Love Beyond Reach

Chapter 1

"Dad, Mom, I'll study abroad."

Hearing their daughter agreeing to it at last, the Madden couple who were far away in Choann sounded pleased as they cheered, "Saoirse, you've finally come to your senses. We're so relieved! Prepare yourself during this time. Your dad and I will make the arrangements. Our family will be reunited in about a month."

Unlike the cheerful tone of her parents, Saoirse Madden's voice was flat and subdued.

"Alright."

After they exchanged a few more pleasantries, the call was disconnected.

It was pitch black outside the window, but Saoirse did not turn on the lights. Her red eyes hardly showed any emotion.

Half an hour later, footsteps could be heard at the door.

Saoirse did not get up as she usually did. Instead, she quietly watched as the glaring incandescent light overhead was turned on.

When Julian Stone changed his shoes and entered the living room, he noticed Saoirse leaning on the couch. He looked up slightly and asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I was waiting for you. Did you not see the message I sent you?"

Saoirse's tone wasn't particularly friendly.

However, Julian didn't mind it at all. He quickly made up an excuse. "I was in the lab all day. I didn't have time to check my phone."

After saying this, he took off his coat and went straight to the bathroom, not caring whether she believed him or not.

Soon, the phone he had left on the coffee table began to ring while the sound of dripping water echoed.

As Saoirse recalled what she had overheard during the day, her hands, which were clasped together, trembled slightly.

She leaned forward to pick up the chiming phone and swiftly entered the password to unlock it.

The messages came from a woman named Gina who had a pink rabbit for her profile photo.

"Julian, thank you for your hospitality today!

"I'm home now!"

Noticing the affectionate tone, Saoirse swiped up to check the message history. It was the chat record from 9:00 pm the night before.

"Will you come to pick me up when I return to the country today?"

"Your address?"

There were no timestamps between the two messages, indicating the reply was sent immediately.

Last night, Julian returned home at 8:50 pm and took a shower. He only came out of the bathroom an hour later.

It turned out he was replying to messages from "Gina."

Saoirse's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she pressed her lips together.

She then clicked on the return button and opened the contact labeled "Saoirse."

From reminders to bring an umbrella on rainy days to noon break reminders, several photos of shopping carts, and candid pictures of cute dogs taken on the street, the chat was densely packed with white message bubbles.

All of them were messages she had sent him, none of which he had replied to.

In contrast, she, as his "girlfriend," seemed quite pitiful.

Whether it was because she had decided to leave or had truly moved on, Saoirse did not feel hurt upon realizing this.

She gently placed the phone back in its place, her mind in a whirl.

Saoirse remembered the first time she met Julian.

At the freshman orientation ceremony, he gave a speech as a representative of the new students. With his stunningly handsome face, he quickly topped the popularity charts within a minute and earned the title of campus heartthrob.

Over the years, many women had persistently pursued him to win over this man who seemed out of reach.

However, he was inherently indifferent, ignoring even the campus beauties, leaving many hearts broken.

Saoirse, who was deeply infatuated with him, was rejected as well. However, she was more tenacious than the other women. The harsher the rejection, the more determined she became.

Perhaps heaven rewarded those who put in the effort. After persisting for a year, having confessed her feelings more than 20 times, she officially became Julian's girlfriend.

Even so, he remained distant just as he had been after they were together—ignoring messages, not answering calls, and speaking only in terse phrases.

Saoirse, who had achieved her wish, was not disheartened by his coldness. Instead, she never stopped trying to maintain their relationship.

After three years of dating, she had formed a fixed impression of Julian as someone who had a cold personality.

It wasn't until recently when her laptop broke and she borrowed his computer that she accidentally opened a folder and saw thousands of photos of the same woman…

She secretly copied one of the photos. After asking a few familiar friends, she managed to uncover some information.

The woman who had been on Julian's USB drive for a long time was Georgina Shaw, his childhood friend. Although they were part of the same social circle and had friends in common, the two of them were particularly close.

Some said Julian liked Georgina and was planning to confess his feelings after the college entrance exams when Georgina rejected him, telling him, "We'll always be good friends."

Georgina was then sent abroad for further studies, while Julian went to Hufter University. That was when they went their separate ways.

After learning all this, Saoirse realized that Julian wasn't a cold person; he simply hadn't found anyone worthy of his affection.

For the past half month, she had been in a daze, wanting to find an opportunity to ask him if he had moved on from Georgina. But before she could say anything, she accidentally heard another piece of news.

