Part 3Loving You Was a Dead End

Someone laughed and handed him an envelope filled with money. He took it and gave it to Grace, then looked at me, his eyes full of mockery. "Hailey Vance, you really can't live without me, can you? You heard something happened to me, and you rushed over without even washing your face?"

The others joined in the teasing. One guy laughed and called out, "Hailey, Leo already said he doesn't like you. You're broken up, and you're still chasing after him? Is no one else interested in you?"

Another chimed in, "Leo, look how desperate she is. Maybe she wants to come back and continue serving you, hoping to get back together!"

"Yeah, right, wasn't she acting all high and mighty before? Now she's practically throwing herself at him?"

"What breakup? I bet she's just playing hard to get…"

I stood there, unable to stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks. Seeing me cry, Leo’s mockery deepened. He pushed Grace off his lap and walked over to me, pinching my face, forcing me to look at him.

"What are you crying for?" He leaned in, his breath heavy with alcohol, and lightly touched my lips, his tone flippant. "Now you regret it? Beg me, and I'll…"

Before he could finish, I slapped him.

“Smack!” The laughter in the living room instantly ceased. Everyone gasped. Leo's face froze, his eyes instantly turning cold. He frowned and pushed me away. "Hailey Vance, you dare hit me? Over such a trivial matter?"

Grace immediately rushed over, pulling on Leo’s arm, soothing him softly. "Leo, don't be angry. She's just jealous, she's gone crazy." Then, she glanced at me. "She was always like this in the dorms, always getting too close to guys in class, deliberately trying to make people misunderstand. Didn't she just want all the guys to fawn over her? Now she's trying to act innocent."

I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand, my eyes bloodshot, my voice rising. "Leo Maxwell, I must have been blind to ever be with you. From today on, I will never look for you again. If you die, it has nothing to do with me!"

Leo froze for a moment, a flicker of panic in his eyes, but then he scoffed. "Last time you threw a tantrum, didn't you come back to me within three days, clutching the plush toy I gave you? Now you're trying this again? Fine, I'll wait. But when you regret it, don't come begging me." He leaned back on the sofa, pulling Grace closer, then whispered something to his friends, utterly convinced I’d return. He didn’t even glance at me again.

I didn't watch the merriment in the living room anymore. I turned and walked out. Just downstairs, I saw my scooter lying crooked by the roadside, its back tire flat, punctured by someone unknown. I struggled to push the bike towards the dorm, the path dark, with one or two drunk people occasionally passing by. My heart pounded, and I quickened my pace.

Thankfully, I made it back to the dorm safely. The boxes were still by the door. I grew angrier the more I thought about it, kicking them into a corner before collapsing into bed.