then, my chat was being bombarded with messages from our common friends.

"Lindsay, see you tonight! Don't be sad! It'll make Zach sad, too."

"We'll have fun! We'll drink all our worries away!"

"Lindsay, you're such a capable woman! Being fired is the company's loss! Don't worry! You'll shine brightly anywhere."

…

All the comforting messages cheered me right up. I grabbed my things, hailed a taxi, and returned home.

Then, I took a nap.

Early in the evening, when I was about to head out, Sharon returned home.

I held her hand and leaned on her shoulder, saying, "I got fired today."

"What?" Sharon was baffled. "Things haven't been going your way recently. We should go to a fortune teller this weekend."

I sighed and said to her playfully, "At least I still have you by my side."

I added, "Let me treat you to dinner tonight. There will be a lot of people there. You can have fun socializing. How about that? Want to come?"

Sharon immediately agreed to my invitation. "Of course. How could I ever turn down your invite?"

She was always generous with her emotional support.

We took a taxi to the club. The others were already in the private room that I booked, waiting for Zach.

At half past six, there was a knock on the door.

I opened the door to see a huge bouquet right in front of me. Camellias–my favorite.

Although I had lost my sense of smell after undergoing surgery for severe rhinitis, I did not mind it. I was still elated.

Zach stood behind the group, smiling at me. "I love you, Lindsay."

I wade past the group and buried myself in his arms. "I love you, too."

However, Zach did not return the hug. Instead, he shoved me off harshly. If my friends had not caught me, I would have fallen straight to the floor.

I looked at him in disbelief. Fear started to course through my veins, worried that I was going to be dumped the third time.

I even wanted to cover my ears, but Zach's cruel words rained down on me.

"I never pegged you'd be someone like that!"

Veins popped up on his forehead, and he looked… murderous. I had never seen him so furious before.

I was so afraid that I started trembling. All of the pent-up emotions in me exploded at that moment.

I shrieked hysterically, "What type of person am I? Why are all of you saying that?!"

"Hmph!" Zach scoffed. He pointed at the door. "Get lost! I no longer want to see you. We're done."

He threw the huge bouquet at me.

Sharon stood up and grabbed me on the shoulder. "Can't you work things out? Why do you have to get physical?"

Zach sneered and spat, "I have nothing to say to that tramp. Lindsay, get the hell out of here and never come up to me ever again. If not, I'm calling security."

Tramp.

There it was again.

My heart sank.

"No need to call security. I'll go." I listlessly walked out of the club.

Suddenly, I saw a car crash into someone by the roadside, sending them flying. They landed badly on the road, bloody and injured.

It happened right before my eyes.

Suddenly, it hit me–every absurd thing that had happened to me. Why I was called a tramp; why everyone wanted nothing to do with me.

I finally understood.