Someone told her that Julian had agreed to be with her only to forget Georgina. He wanted to use a new relationship to fill the void Georgina left behind.

If Georgina didn't exist, Saoirse would willingly warm his heart for ten years, because she had always been the one he had gone public with.

But after learning about Georgina, Saoirse, who had not given up despite being neglected for three years, felt tired for the first time. She wanted to let go.

She didn't want to be the tool Julian used to forget someone else.

She didn't want to wait for a man who still held onto his first love.

At last, Saoirse decided to leave Julian without his knowledge.

Chapter 2

Julian only came out of the bathroom when the alarm set at 11:00 pm sounded. Drying his hair with one hand, he picked up his phone with the other before he headed into the study.

Noticing that he wasn't planning to rest yet, Saoirse frowned slightly. Julian was a disciplined man who never stayed up late. That alarm was his reminder to sleep.

As Saoirse stood up, she couldn't help but ask, "It's late; aren't you going to rest?"

Julian's fingers rapidly glided over the phone screen. He continued to focus on it without sparing Saoirse a glance. "I have some projects to finish. I'll rest later."

This was the first time in their three years together that Saoirse had ever seen Julian behaving this way.

He came home at 10:30 pm because he went to pick up Georgina. Now, even at this late hour, he was making excuses without a second thought.

Saoirse didn't call out his clumsy lie. She turned to go back to her room without a word.

Since the study was diagonally across from the bedroom, she could clearly see what was happening in the study.

The man who claimed to be busy with his projects had his gaze fixed on his phone with a faint smile playing on his lips.

Saoirse couldn't help feeling somewhat stupefied. After all, this was the first time in their years of dating that she had ever seen him so happy.

It turned out that even the coldest heart would melt when it involved the person they loved…

Julian wasn't incapable of love; he just didn't love Saoirse.

With a faint smile, Saoirse closed the door to her room.

Anyway, after she left in 30 days, Julian would be free to pursue the one he truly loved. Since she had already decided to let go, why torment herself unnecessarily?

The following day was a beautiful day.

Saoirse went out early to buy breakfast and returned just as Julian was getting up.

After they sat down and finished breakfast together, Julian picked up his coat and prepared to leave.

Recalling their agreement from last week, Saoirse called out to him.

"It's Saturday. It's our day off. We're supposed to watch the sunset at Luna Hill, right?"

Julian's hurried footsteps paused.

"I'm afraid I can't go. The professor assigned us some last-minute tasks," he replied.

Saoirse silently swallowed her bread and nodded.

At her silence, Julian added, I'll take you there next time. I should be free next month."

If Saoirse had heard him say that in the past, she would have jumped with joy. But the current her showed no emotion. She merely responded with a soft hum.

The stark contrast made Julian feel something was off. Glancing at the calendar on the table, he casually asked, "When did you get that countdown calendar? Is something important going on in 30 days?"

Looking at the red "30" on the calendar, Saoirse reached up and tore off a sheet, changing the number to "29" instantly.

"I bought it this morning. I have some important matters to handle in a month. It's just a daily reminder," she briefly mentioned.

Not detecting anything strange in her tone, Julian didn't press further. He went to the entryway, changed his shoes, and opened the door.

"I'll bring you an apple tart when I come back later. Rest well at home." His words were muffled by the sound of the door closing.

Saoirse chuckled softly, her eyes reddening slightly.

After breakfast, she pulled out a large bag and began clearing out things she no longer needed at the apartment. She was going to dispose of them later.

The matching mugs she had bought a long time ago but never used, various styles of razors, and empty photo frames bought for displaying pictures…

Each of these were things she had carefully selected. However, Julian had never used any of them.

Just like how she had arranged and decorated this apartment as if it were her home, Julian had always treated it as just a dorm or a hotel. He never cared.

But it was fine; he wouldn't be needing any of these anymore. After she left, he would surely move out, and the apartment would be left empty.

All the memories they had between them would be erased.

Chapter 3

It was dark by the time Saoirse was done busying herself around the apartment. She finally had some free time after dragging a bag full of trash to the bin.

Leaning against the couch to rest, she took out her phone to check her social media.

The latest post was of a sunset from the woman with a pink bunny profile picture. The central image featured a side profile of a man holding a box of apple tarts toward her.

Saoirse's gaze flickered when she saw the stunning sunset and the photo on the screen.

