He Thought I'd Never Leave Chapter 2

The crisp click of the door closing jolted me awake.

Harper had just brought me back, and now she was rushing to take me away again.

"She experienced a major shock, so she's temporarily lost her voice," the doctor explained. I sat on the side, picking at my fingers, only able to make faint wheezing sounds.

My phone was flooded with messages, all asking about the nine-picture collage Julian had posted on Ins with another girl.

The last time I'd seen Julian smile so brightly was when I proposed to him.

"You always say you're busy."

"You can spare five minutes for a proposal, right, Julian? Will you marry me?"

His scolding words about me delaying his experiment came to an abrupt halt, his stern face melting away like ice.

I smiled with him then, truly believing he loved me too.

Julian's call came through at that moment. "Stella, there's still a lot of your stuff here. Come pick it up tomorrow."

Five years we'd been together, and he was always like this.

"Stella, be quiet."

"Stella, stop hanging out with your friends. You're becoming so common."

"Stella, my time isn't meant to be wasted on these pointless anniversaries."

But Julian, the perpetually busy man, was actually home on a weekday, wearing casual clothes and making coffee for his new girlfriend at the kitchen counter.

When I had a fever, Julian only poured me a glass of water before telling me, "Something came up at the lab. I have to go."

A switch flipped off inside my chest, leaving me utterly numb to the world since yesterday.

I just robotically picked up items and placed them into boxes.

Julian reached out to help me with a box, but I instinctively flinched away, and the contents spilled all over the floor.

His expression instantly darkened. "Breaking up wasn't your choice? Who are you trying to play dumb for?"

He didn't know I literally couldn't speak right now.

Julian was handsome, came from a good family, and was a rising star in the biology field. His enrollment had caused quite a stir. Even though he himself was an impassive iceberg, it didn't stop others from relentlessly pursuing him.

I fell for him at first sight, chasing him all the way through college graduation.

At graduation, I was heartbroken, thinking I'd never cross paths with him again.

"I won't bother you anymore."

But when some gossipy people raised their cameras towards us, Julian suddenly took my hand.

"Let's try being together."

"Don't look at me, look at the camera."

I still remember the thrill that vibrated through me at that moment.

When I first got Julian to be my boyfriend, I felt like I'd hit the jackpot. I even thought, "Well, at least he's so cold, I'll never have to worry about him cheating." It turned out to be nothing but empty words.

I first saw Chloe's name when I accidentally picked up Julian's phone by mistake.

His phone was filled with countless chat messages between him and Chloe. They talked about everything from lab progress to everyday gossip.

I saw Chloe ask Julian, "Julian, how come you never post about your girlfriend on Ins?"

Julian replied, "Nothing worth posting."

It still stung deeply. Julian's eyes turned cold. "Are you going through my phone?"

"Who is Chloe?"

He seemed a little impatient. "A new junior in the lab."

"You never told me, and do you two really have so much to talk about?"

Julian seemed to just realize I was jealous, and his expression softened slightly. "It's just a new lab member joining, what's there to talk about?"

"Besides, Chloe and I only talk about lab stuff. If I told you, you wouldn't understand."

"You could still share with me," I said, feeling a little wronged.

He still had that poker face. "I already told you, you wouldn't understand. It's like how I'm not interested in all those plants and flowers you keep."

I owned a flower shop. I remembered how excited I was when I made my first big sale, rushing to show Julian.

He just turned away dismissively. "Childish. What's the point?"

His career was noble, my dreams were insignificant.

After that day, Julian's phone, which had always been unlocked, now had a password.

Harper's voice pulled me back. "Stella, don't be a fool. For him to be with someone else so quickly, it only proves he'd already moved on."

But four days later was the pre-wedding dinner arranged by both families, where they planned to discuss Julian and my wedding arrangements.