Five Years' Love, Shattered by a Call

flew thro

acted in

e, but towards Chloe, sh

! Watc

her arm. She yelped, mo

n the path of a full carafe. Scalding liq

voluntary sound. The pai

tie? Did it burn you? Let me see!" He dabbed at h

y glance

de in an instant.

took my arm, his eyes assessing the dama

w," Liam said, his voice firm,

ttention torn from Chloe. "Oh, A

ke an afterthought,

nutes later, while Liam was carefully applying a cold compres

ing her, a tiny splash of coffee on her sleeve. Caption: "

bbing in my arm a dull counterpo

h

He'd chivalrously held his jacket over my head, getting soaked himself, laughing

me. It was a role he played, a script he knew.

Liam insisted on taking me

shaken up," he'd said, as if a minor coffee s

Liam's brownstone, my arm ba

ed to be more careful. I've arranged for a top dermatologist

ooth, concerned.

ng his actions, again. "If it happens again, some other crisis, I'll p

ld schedule

e'd miss. "As Liam's girlfriend, I wouldn't expect you to prioritize

words entirely. "Exactly! You get

lo Blahniks I'd admired months ago. The card read: "

. He still thought my anger, my pain, was somethin

shoes, then at

lled

are lovely. But I

They're your siz

d, remember? It wouldn't be appropriate for me to acc

de." He sounded annoyed. "Well, just kee

Liam's housekeeper

partner. He organized a lavish "welcome back" party for her, ostensibly to reintroduce her to society after her "o

s all as one big happy family," h

e in SoHo. Chloe was radiant, Ethan by her

ught her, was holding court, telling storie

ively on Ethan's arm. "He remembered all my favorite things, even after all this time apa

nnis bracelet last week, just because!" Sh

ers ooohed

ll, Ethan always did know how to treat his real loves. Some girls get