She had added Georgina's contact information after contacting many people behind Julian's back. One day, she saw Georgina post, "I really want to eat some apple tarts from abroad!"

That was when Saoirse knew the reason Julian always bought her apple tarts.

Slowly, she discovered more clues. The specific laundry detergent he insisted on using, the flowers he gave her, and the decorative items he bought—all could be found in Georgina's social media posts.

It was clear that Julian dated Saoirse to forget Georgina, but instead, he had become deeply entangled with Saoirse and even treated her as a substitute.

Thinking about it, Saoirse sighed softly with a mix of emotions reflected in her gaze. Perhaps it was because she had been heartbroken too many times that she wasn't particularly sad this time.

With her hand over her slightly heavy chest, she stood up and opened the fridge to take out a cucumber. After washing it, she slowly nibbled on it.

As the hour hand on the wall clock continued to tick away, it was almost midnight when Julian finally arrived home. He entered empty-handed, seemingly forgetting the promise he had made before leaving. He had a frown as he looked around.

"Why does it feel like something is missing?" he commented.

"I cleared out some things I don't need this afternoon," Saoirse replied.

Julian nodded, slowly unbuttoning his cufflinks. His realization didn't seem to bother him.

Looking at his upright back, Saoirse lowered her gaze.

If Julian had looked closely, he would have noticed that many of the missing items were things she used regularly. Given his intelligence, it would have been easy for him to guess that she was planning to leave.

But since his attention was solely on Georgina, it made sense that he didn't notice these subtle changes. After all, who would pay attention to the unusual behavior of a girlfriend who was like a roommate?

Just as she was bitterly reflecting on this, Julian suddenly asked her, "Where can I customize a liquid-filled keychain? I'm not very familiar with trends like this."

Georgina had only posted about it on social media today, and Julian was thinking of getting it for her already.

Saoirse hesitated before she replied, "Liquid-filled keychains are trending recently. It's hard to find a reliable person to customize one. But I happen to know how to make them. I can help you."

Upon hearing that she could make it, Julian looked slightly taken aback. It seemed he felt a bit uncomfortable having his girlfriend make something for the woman he liked. However, perhaps because he was so eager to please Georgina, he eventually nodded.

"I'll send you the specific design and requirements," he said.

Saoirse agreed with a soft hum. She then turned around and left, making sure Julian didn't notice the redness at the corner of her eyes.

She stayed up all night making the keychain, using Georgina's social media posts as a reference.

Before Julian left the next morning, she handed the liquid-filled keychain to him.

When Julian saw her reddened eyes, there was a rare look of sympathy as he quietly thanked her.

Saoirse shook her head. Her voice was tinged with fatigue when she uttered, "No need to thank me. I hope you like it."

Julian swiftly turned around and left the room.

As Saoirse watched him walk away without turning back, her lips moved slightly. She whispered a barely audible comment, "Consider it my last gift to you before I leave."

After this departure, Julian did not come home for the night. He didn't notice anything different about Saoirse. Other than attending classes, he spent his time with Georgina, leaving early and returning late, occasionally not even seeing Saoirse.

Saoirse didn't disturb him further. As she continued packing her belongings, the room grew increasingly empty.

A few days later, she suddenly received a call while she was sorting through her winter clothes.

"Saoirse? Julian is drunk. Can you come to the bar and pick him up?"

Julian was drunk? Wasn't he supposed to be teetotal?

Saoirse frowned but didn't think too much about it. She grabbed her phone and went downstairs to catch a cab.

The bar wasn't too far away. 20 minutes later, she arrived at the private room of the address sent to her.

The door was slightly ajar. When she pushed it open a bit, she immediately saw Julian lying in a woman's embrace. The two were whispering intimately to each other, looking very much like a couple in love.

Chapter 4

Saoirse's heart skipped a beat at the intimate scene. Taking a deep breath, she walked over and extended her hand to Georgina.

"Hello, I'm Saoirse Madden, Julian's girlfriend."

Upon hearing this, Georgina shook her hand while trying to push Julian away, attempting to wake him up.

"Julian, your girlfriend is here. Wake up!"

However, Julian, who was visibly drunk, leaned further into Georgina's embrace. He held onto her hand while repeatedly mumbling "You're my girlfriend."

The people in the room looked embarrassed, but Saoirse maintained a calm demeanor. She took out a few capsules from her bag and handed them to Georgina.

