Chapter 2
The following morning, Daniel was still absent. I hurried through breakfast and headed to the office, receiving a message from him en route.
“Kensley, why didn’t you fix me breakfast?”
“Is this just about missing your birthday yesterday?”
“Why make a mountain out of a molehill?”
Daniel has stomach troubles, and despite our many arguments, I always made sure he had food ready—something he'd grown to expect. Rather than respond, I blocked him.
I should have ended this relationship ages ago. Ever since Cataleya showed up with that wish book, our relationship has been like a thorn in my side. Whatever she wrote down, Daniel felt obligated to complete.
He had left me stranded at a highway rest stop, missed my birthday, and vanished in the middle of a movie. We quarreled countless times about this, but Daniel always concluded with, “Kensley, Cataleya saved my life when we were kids. Should I be an ungrateful jerk?”
“These are just little things. Helping a friend isn’t a big deal.”
I accepted his reasoning, yet those “little things” kept escalating—from fetching her medication when she was sick to taking time off work for trips abroad with her. Meanwhile, I, his girlfriend, could only watch as he bonded with another woman. If I showed even a hint of discontent, Daniel accused me of being petty and childish, reminding me that without Cataleya, he wouldn't be alive.
So I endured, hoping that once the wishes were fulfilled, Daniel and I could return to normal. But now I see how profoundly mistaken I was.
After blocking Daniel, my life grew a bit quieter. I messaged my manager, “Albert, is that overseas assignment still available?”
A month ago, my boss offered me a project in England. Three years there, with a salary doubling once I'd return. I said no because I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Daniel. For years, my greatest aspiration was to build a life with him. Despite everything, leaving him was never an option.
But now, I'm ready to move on.
The manager quickly replied, “Kensley, are you interested now? That’s excellent! I’d prefer you to go over anyone else.”
With the overseas assignment sorted, I threw myself into work. However, when leaving the office that evening, I saw Daniel’s familiar black car parked outside. I wanted to act as though I hadn’t noticed, but Daniel stepped out and blocked my path.
“Kensley, I’ve reserved a table at a restaurant to celebrate your birthday tonight.”
Before I could refuse, he ushered me into the car. With rush hour traffic around, I didn't want to cause a scene in front of my colleagues, so I opened the back door and got in.
Such a simple act, yet Daniel's expression turned somber. “Kensley, why not sit up front today…”
I replied casually, “I’m more comfortable in the back.”
I used to sit in the front passenger seat all the time. But after one dinner with Cataleya, when I instinctively took the passenger seat, she jotted down in her wish book: “The front seat belongs to Cataleya.”
After that, I always sat in the back. When I argued with Daniel about it, he flippantly replied, “It’s just a seat. Why fuss over where you sit?”
I closed my eyes, trying to avoid further communication with Daniel, but the moment the air conditioning switched on, I started sneezing—overpowered by a strong, unfamiliar scent.
When I stopped sneezing, I realized the car had transformed significantly. The front was adorned with tiny trinkets, and the back was strewn with clothes and makeup. I once asked if I could hang a good luck charm in his car, but Daniel snapped, “Kensley, if you want me to drive safely, don’t clutter my car!”
So, it wasn’t about the items—it was about me.
I noticed Daniel wore a wedding ring and a matching watch. There was even an "m" tattoo subtly visible on his neck, along with a ruby earring—jewelry he once swore he’d never wear.
I had been deliberately ignoring these details, but now I couldn’t deny how much Cataleya’s wish book had reshaped Daniel. Small things they might have been, but they had left echoes throughout our lives—echoes that felt like grains of sand in my eyes, always grating.
Now, looking at this altered version of Daniel, imprinted indelibly by Cataleya, I felt nothing. Those once-painful details were laid bare, yet they didn’t hurt anymore.
Seeing I’d stopped sneezing, he said, “Cataleya’s wish list is complete. We won’t argue over those things anymore, so let’s stop being upset with me.”
Would we really not? Thinking about the grand wedding and the congratulations from his friends, I felt nothing but amusement.
I responded with a cold, dismissive “Oh.”
Soon, Daniel’s phone rang, displaying “Cataleya Darling.” He accepted the call, and her voice filled the car. “Daniel, can you come get me? I’m stuck in the countryside and can’t catch a ride. I’m really scared…”
Her voice quivered, and Daniel promptly assured her, “Cataleya, don’t worry. Send me your location, and I’ll be there soon.”
Hearing his urgent tone, I realized it didn’t matter if the wishes were complete; their connection would never end.
After hanging up, Daniel glanced at me in the rearview mirror with a hint of hesitation. “Let’s pick Cataleya up and have dinner together. It’ll liven up your birthday.”
I declined, “Just drop me off somewhere. I’m too exhausted today.”
My words sparked Daniel’s ire.
“Kensley, must you stir the pot? Do you know how unsafe it is for Cataleya to be alone out there?!”
“Can’t you choose a more appropriate time for your antics, or do you truly wish her harm?”
I responded coldly, “I’m not stopping you from going to her. I’m simply exhausted. Why assume I want her in harm’s way?”
Daniel, fed up with arguing, gave an ultimatum.
“Kensley, either you join us willingly, or get out of the car now.”
I chuckled bitterly at that.
We were on the highway. If Daniel left me here, getting a cab would be impossible, and I’d be lucky to make it off the highway safely.
My bitter laugh pushed him over the edge. He pulled over on the emergency lane, forced me out of the car, and said, “Fine, if you don’t want to come, make your way home on your own.”
Without a backward glance, he drove off, leaving me alone by the roadside.
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