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Nicholas Stephens studied for five years and finally got into grad school.
All those years, I earned the money and took care of him.
The moment the acceptance letter came,
I was happier than he was.
"On your first day, will you take me to see the campus?"
He quietly tucked the letter away.
"A university is for classes, not sightseeing."
"Besides, you only finished high school. Aren't you embarrassed to show up at the country's top school?"
My eyes stung, but I didn't dare argue back.
Until later.
Cornelia Harding's post showed up in my social media feed.
"My brother got into grad school. So happy for him."
She had her arm through Nicholas's, smiling sweetly.
I let out a soft laugh and canceled the train ticket I'd bought to surprise him at the university.
If only a girl like Cornelia, with a bachelor's degree, was fit to walk the campus with him,
then why should someone with just a high school diploma force herself on him.
This time, I didn't just stop caring about the campus tour.
I didn't want Nicholas anymore either.
...
To make classes easier, Nicholas rented a place near the university.
He only came home on Saturday night.
"Didn't I tell you I'd be home today?"
"A few days away and you can't even make me dinner?"
He knit his brows, annoyed, the Rolex on his wrist catching the light.
If I remembered right, Cornelia wore the matching one on her wrist.
His mother had given him the pair to celebrate getting into grad school.
But he'd handed the women's one to Cornelia.
I got up and poured myself a glass of water.
"I worked late today. No time to cook."
Nicholas reached for the glass in my hand out of pure habit.
"Next time, tell me ahead if you're not cooking. I'll just eat out."
I turned to the side and calmly took a sip.
"Sure."
Nicholas stared at his empty hand, blank for a moment.
I set the glass down and picked up my bag off the couch.
"I'm meeting a friend to go shopping. I'll be back late."
Nicholas stopped me.
"Carrie, are you angry?"
He'd finally noticed something was off.
The old me.
I would have been dying to hear everything about his days at school.
The second he got home I'd have rushed over, chattering, asking about everything.
I turned to look at him, and all the hurt piling up in me got stuck in my throat when the doorbell suddenly rang.
"That must be Cora."
Nicholas forgot all about me and went to open the door.
"Hey, I brought all the ingredients for a big dinner to celebrate Nick starting school!"
The next second, she saw the bag on my shoulder.
"Oh, are you heading out?"
Nicholas answered for me first.
"She's going shopping with a friend."
Cornelia looked disappointed.
"But I bought enough for three."
Nicholas took the bags of food from her and carried them toward the kitchen.
"Don't worry about her. I'll eat the extra portion."
"She didn't cook anyway. Clearly she wasn't planning on dinner."
Cornelia caught my arm.
"Stay and eat with us. It's not often the three of us are together."
Her eyes were smiling, and yet there was a hostility in them aimed at me.
I'd bet that right now she couldn't wait for me to leave, so she could have Nicholas all to herself.
"All right. I'll explain to my friend. She'll understand."
I smiled and set my bag back down on the couch.
Cornelia's face changed in an instant.
Only an idiot like Nicholas.
Would believe his adopted sister thought of him as nothing but a brother.
Or maybe.
He enjoyed the arrangement and left it unspoken on purpose.
Nicholas came out in a hurry with his buzzing phone.
"It's my advisor. Carrie, go help wash the vegetables."
With that, he stepped out onto the balcony.
"Let me do it instead!"
Cornelia went into the kitchen, smiling.
I gave a cold smile and picked up an apple, taking a bite.
As if I didn't know exactly what she was after.
Sure enough.
Before long, a scream came from the kitchen.
Nicholas dropped his call and rushed in.
Cornelia was clutching a bleeding finger, tears running down her face.
"Carina Henson, didn't I tell you to wash the vegetables? How could you let Cora go into the kitchen?"
"Do you have any idea how important a painter's hands are?"
Sobbing, Cornelia spoke up for me.
"It's not her fault. I cut myself. I wasn't careful."
Nicholas took Cornelia by the hand and pulled her toward the door.
"I'm taking Cora to the clinic to get it bandaged. You get all the dinner ingredients ready."
"You've cooked for five years anyway. You know the drill."
I gave a bitter little smile.
Right.
For him.
I'd cooked for five whole years.
All those years, all he had to do was study for his exams.
I was the one who handled every last detail, running around taking care of him.
And in the end, it came down to one careless line from him.
"Nicholas."
I stopped him just as he was leaving.
"My mom's asking when we're getting married."
Nicholas froze, and in the end said nothing, pulling Cornelia out the door.
The apartment fell dead silent.
I gave a bitter smile and opened my chat with my mom.
The last message was her asking when our two families would sit down to discuss the wedding.
I'd never answered.
I hadn't known what to say.
But now I had my answer.
"Mom, I'm breaking up with Nicholas."
