Chapter 4
That day, Janelle Thomas uncharacteristically took a half-day off from work and hurried home. As the lush forests and distant mountains zipped past her car window, her mind drifted back to Kaleb Gray's parting words:
"If you have further doubts about my decisions, please contact your direct supervisor. I can't deal with your personal emotions during work hours."
His coldness was as relentless as ever.
Janelle had wanted to ask so many questions, but in that moment, her desire evaporated into insignificance. She suddenly felt lost, as if the Kaleb she remembered—the one who had smiled and agreed to give their relationship a try, the one who complained about their matching pajamas but wore them anyway—was nothing but a fantasy.
A few months ago, when she'd questioned him about his attentiveness to Cataleya Myers, he’d at least given a dismissive, "We're just friends. Please be kind to her; there's no need to make a big deal out of it." Now, he offered not even a cursory explanation.
Just before she collapsed onto the sofa, dragging her heavy suitcase with her, Janelle couldn't help but wonder: How did they end up here?
Chapter 5
When Janelle Thomas first met Kaleb Gray, he wasn't the way he is now.
Janelle came from a less privileged background, having moved from a small rural town to a bustling city, where she often felt left out by tight-knit circles. Kaleb was the one who stood up for her.
He told her that tears wouldn't help and that becoming stronger was what really mattered. Although he was aloof with most people back then, he would discreetly slip his notes into her desk. To preserve her pride, he promised her that if she got into the same university as him, they would give their relationship a chance.
Before Cataleya Myers entered the picture, Janelle always believed Kaleb's affection was just unspoken, not nonexistent. But Cataleya's sudden arrival made Janelle quickly realize how easily Cataleya earned Kaleb's attention. Janelle's share was meager.
Cataleya's presence seemed solely to highlight that Janelle wasn't special to Kaleb, and that he didn't love her as much as she had convinced herself. These were thoughts Janelle couldn't linger on, because if she did, she would have to admit she had been deluding herself all these years.
That evening, when she groggily awoke, it was already dark outside. She half-opened her eyes to find her home empty and dim. Kaleb hadn't come back.
With effort, she grabbed her phone to send him a message, just as a notification popped up. It was a Facebook post from Cataleya:
"Finally proved to the family that I can stand on my own two feet, haha!"
The accompanying photo showed a round dining table with a signed contract prominently displayed. Almost inadvertently, a man's hand was visible in the photo, placing a piece of pulled pork onto her plate.
As Janelle clicked on the picture, the video began to play automatically, with a noisy background from which she heard someone ask, "So, Kaleb, when are you and Cataleya planning to set the wedding date?"
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