"He's drunk. I brought some hangover pills. Please get him to sober up before I take him home."

After taking the pills with some water, Julian started to come to his senses. When he saw Saoirse's face, he quickly pulled away from Georgina and began to explain.

"I thought she was you…"

Saoirse only offered a small smile. "I understand. Let's go home now."

Julian agreed to it. As he picked up his coat to leave, a few of his inebriated friends blocked his path.

"Why are you leaving already? Julian, you're always busy with your experiments and projects and never join us for gatherings. We finally got you out here thanks to Gina. Don't be a party pooper!"

"Exactly. Our game is about to start. It's not cool for you to leave now!"

The men didn't care whether he wanted to leave or not. They pulled him back to sit down before they started to explain the game rules.

"Let's go big tonight. We'll play a game of roulette! The person who gets pointed at has to reveal a secret in front of everyone!"

Julian seemed reluctant to leave. When he looked at Saoirse, he couldn't see a hint of emotion on her face.

"Let's just play since you're already here," Saoirse commented.

Hearing her agreement, the friends cheered and started the game.

In the first round, Julian was the unfortunate one to be chosen.

Everyone's excitement surged immediately.

"Hahaha, we finally got you, Julian! But since it's your first time, we'll go easy on you. Let's see who's on top of your contact list and WhatsApp!"

It was a light penalty. However, Julian fell silent.

A few of the women present started to complain. "What's the point of that dare? Julian has a girlfriend; of course, she'll be the first contact!"

Seeing that someone was backing him up, Julian remained indifferent.

"Since you all already know, there's no need to check. Let's pick another punishment."

However, the guys insisted on sticking with the current penalty. Taking advantage of Julian's momentary distraction, they snatched his phone away.

When they saw the name "Gina" on the screen, everyone in the room stared at each other in shock. No one could say a word.

Julian didn't offer any explanation. He only took back his phone and stood up to leave.

"I'm going to the restroom. Keep playing."

He was gone for about ten minutes.

Worried that he might feel sick, Saoirse followed him outside. That was when she overheard Julian's voice at the restroom door.

"I'm just drunk, not dead. Why did you deliberately point the bottle at me? And why set up a situation that left everyone feeling awkward?"

"Julian, everyone knows you've liked Georgina for years, but you haven't admitted it. I'm only trying to help you fulfill your long-held wish. Your girlfriend is still in the dark; it's unfair to her. Once this veil is lifted, she'll surely back off."

Despite the well-meaning advice, Julian impatiently scolded him. "Mind your own business. Don't take matters into your own hands again."

Listening to their conversation, Saoirse couldn't help but smile, though her eyes were now glistening with tears. She took a deep breath and turned into the ladies' room. After she splashed cold water on her face, she dried it off and sent Julian a message.

"Let's go. I'll wait for you outside."

She then grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and slowly headed downstairs.

Just as she reached the door, her phone rang again. It was Madeline Myrth, her mother who rambled on before finally asking if Saoirse was ready.

"I'm ready." Saoirse's voice was extremely indifferent. "I can leave anytime."

As soon as she said that, Julian's voice came from behind her.

"Leave? Where are you going?"

Chapter 5

Upon turning around and seeing Julian's cold expression, Saoirse instinctively lowered her gaze.

"It's just a competition I'm joining in a few days."

When she offhandedly offered the excuse, she was surprised to find that she was capable of lying. But seeing Julian's indifferent expression, she didn't dwell on it any further.

In this three-year-long pursuit, she only wanted to leave gracefully, not as a pitiful loser who had been abandoned. Although her decision to leave was triggered by Georgina's return to the country, she didn't want him to know that. She planned to leave quietly.

After all, Julian didn't really care about Saoirse. It wouldn't matter whether or not she said goodbye.

Julian, unaware of her thoughts, hailed a taxi. Just as they were about to get in, Georgina ran down the stairs from upstairs.

"Julian, you left your phone. Saoirse, let's exchange contact information."

After handing over the phone, Georgina looked up at Saoirse with a smile.

Saoirse glanced at Julian. Seeing that he didn't object, she hesitated for a moment before opening the QR code.

After Georgina scanned it with her phone, she looked at Saoirse with surprise. It seemed as though she was going to say something. However, she ended up only bidding Saoirse goodbye.

Once they were in the taxi, the evening breeze helped dissipate the remnants of alcohol. Julian started to sober up. Finally coming to his senses, he explained rather indifferently, "Saoirse, Gina and I grew up together. The top contact was set back in high school. I've just forgotten to change it over the years."

