I stood frozen, lifting my head to look at Babur in disbelief.
His eyes were cold, as if he were looking at someone who meant nothing to him.
"We're done. Valeria. Take your things and leave my house."
It felt as though every drop of blood in my body had turned to ice. I opened my mouth, ready to ask if he was joking.
But when I saw the seriousness in his eyes, the words died in my throat.
After what felt like forever, I finally heard my own trembling voice.
"Why?"
Babur's gaze swept over me from head to toe, as though he were evaluating merchandise.
"Take a good look at yourself, Valeria. What can you do besides dress up?" His voice carried disgust, edged with mockery.
He opened an acceptance letter and held it out in front of me.
"I got into the Redmont Finance Department. Valeria. I'm heading to Gilded Row. I'll be one of the elites in the financial world. I'll be on business news, admired by everyone. And you? Dressed up like a Christmas tree, nothing but a pretty face. How could you ever be worthy of me?"
I felt something cold trail down my face. When I turned my head, the window reflected my smeared makeup and tear-streaked cheeks.
"It's not like that… Babur, you used to say you loved me exactly this way… You said all I had to do was look pretty and wait for you at home… Did you forget?"
I couldn't hold back my sobs. I grabbed his hand and broke down. "I don't want to break up, Babur. I'll learn. I'll work hard. I'll become someone worthy of you."
Babur shook off my hand and let me fall to the floor.
His eyes remained just as cold, as if I weren't the woman he had loved for three years but a tenant overstaying her welcome.
"Enough. Valeria. You'll never be able to do it. And I'm done wasting my money on an eye candy."
He dialed a number, and soon I heard his indifferent voice.
"Lacey, come pick up your best friend from my place. Or I'll demand the hundred thousand dollars I lent you back right now."
When Lacey Morgan arrived, I was still clinging to Babur, begging him not to throw me out.
My voice had grown hoarse from pleading. Tears blurred my vision until I couldn't even see his expression clearly.
The Babur who used to panic at the sight of my tears now forcefully pulled me away.
Like he was discarding trash, he shoved me toward Lacey.
"Listen, Lacey. I still have the IOU you signed. If you don't want me to reclaim that hundred thousand dollars, keep her away from me."
I felt my heart shatter.
Back then, Babur had been the one who insisted on lending Lacey the money. He said my friends were his friends.
Now he was using that same favor to threaten me into disappearing from his life.
I opened my mouth, but only a broken sound came out. Lacey grabbed my hand and dragged me into the car.
As the engine started, I pounded desperately on the window, watching Babur stand there, growing smaller and smaller in the distance.
Until he was gone.
I cried until I couldn't breathe and blacked out in the back seat.
When I woke up, I was lying on Lacey's bed.
Babur had supported me for three years. Other than depending on him, I knew how to do nothing.
I had no job, no savings, not even a place to stay.
Lacey took me in.
I could feel how worried she was.
She even took time off work to stay by my side.
But I couldn't forget Babur. In my dreams, I saw our past over and over again. He stood there smiling, arms open, waiting for me.
Yet whenever I ran toward him, the man whose eyes once overflowed with love would shove me away in disgust.
"You're not worthy of me, Valeria."
I would wake up screaming, tears streaming down my face.
Those words became a curse, echoing endlessly in my ears.
Two days passed like that. My world seemed to consist of nothing but grief.
Night after night, I jolted awake as if chased by demons. I couldn't eat. In just two days, I felt as though I no longer belonged among the living.
"Don't do this to yourself, Valeria."
Lacey sighed and took out a necklace, the exact style I had once told Babur I loved.
"I don't know who left it at my door, but I think it might be Babur. Valeria, he loved you so much before. He even went against his parents to be with you. Maybe this time he just acted on impulse. You two went through so much without breaking up. Maybe this is just a test. Valeria, you have to pull yourself together if you want to go back to him."
I clutched the necklace, remembering how Babur used to buy me jewelry every time he upset me. A sudden surge of joy and courage rose inside me.
"You're right, Lacey. I can't stay like this. I'm going to win him back."
