There was a time when every argument I had with him about his relationship with Isabella ended with him patiently explaining that they were just friends, that nothing had happened, and that I was just overthinking things. At least back then, he’d give me some kind of response, even though his words never felt sincere.
But eventually, he stopped saying anything at all.
I was the one who would spiral, my emotions erupting like a volcano, only to quietly cool down afterward.
And now, I finally understand, and I’ve let go.
Looking back at myself then, I must have seemed like a madwoman. Every time I broke down, I must’ve looked awful.
No wonder Daniel got frustrated with me.
In that moment, I didn’t want to ask him anything. I just wanted to sleep.
He stared at me for a while, and when I didn’t react, he softly called my name, “Olivia?”
I pretended to be sound asleep, keeping my eyes tightly shut and not moving.
After a while, he finally left.
I heard the sound of running water from the bathroom—he must’ve gone to wash up. The sound was surprisingly soothing, and as it trickled on, I unknowingly drifted off to sleep. I didn’t even notice when he climbed into bed.
The next morning, I woke up early and went straight to the office.
The entire day, I immersed myself in work, and the hours flew by in a blur.
After work, I ate dinner alone before returning home.
As soon as I walked in, I saw Daniel sitting on the couch.
“Why are you home so early?” I asked as I took off my shoes.
“No overtime,” he replied.
“Oh.” I nodded, hung up my bag, and was about to head to the study.
“Olivia,” Daniel called out, “I already bought your birthday gift, and I wanted to give it to you yesterday…”
“Thank you!” I took the beautifully wrapped box from his hands.
Inside was a delicate bracelet.
“It’s lovely. I like it,” I smiled at him. “I’ll wear it tomorrow.”
As I turned to leave, Daniel suddenly grabbed my arm.
“I’m sorry,” he said hesitantly. “I couldn’t keep my promise yesterday. When I was almost at the restaurant, Isabella called. Her ex-boyfriend started stalking her again, and she was really scared. She lives alone, and it’s not safe—”
“I understand,” I interrupted calmly. “She shouldn’t have to face danger alone. You’ve mentioned before that her ex has unstable emotions. It’s fine, let’s not talk about this anymore. I still have some work left. I’m going to the study.”
“Olivia!” He didn’t let go of my arm.
“Hmm?” I turned back to look at him.
“I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Oh, I already ate. You can order takeout,” I said, gently pulling my arm out of his grip and walking toward the study.
Just as I sat down, I heard the door slam shut.
I got up and walked out to find that Daniel was already gone.
He brought the gift and even apologized, but I didn’t take the opportunity to respond gently. He must’ve gotten upset.
From that moment on, Daniel and I were once again in a silent standoff.
In the past, during such silent treatments, I would spiral into anxiety, trying desperately to think of ways to reconcile with him.
But now, after a few days of silence, I actually felt a strange sense of relief.
Daniel was sleeping in the guest room, and I was alone, enjoying the vast expanse of the bed. I slept more soundly than I had in a while.
In the mornings, I no longer woke up early to make breakfast for him. Sleeping an extra half hour had become my little indulgence.
At work, I didn’t constantly think about Daniel, nor did I text him all the time. I even realized that my work efficiency had improved significantly.
Tasks that I used to scramble to finish at the last minute, I was now able to complete ahead of schedule.
After work, I no longer felt the need to rush home to cook.
To make sure Daniel ate healthily, I’d once spent a lot of time learning how to cook, preparing meals every evening.
But he was always busy with work and social events, so it was a miracle if he managed to come home for dinner twice a week.
No longer revolving around him, I finally discovered that I had a lot of free time.
During this period, I binge-watched an entire TV series, finishing it in just three nights.