Saoirse didn't respond to him.

After a long silence, Julian turned to look at her, only to see her face streaked with tears.

It was the first time he had seen her cry in their three years of dating.

"What… What's wrong?" he asked, flustered.

"It's nothing. Sand got into my eyes."

Saoirse then wiped her tears away and forced a smile.

As she turned to look at the fleeting scenery outside the window, she kept thinking about Georgina's surprised expression from earlier.

It was Saoirse's utter defeat the moment her boyfriend's childhood friend noticed her spying.

That was the reason for her tears.

In this love triangle, she was always the one in the shadows and begging for scraps. If only she hadn't stubbornly pursued Julian and stayed in the country for him, she might have had the chance to maintain her dignity.

But unfortunately, there were no "what ifs" in this world. She had chosen this path herself. She had no one to blame but herself.

Fortunately, it was all about to end. She would soon be free.

Upon arriving home, Saoirse immediately tore off a page from the calendar on the dining table. Seeing the large, glaring "21," Julian found it somewhat eye-catching and couldn't help but glance at Saoirse.

She, with her head bowed, silently walked into the bedroom. She didn't notice his gaze.

After washing up, Julian reached out to Saoirse, who was brushing her hair, and leaned in to kiss her. He had never been one for such intimate gestures; over the years, Saoirse was always the one who initiated the feather-like pecks.

Seeing him making the first move for the first time, Saoirse was momentarily stunned. She quickly raised her hand to push him away.

"You've had too much to drink today. You should rest early."

When she turned to leave, Julian felt increasingly unsettled as if something was slipping from his grasp. Instinctively, he held onto her.

This time, Saoirse did not push him away.

Julian's pounding heart gradually began to calm down.

Chapter 6

When Saoirse woke up again, she was surprised to see Julian sitting on the couch.

Seeing her awake, he quickly put down his book and stood up.

"I promised to take you to watch the sunset, didn't I? The weather hasn't been good these days, so I'll take you to Global Studio first. When the weather clears up, I'll take you to Luna Hill."

Faced with his orderly invitation, Saoirse looked at him for a while without showing much emotion, then gave a slight nod.

During their three years of dating, she was always the one who planned the dates with him. He had never taken the initiative to go out with her.

That was why it surprised her to hear him say this today.

Did he perhaps notice something unusual?

As Saoirse had already decided to let him go, she no longer felt the excitement she once felt about going out with him. They spent the afternoon trying out a few attractions.

Seeing her still indifferent demeanor, Julian couldn't help but ask her, "Are you not enjoying yourself?"

Saoirse gave a faint smile and shook her head lightly. "No, I'm having a great time."

A photographer nearby who saw the attractive couple walking by quickly approached them. "Would you like to have your photo taken?"

Julian paused for a second. Suddenly, he realized that they had never taken a photo together throughout the three years they dated. He was about to speak when his phone rang.

Seeing the number, he made a gesture with his hand and answered the call.

His expression changed slightly after the other end said something.

Saoirse watched him quietly. When he suddenly turned around, she also turned away.

Georgina, wearing a bunny headband, suddenly appeared then.

Upon seeing her, Julian immediately walked over, his face full of joy as he asked her what she was doing there. He seemed to forget everything else as soon as Georgina appeared.

With her gaze lowered, Saoirse politely declined the photographer's offer and slowly walked to Georgina. It seemed that she wouldn't be getting a photo with Julian before her departure after all.

Georgina smiled brightly. "I came here to hang out with a senior, but he had to leave early. I was roaming around aimlessly when I saw someone whose back looked just like yours. I didn't expect it to really be you. What a coincidence, Julian!"

Julian's expression of delight immediately turned cold at those words.

"Senior? Who is it? What's his name? Do I know him? What is your relationship with him? Why did you meet him right after returning to the country?"

Seeing his urgent and probing questions, Saoirse paused in place, her fingers clenching unconsciously.

"You know him. It's Yerick Lynch from senior year. He was also planning to study abroad two years ago. I helped him contact a mentor; he just wanted to thank me."

Although Georgina explained the situation, Julian's expression remained sour.

"From now on, let me know if you want to go out. Don't go out with these dubious people. I'll worry about your safety otherwise."

After knowing him for so long, it was the first time Saoirse saw him show such a strong possessiveness toward someone. A trace of self-deprecation crossed her eyes.

