You're Out of My Life

Angela posted on Instagram.

"I'm looking for someone to marry. Kindly introduce me to any responsible bachelors you know."

Soon, the comments were filled with people eager for gossip. Some asked if she had gotten into a fight with Carl. A few told her that it was normal for a guy to flirt with other women and not to kick up a fuss about it. Or else, she would end up losing a good man because of her temper tantrums.

Some even questioned if she thought she was being fair to Carl by doing this.

These comments made Angela laugh. She'd been with Carl back when he was a nobody with nothing to his name. She accompanied him through the trials and tribulations as he started his own business.

Therefore, she could proudly proclaim with an easy conscience that she had been nothing but fair to him from the start.

Carl was the one who made an unreasonable request while disregarding their relationship that had lasted for over a decade.

It was time to make a clean break and have a fresh start.

When Angela's phone buzzed again, she assumed it was another one of Carl's friends messaging her to rebuke her.

To her shock, she got a message from her boss, Julian Fuller. She'd saved his contact as "The Cunning Businessman".

The Cunning Businessman: "You're looking for someone to marry?"

The Cunning Businessman: "I'll do it."

Angela froze. She'd forgotten to keep the post restricted from him.

The Cunning Businessman: "When's the wedding?"

Clutching her phone, Angela responded nervously, "In a month's time."

The Cunning Businessman: "That works for me."

Angela Thompson: "Are you being serious about this, boss?"

The Cunning Businessman: "Shall we register our marriage right away? Wait for me. I'll pick you up at your place in half an hour."

Angela hastily put a stop to that.

Angela Thompson: "I still have some things to settle, boss. It can wait a month. That'll give you time to think about it, too."

The Cunning Businessman: "I don't need to think about it. Let's get married in a month."

Angela remained in a daze as she stared at Julian's message.

Just then, she heard the sound of someone unlocking the front door.

Carl came in with a rather somber expression.

"Angela, let's cancel the wedding for now. Lucy is in a bad place right now. I don't want to have the wedding at a time like this. It'll trigger her."

Nodding calmly, Angela replied, "I see."

Carl was rather startled. "You're not going to make a fuss about it?"

"Why should I?"

"I thought you'd be upset about it. After all, we've been dating for over ten years now."

Angela snorted inwardly. What a mockery it was, alright. They'd been in a relationship for over a decade now, and yet, he could call off the wedding for the sake of Lucy, a complete outsider and his so-called best friend's widow.

Throughout all these years, Carl seemed to have grown accustomed to being the one who decided everything. As long as he made up his mind, Angela had no choice but to respect his decision and go along with it. She wasn't allowed to make any objections.

All along, she compromised on things that didn't go against her principles because she didn't want to argue with him. But this time, she wasn't going to tolerate it at all.

"Is she feeling any better?"

"She still needs someone to be with her at all times," Carl said. "When she's alone, she keeps having bad thoughts. It's best… if she has the child as soon as possible."

"Fine. You should spend more time with her, then."

"Looks like this argument of ours worked out for the best. You've become a lot more reasonable," Carl praised with a smile.

But he was wrong. Angela didn't become more reasonable. She simply gained clarity.

"I'm feeling lonely. Oh, I wish I'd find a lover that could hold me…"

Carl's phone started ringing, and Angela was taken aback. It was strange to see someone like Carl, who was rather masculine in an old-fashioned kind of way, using a popular love song as his ringtone.

And when he answered the call, he spoke with a level of gentleness that Angela had never been on the receiving end of.

"Lucy?"

That explained everything. The ringtone was specifically set for Lucy.

"What? Okay. I'll bring it over to you now."

Once Carl got off the phone, he grabbed his car keys and began rushing out of the house. He was already at the door before it occurred to him to explain things to Angela.

"Lucy left her clothes in my car. I'm taking it over to her now."

"What kind of clothes?"

