Dayana's POV
"Eat it while it's warm," Delon said as he served me the almond porridge.
He was the one who dragged me all the way home. After cursing and insulting me to no end, he showed me some concern again—a concern that felt hollow.
I looked down, pushing the bowl of almond porridge away from me. Delon let out a long sigh, his expression annoyed. Perhaps he thought I was refusing his help.
"Eat it! Do you want to stay sick and die like that?" His voice rose, harsh, and he pushed the bowl back at me forcefully. I held back the tears that began to spill. I could no longer resist his words; my heart was breaking, but I couldn't say anything. Slowly, I shoveled the porridge into my mouth. It tasted sweet for a moment, but then my body burned slowly—a heat I couldn't stand.
"What if I suddenly die?" My voice was hoarse, enduring pain that was not only physical but also mental.
"How could you? It's a highly nutritious food. Good for your hypertension," he replied in a flat tone, his eyes still fixed on his phone screen. His body was here, but his mind was never really with me. From my position, I could see the chats between him and Lauren, every sweet word they sent, the affectionate calls that tore at my heart.
I could no longer continue eating. Slowly, I pushed the bowl away, and my actions only made Delon angrier.
"You really don't know yourself! I worked so hard to make that for you, and you just threw it away!" he shouted, his voice booming. My breathing was labored. I could no longer catch his words clearly. The world seemed to be spinning rapidly around me. My body felt weaker and weaker, and I almost lost consciousness. But Delon kept shouting, berating me, comparing me to Lauren—who always appreciated his efforts.
"Never mind! I'm leaving!" Delon turned around, his footsteps firm, heading for the door. I wanted to call out to him, but I was tongue-tied, unable to utter a single word. Slowly, his footsteps moved away, and as the door closed, my body collapsed, falling to the floor.
I wasn't unappreciative of his efforts. I'm allergic to nuts, but he forgot that. I dragged my weak body, trying to find a drawer to search for allergy relief. I was grateful when I finally found the pills and swallowed them immediately, even though the reaction wouldn't come as quickly as I wanted. At least my life was saved.
On the cold, deserted floor, the tears continued to flow. A sudden shower of thunder fell, loud and shaking. I felt scared, my body shivering. I clung to myself, trying to calm down. In the past, at times like this, wherever Delon was, he would come, run to me, hug me, and calm my fears. But now, I was alone. I, who he had always put first, now felt so alienated.
A strong wind blew away the calendar lying on the table, and it stopped right in front of me. I stared at it, my eyes fixed on the date I marked with a red circle—our anniversary. Tomorrow. Five years ago, Delon and I made a commitment to share our lives, but now it's all come crashing down.
I remember very well how Delon declared his love for me. He invited his office friends to be witnesses, and he confidently declared his feelings. I, who had always secretly harbored love for him, unhesitatingly accepted his love. I gave my whole body and soul to him. I even left home, leaving everything behind for him. Five years of relationship, but it all ended like this—Delon cheated on me with Lauren, under the pretext of his best friend's younger sister.
"Tomorrow, I will give you a gift, Delon." I said in a flat voice, trying to contain the anger burning in my chest. "I'm sure you'll like it." I was tired of tolerating these two. Let the world know about their true relationship, how beautiful they were together.
The next second, my cell phone rang. Mama, she must be worried. I should have been at my real home, yet I was still stuck in this place. I quickly took the call.
"Dayana, where are you? Why haven't you arrived yet, child?" Mama's worried voice came from the other end.
"Sorry, Maa... I failed to go today," I answered quietly, while telling her about what had just happened.
After I finished telling the story, suddenly a man's voice was heard on the call. "I'll pick you up right now."
I paused. The voice was so soothing, so familiar, even though I didn't know who he was. "Who are you?" I asked, my heart racing.