In their three years together, he had never said something like this to her. He likely wouldn't even notice if she stayed out all night with another man.

Concerned about Georgina being alone, Julian suggested they all have fun together.

Georgina agreed without hesitation. Saoirse, too, silently nodded as she followed them into the haunted house.

The maze-like rooms were pitch black and occasionally filled with terrifying apparitions. Georgina screamed continuously from the moment they entered, cowering against the wall, while Julian carefully stayed by her side to protect her.

Watching the two of them draw closer and closer together, Saoirse said nothing and pushed open a side door marked with a task.

This haunted house was designed specifically for couples. The moment they entered the room, they saw the task list that read, "The couple must kiss to obtain the key."

Georgina looked troubled upon seeing this. She glanced around at the couples holding hands and found herself alone. Surrounded by eerie, shadowy figures, the terrified woman wanted to get out quickly.

She grabbed a man who had just entered by himself.

"Um, can you help me complete this—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Julian pulled her hand, drew her into his arms, and leaned down to lightly kiss her lips.

Georgina's lips were still moist as she stared at him wide-eyed.

Julian, however, did not look up; he simply handed her the key that had popped out and whispered, "You're scared; you should go out first."

He then turned his head. His face fell slightly when he saw Saoirse and remembered that she was with them.

He seemed to be considering how to explain away this absurd situation of kissing another woman in front of her.

"Gina's timid. I was worried she'd—"

Before he could finish, Georgina screamed and dashed out.

Seeing her being followed by a crowd of scare actors, Julian, fearing for her safety, quickly scooped her up and ran toward the exit.

The narrow passage became a chaotic mess.

Held back by the crowd, Saoirse watched the two disappear from sight.

In the end, she was the one who was abandoned…

Chapter 7

Although they had escaped from the haunted house, Georgina remained shaken. She continuously patted her chest as her mind uncontrollably replayed the terrifying scenes from earlier.

When she recalled the kiss, her face flushed with embarrassment. She shot Julian an annoyed glance.

"Julian, you were too impulsive. Even if you were worried about me, you shouldn't have done that in front of your girlfriend. She's going to overthink it."

Having left in a hurry, Julian wasn't sure how Saoirse had reacted to what she saw. He chose not to respond to Georgina's comment.

Glancing at the closed door, Georgina continued to murmur, "That task was so tough. How is Saoirse supposed to complete it alone? She wouldn't just grab someone and kiss them, would she?"

Julian shook his head. "She wouldn't."

Surprised by his certainty, Georgina looked at him curiously. "How are you so sure?"

"She likes me a lot. She wouldn't have eyes for anyone else."

Saoirse happened to reach the door when she heard this. A bitter smile appeared on her lips. So, Julian knew everything. He knew how hopelessly she liked him.

Was that why he could so recklessly hurt her?

She straightened her hair, which was damp with cold sweat, and pushed open the door.

Seeing her come out, Georgina quickly stepped forward, grabbing her hand with a concerned expression. "Saoirse, how did you get out?"

Saoirse took a few steps to the side, distancing herself from Georgina, and replied coolly, "It's simple. Just forfeit, and the scare actors will let you out."

Georgina's eyes widened in surprise at those nonchalant words. She turned to Julian. "We could forfeit the game? Then why did we—"

Julian interrupted her before she could finish. "I was too worried about you. I'm sorry."

Georgina's blush hadn't faded as she glanced at Saoirse. She tentatively commented, "I'm fine with it as long as you don't mind, Saoirse. Julian and I used to play house and kiss each other a lot when we were kids. We only play around; it's nothing serious."

Seeing the two of them echoing each other, Saoirse silently walked toward the exit.

After the scare, both of them were exhausted. Georgina automatically said goodbye and headed home alone.

Once her car was out of sight, Julian finally turned his attention to Saoirse.

"You must be tired. Let's go out for dinner. How about Western food?"

Noting his unusual initiative today, Saoirse guessed he might be feeling guilty about the kiss and was trying to make it up to her. By now, she didn't care much about these unimportant matters. She agreed, pretending nothing had happened.

They went to the nearby Flencan restaurant, where Julian had specifically booked a private room on the second floor.

Even with the beautiful night view outside the window and the romantic candlelit dinner in front of her, Saoirse showed little emotion as she stared blankly at the yellow roses in the vase.

Julian was about to find a topic to discuss when a WhatsApp message popped up.