Carl's expression became a little peculiar as he replied stammeringly, "I-It's just an ordinary piece of clothing. Anyway, I'm heading off now."

On Sunday, Sylvia Johnson, Angela's old homeroom teacher, was celebrating a birthday.

Bright and early that morning, Angela got a call from Vincent Boyd, her old class representative.

"Make sure you and Carl show up," Vincent said.

When Angela got to the private room where the party was being held, it was already filled with many of her old classmates, but there was no sign of Carl.

Vincent glanced behind Angela before asking, "Where's your husband? Is he parking the car?"

"He's not my husband," Angela corrected.

Chortling, Vincent replied, "He's not your husband yet, but he will be in a month, won't he? You guys have been dating for so long now. It's hard for relationships to survive this long. You're only a step away from marriage now, so stop fighting. Work things out with each other."

Sylvia was still the same caring teacher that Angela remembered, though she had a few gray hairs in the passing years.

Smiling, she also chimed in, "That's right, Angela. I've also witnessed the journey you two have taken as a couple. Are you two in a fight because of Lucy? I'm sure you must've misunderstood things.

"Carl and Keith were always the best of friends. Since Keith has passed away, Carl is just helping Lucy out for the sake of his old friend. You should have faith in your relationship. After all, you've been together for over ten years now."

Sylvia was their language teacher. She had always been kind and approachable. Angela adored her very much, but she was no longer a student. While Sylvia could teach lessons in school, she couldn't teach Angela lessons on marriage.

"I know what's best for me, Ms. Johnson," Angela replied.

Thinking that Angela was taking her advice, Sylvia became rather pleased. "You have always been a smart one. I'm sure you get it."

Just then, Carl came in, saying, "Happy birthday, Ms. Johnson!"

With a beaming smile, Sylvia replied, "Thank you! You and Angela are about to get married as well. I'll be sure to celebrate the wedding with you guys."

However, at the very next moment, her smile froze.

Lucy came in right behind Carl. She was wearing his jacket and holding his arm as well.

Smiling, she passed Sylvia the gift she brought and said, "Hi, Ms. Johnson. I'm Lucy. I'm so sorry. We would've arrived sooner, but it's all my fault. My period came all of a sudden, so Carl had to buy my pads for me. That ended up taking a bit of time."

The intimate tone she had when she mentioned Carl's name made everything clear. Even Vincent was startled. Patting Carl on the shoulder, he reminded Carl, "Angela's here, too. Why did you… bring her along with you?"

"Lucy has been feeling rather depressed lately. I don't feel good about leaving her alone," Carl said.

"What about Angela, then?"

Carl glanced at Angela before saying indifferently, "It's fine. There's no need to worry about her."

After thoughtfully guiding Lucy over to a spot on the couch, he even proceeded to set some snacks and fruits in front of her, saying, "Don't worry. These are all my friends. Everyone will take good care of you."

Leaning in close to Carl, Lucy said, "Of course. I only feel safe with you around."

All of the attendees here at Sylvia's birthday party were Carl and Angela's classmates. They all knew the two were a couple.

But after seeing this situation, no one knew how they were supposed to react, especially Vincent. He'd probably intended to try and help patch things up between Carl and Angela.

Angela knew Vincent was a warm, kindhearted person who meant well. However, judging from what was happening now, she knew he wouldn't be able to do the good deed he had been planning to do.

Sylvia's birthday party proceeded awkwardly. By the time it ended, everyone felt a sense of relief—apart from Carl and Lucy, of course.

Carl was holding Lucy by the hand, and when he walked past Angela, he said coolly, "I need to give Lucy a ride home. I'm not sure if I'll be back tonight. You can take a cab home."

However, Lucy tapped him and complained coquettishly, "How can you say that? Angie is your fiancée! How can you ask her to take a cab home just because of me?

"Don't listen to him, Angie. Get in the car with us. I'll make sure he gives you a ride home."

It sounded as if she were Carl's fiancée instead, while Angela was the outsider.

