3: 3
I had a long, long dream.
In the dream, I finally got the proposal I'd waited for from Nicholas.
But the ring went onto Cornelia's finger instead.
"Carina, you fool. Five years you gave up, and Nick chose me!"
Her smug smile stung my eyes.
I slapped her across the face.
The next second, I opened my eyes.
A white room, the familiar smell of disinfectant.
My mother had brought me to the hospital.
About Nicholas and me, she asked nothing.
She only said one thing:
"Carrie, whatever you decide, don't ever swallow your own hurt again."
The day I was discharged happened to be a Saturday.
Nicholas still didn't come home until after dark.
He didn't have many classes, and on the free days he'd been out with Cornelia around the university.
On her feed, Cornelia was posting happy photos of the two of them:
【To be this happy right now, five hard years of waiting were worth it.】
Nicholas came in dragging his exhaustion behind him.
The collectible toy he'd bought got tossed onto the couch:
"A gift for you."
Then he knit his brows and looked at me:
"Why didn't you go to Owen's parent-teacher meeting?"
Owen was his younger brother.
All these years, I'd gone to the Stephens family's parent-teacher meetings in the role of the older brother's wife.
Now there was no name for it, no standing.
Why should I still go?
My silence only deepened his displeasure:
"My parents work, I have class. You're the only one with time on Friday."
"Why can't you just be understanding and help us out?"
I hadn't actually had time on Friday.
I'd swapped shifts with a coworker on purpose so I could go to the meeting for him.
Nicholas dropped onto the couch, irritated.
He yanked the collectible toy out from under him and threw it in the trash:
"Carina, ever since I got in, you've been throwing these fits out of nowhere."
"What did I do wrong, that you'd treat me like this!"
I looked straight into his furious eyes:
"Nicholas, let's break up."
"Are you serious?"
He shot to his feet, shocked, and knocked into the table beside him without meaning to.
The clinic slip fell to the floor.
"Your gastroenteritis flared up again?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I called you. Cornelia picked up. She said you were in the shower."
Nicholas froze for a second.
The next moment, he laughed, mocking:
"So you want to break up because you're jealous of me and Cora?"
Then his tone turned put-upon:
"Someone spilled coffee on me by accident that day. Cora's place was right there, so I went to shower and change."
His explanation left me completely unmoved. I pointed at the box a little way off:
"I've packed all your things. Move them out as soon as you can."
His eyes went cold and grim:
"How many times do I have to say it, Cora's my adopted sister. What's wrong with looking out for her a little more?"
"Nothing between us ever crossed the line. Even if you took this to my parents, I'd be the one in the right!"
"From now on, you can look out for her all you want."
As I said it, I got up and went to the door for the delivery that had just arrived.
Fried chicken, soda, and burgers.
From now on, if I don't feel like cooking, I won't.
"I didn't order a portion for you."
Nicholas kicked the trash can over:
"Carina, words said are like water poured out, you can't take them back!"
"Break up for real, and I won't get back together with you!"
He stalked toward the door, cursing under his breath.
"Nicholas."
I stopped him.
Something like triumph flickered in his eyes.
My tone stayed flat:
"Take your luggage with you too."