After quickly reading the message, he stood up almost instantly.

"I have something to take care of. Saoirse, would you mind eating alone?"

Saoirse glanced at him but didn't inquire about the situation. She gave a small nod.

Seeing this, Julian hurriedly grabbed his coat and rushed downstairs.

The waiter soon brought the dishes to the table.

Saoirse didn't say anything when the waiter glanced around in surprise. She only picked up her knife and fork and started enjoying her meal.

It was exactly 7:00 pm by the time she finished. After booking a ride online, she aimlessly scrolled through her social media feed.

As she refreshed the page with a gentle swipe of her finger, Georgina's latest post came into view.

The photo showed Georgina in the hospital, with her lower leg wrapped in layers of bandages. There was a trance of blood.

"Bummer! How did I end up in a multi-vehicle collision while out having fun? I just got back to the country, and now I'm in the hospital!"

Chapter 8

After returning home, Saoirse received a message from Julian's junior.

"Saoirse, why has Julian taken four or five days off? I've sent him messages but he hasn't replied. Is something wrong?"

Saoirse already knew the reason for Julian's leave. Still, she came up with an explanation for him. After all, Julian usually spent all his time in the lab and was never late or absent. It was a given that people would wonder when he suddenly took so many days off.

"Something happened at home."

After explaining, she walked over to the dining table and tore off another page from the calendar.

The 21 became a 20. After tomorrow, the dates would start with 1.

Thinking about the upcoming trip, she took a deep breath and dragged her exhausted body into the bathroom.

Perhaps because of the day's activities, she slept particularly well that night and didn't wake up until noon the next day.

The apartment was quiet, with everything in its usual place, undisturbed.

Julian had not returned for another night.

Saoirse had grown accustomed to it. She walked to the kitchen alone, poured herself a glass of milk, slowly enjoyed it, and began her solitary day.

Days passed, and the number on the calendar went from 20 to 15.

Julian had not sent any messages. He seemed to have vanished from her life.

As Saoirse busied herself packing her bags and preparing relevant documents, she would occasionally think about her "boyfriend."

Meanwhile, Julian was likely occupied with taking care of Georgina and had not thought of her at all.

On Monday, the junior sent another message, asking why Julian still hadn't come to class.

Seeing this, Saoirse finally called Julian to ask where he was.

Julian was silent for half a minute on the phone before giving a carefully formulated answer.

"I've been a bit busy lately. I can't come home for now."

Seeing that he was still being vague, Saoirse couldn't help but ask what was on her mind. "Did something happen to Georgina?"

Julian had to come clean when he realized that he couldn't hide the truth any longer. "Gina was in a car accident a few days ago on her way home," he confessed.

Recalling the social media post, Saoirse asked again, "Is she seriously injured?"

"She has minor injuries, nothing broken. But Gina is afraid of injections and doesn't like taking medicine. She hasn't been eating or sleeping well in the hospital and needs someone by her side. I've been staying at the hospital with her because I feel bad about it. After all, the accident happened because I didn't see her off. Please don't take it the wrong way."

Listening to Julian's anxious tone over a minor injury, Saoirse wanted to say it was fine, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

When Julian didn't hear a response, he assumed she was jealous and quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, Saoirse. I didn't mean to worry you. I'll come back to you as soon as Gina is better."

Saoirse didn't take his promise to heart. After reminding him to take his leave, she ended the call.

Time flowed like water, and the countdown changed from 15 to 10, then to single digits.

On the 27th day of the countdown, Saoirse went back to school with her prepared study-abroad application materials and had one last meal with her classmates.

Upon learning of her departure, everyone was reluctant to let her go. They came forward to toast and bid her farewell.

"Saoirse, you'll be gone for years, and with your parents working abroad, you might not come back for a long time. This is all so sudden."

"Though partings are inevitable in life, we'll all miss you. We hope everything goes well for you. No matter what, make sure to stay in touch with us!"

Touched by everyone's blessings and concerns, Saoirse downed her drink to show her appreciation.

A few of her roommates glanced around. Not seeing Julian, they asked curiously, "You're about to leave, so why isn't Julian here with you for the paperwork? You told him, right?"

Saoirse looked down and smiled slightly, not answering directly.

"He's been very busy lately. He couldn't make it."

Knowing that Julian was a busy person, they didn't think much of it and turned to comfort Saoirse.

"Long-distance relationships aren't a big deal. As long as you both think of and love each other, it'll be fine!"