Brushing Lucy's hand off hers, Angela said curtly, "It's fine. My ride is here."

A honk rang out, and a black Maybach came to a stop in front of Angela.

Angela got into the Maybach with Carl and Lucy watching.

A group of their classmates who had exited together began teasing, "Oh, so Maybach drivers are doing Uber now? Since when?"

Carl's expression was rather unpleasant. He drove a Ford, which was still a decent car in its own right. Alas, it looked small and dated next to a Maybach.

Soon after Angela got home, Carl returned as well.

Startled, she asked, "Didn't you say you won't be coming back tonight?"

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Carl snarled, his expression stormy.

"What's your problem?" Angela mused.

"Who's the guy who came to pick you up today? What's his deal?"

"Him? He's my husband."

"Hah! I knew it!" Carl snorted.

Angela didn't get what Carl supposedly knew.

Taking a seat on the couch, he said with a smug smile, "You did it on purpose, right? You're just trying to antagonize me and get me jealous so that I'd care about you. It must've cost you a bomb to rent that Maybach, huh?

"That explains why you seem to have become an entirely different person lately. I've been wondering why you haven't made a fuss at all. Turns out you had this all planned out to bait me."

Feeling rather speechless, Angela replied, "If that's what you think, I can't do anything about it."

"Don't ever play these tricks again," Carl demanded disdainfully. "It's childish and pathetic."

"Think whatever you want."

"Angela, I know you're upset that the wedding was called off on such abrupt notice. You've always wanted me to marry you. I know that.

"But you need to accept that some things need to be prioritized more. Lucy is still grieving over Keith's passing. Her needs should be prioritized right now," Carl declared.

Angela couldn't resist asking, "Does that mean if Lucy never overcomes her grief, you'll never get married?"

"How can you be such a vicious person, Angela? Don't you want things to work out for Lucy? She's never done anything to offend you. Must you think so ill of her?"

Angela was fully aware of how protective Carl was over Lucy, but it was still the first time he called her vicious. To think that this was the man she'd spent over ten years loving and making sacrifices for. He almost became her husband, too.

This only made Angela even more disillusioned.

"I need your car keys for a moment."

"What for?" Carl asked warily.

"I'm retrieving something I left in your car."

Angela once made a crocheted horseshoe herself and hung it up in Carl's car as a good luck charm to keep him safe. Well, the current Carl no longer deserved the care and affection she showered on him.

"Lucy's things are in my car. You'd better not mess them up. I'll come with you," Carl said.

"Whatever."

Angela went down to the basement parking lot, and once Carl unlocked the car, she opened the front door to undo the crocheted horseshoe.

Alas, when she hung it up, she'd made sure to tie it securely out of fear that it might fall off. Hardening herself, she yanked on the yarn to undo the horseshoe instead. As a result, it transformed back into a long piece of yarn.

"Why did you pull it apart?" Carl asked.

"It doesn't matter if it's unraveled. It won't be of any use anymore."

Angela was backing out of the car when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted something black tucked beside the front passenger seat. She picked it up, only to realize it was a pair of black stockings—the kind worn by women.

It was obvious who it belonged to.

This was probably the "ordinary piece of clothing" Lucy left in Carl's car.

"Are you done yet?" Carl hurried Angela along. "Don't make a mess of the things in my car."

With a wooden expression, Angela stuffed the pair of black stockings back where she found them and said, "All done."

As soon as she got out of the car, Carl immediately shut the door and locked the car.

Angela didn't care. She tossed the ball of yarn she was holding into the trash.

Her phone started ringing, so she answered it. "Hello?"

"When will you be free? We can have the wedding in a month, but we should get our marriage registered first."

It was Julian.

"About that… There's no rush, right?" Angela replied. "It's very easy to get a marriage license these days. We can even get it done a few days before our wedding day."

At the mention of a marriage license, Carl grew alert. "Marriage license? What do you mean?"