Too Late, I Walked Away

Liam frowned slightly. He was about to say something but interrupted by a sharp rap on the door.

"Liam! Open up!"

It was Lyra's voice. She pushed the door open and leaned halfway into the room. "I lost something."

"Don’t be absurd. Why come to me if you lost something?"

She shot him a glare without any words, marching straight toward his coat and yanking a thin scrap of fabric out of his pocket. It’s lingerie, so sheer to cover nothing at all. The air in the room seemed to get empty instantly.

Lyra held it up and shook it. "You pervert!"

Liam knitted the brows, "When did you put it in my pocket?"

"Who put it there? Here is the evidence! Are you going to deny it?"

Lyra flashed a smile at me before turned to leave, "Sophia, don't overthink it. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding!"

Her smile was generous to the extent that I must be narrow-minded if I take seriously.

Then she looked back at Liam, "I think there's a cockroach in my room. I won't make a fuss about it if you come to help me."

"Can't you call the reception?"

"Hurry up! I'm scared." Lyra pouted invitingly, stamping her foot.

Liam followed her out, turning back to tell me: "Get some rest if you're tired. We have to hike tomorrow."

The door clicked shut. I leaned against the headboard and closed my eyes. I felt too exhausted to keep deceiving myself. I wanted nothing, the wedding, the future or anything else.

Later, Liam returned. He glanced at where his phone was and paused, "You checked my phone. Do you feel reassured?"

Liam was unperturbed as usual. He behaved calmly as if those incriminating messages like a stone dropping into the sea, those constant quarrels breaking out at any moment, and all expectations I had carefully nurtured were unworthy of mentioning. I suddenly realized that he did not care my feelings at all.

He frowned at me for my reticence, hardening his voice, "Did you get annoyed with the lingerie? Don't you know what she's like? Don't you know me?"

Liam walked over and shoved a USB drive into my palm, "She stuffed it into my pocket herself. Here's the surveillance footage."

Liam waited for me to trust him like I always did. He waited for me to shove the USB drive back, get into his arms and confess my sensitivity.

But I just looked at him and said coldly, "I got it."

With a faint sneer across his face, he snatched the USB drive back and jammed it into the computer. On the screen, Lyra was seen sneakily stuffing the lingerie into his coat pocket.

"Did you see that? I didn't do anything. Sophia, it's been seven years. Why don’t you trust me?"

"Yeah. We are breaking up."

He paused as if he didn't quite get it. Then, he slammed his laptop shut, his eyes red-rimmed.

"How exactly am I supposed to satisfy you? You can buy whatever you want, and I've tried my best to love you. Sophia, what more do you want? You are suffocating me! Do you think there's anything wrong with our relationship?! Tell me! What do you want? Say it!"

Just as I was about to say something, Amelia pushed the door open, having a pale face, "Liam, Lyra...she's playing strip poker with a few guys. Whoever loses the game has to take off a piece of clothing. Right now...she's down to her underwear."

Liam looked sullen instantly. He didn't even spare me a glance in his panic, turning and bolting out the door. The door slammed shut with a bang. That was the problem. Lyra was always the one who could make Liam give up everything in a heartbeat. I was always the one left behind.