Saoirse offered a smile in return and raised her glass to hide the conflicted look in her eyes, though it couldn't obscure the sense of melancholy surging within her.

Love could indeed go through trials to sustain a relationship.

Unfortunately, Julian did not love her.

Chapter 9

The party lasted until 4:00 am.

When Saoirse returned to her apartment, she saw that the clock on the wall had already struck one. She took down another page from the calendar, marking the second-to-last day of her countdown.

The next morning, Saoirse woke up early. She cleaned and tidied the entire apartment, then took all the extra items she had organized during this time and dragged them downstairs to throw them away.

Next, she gathered all the diaries and photos she secretly took during their relationship and took them to the study. One by one, she fed them into the shredder and mixed them with kitchen waste.

From then on, this apartment where she and Julian had lived for three years would no longer have any trace of her.

On the last day of the countdown, Saoirse slept unusually well. The sleep was particularly long, and when she pulled open the curtains, she saw it was a bright, sunny day.

It was the perfect day for her to leave.

She got up, put the last bit of food she had bought into the microwave, and casually tore down the final page of the calendar.

Just as the microwave dinged, she heard the sound of a key turning in the lock at the door.

Julian, who hadn't been home for over half a month, immediately sensed something was different when he entered. Many things in the apartment were missing. The completely torn-off calendar, too, bothered him.

He asked, "Why is there so much stuff missing?"

"I threw away what's not needed." Saoirse's voice was extremely calm. "You can buy new things if you see something you like later."

Julian nodded and didn't dwell on it. He carried the vegetables he had just bought into the kitchen.

Seeing Saoirse's simple breakfast, he couldn't help but take away the plate.

"It's your birthday today. Why are you only eating this? Stop; I'll cook."

Saoirse was surprised to hear that he remembered her birthday.

She sat on the couch, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen while staring at the clock on the wall that ticked away every second.

When several dishes were served on the table, Julian's phone rang again. He put down the dish he was holding and answered the call.

"Julian? Where are you? Gina's refusing to take her medicine again. Hurry and come to the hospital to persuade her."

The voice on the other end was a middle-aged woman's, sounding very much like Georgina's. Saoirse guessed it was probably Georgina's mother.

Julian didn't immediately agree but instead looked at Saoirse as if seeking her opinion.

"Go ahead and do what you have to," Saoirse uttered.

Hearing her speak so calmly, Julian let out a sigh of relief. Yet, he still felt a pang of guilt. He quickly promised to make it up to her with a belated birthday celebration.

Saoirse shook her head slightly, smiling as she declined.

Julian felt a sudden sense of unease at the look on her face. He was about to ask her something when the doorbell rang.

He hurried to the door and accepted the mango cake he had ordered earlier. When he returned, Saoirse's demeanor had already returned to normal.

She took the cake from him and seemed eager to let him be on his way.

Julian felt even guiltier. Glancing at the time, he noted there were only a few minutes left. He moved to the dining table and began opening the cake box.

"I'll wait until you've made your wish before I leave," he said.

Saoirse lit the candle, clasped her hands together, and whispered her wish.

"I hope Julian gets what he wishes for and stays with the one he loves forever."

At those words, Julian's usually cold eyes softened with a smile. He couldn't help but gently caress Saoirse's hair.

"What kind of wish is that? We're already together, no?"

Seeing the smile on his face, Saoirse also managed a small smile. She didn't explain further, only reminding him that time was running out.

Julian glanced at the clock, then waved at her and headed toward the door.

As he was about to close it, Saoirse instinctively called out to him. "Julian, actually…"

Julian turned around, looking at her expectantly.

"What is it?" he asked.

Saoirse's remaining words were stuck in her throat at the sight of his face.

"Never mind. Be careful on your way."

Julian didn't think much of it. With a nod, he closed the door behind him.

As the sound of his footsteps faded away, Saoirse's unspoken words echoed in the empty room.

"Julian, I'm allergic to mangoes.

"And today is the last day I will be with you."

These words drifted away silently, like vapor, dissolving into the air.

When the clock struck midnight, Saoirse stood up, discarded the food and cake from the table, and returned to her bedroom. She pulled out the suitcase she had prepared earlier and took out a marker to write a final note on the calendar with "0" printed on it.

"Julian, let's break up."

With that name signed and the decision made, Saoirse opened and closed the door behind her. Dragging her suitcase behind her, she left the apartment that she had once called home.