Part 1The Germaphobe Doctor's Unclean Ex-Girlfriend

I had been chewed out by my boss today and worked late, dragging my exhausted body back to the home I shared with Dr. Julian Thorne.

As soon as I opened the door, Julian, sitting upright at his desk, said without changing his expression, "Change your slippers, take a shower."

I took a deep breath. Having just been criticized by my boss, maybe the anger went to my head, or maybe I just snapped. Tears of grievance fell. Instead of changing my slippers, I carelessly threw my bag and lay directly on the sofa.

"Julian, let's break up."

Julian didn't even look up, ignoring my words directly. "Looks like the sofa cover needs to be thrown away tomorrow, and the floor needs to be mopped."

I gritted my teeth and repeated clearly, word by word, "Julian, let's, break, up!"

This was the sixth time I had brought up breaking up in half a year. I admit I like Julian and can't bear to leave him, but I really can't stand it anymore.

Not just because he has mysophobia, but because he has mysophobia towards me too.

In the year we've been together, holding hands can be counted on one hand—only once. Kissing, hugging, all the things couples should do, we've never done. Just because Julian is a person who loves cleanliness so much that he washes his hands three times after shaking hands with a friend.

What's even more hateful is that in the two months we lived together, we slept in separate rooms. I couldn't enter his room. The first thing I had to do when I got home was change my slippers and take a shower. Even going to the toilet required cleaning it seriously with toilet bowl cleaner first, and doing the same operation afterwards.

Once I got lazy and just flushed with water. As a result, Julian replaced the toilet the next day.

A miserable life, a miserable me!

I knew clearly that Julian didn't love me. I wasn't the special one, and I couldn't be the special one in the future.

* * *

Julian finally looked up at me, his captivating eyes glancing at me slightly. I couldn't see the emotion in his eyes clearly, only feeling they were exceptionally calm. He said, "Thought it through?"

My heart suddenly clenched. The last time we broke up, Julian asked the same thing.

At that time, I eventually softened spinelessly. How could liking someone be so easily let go?

But this time, I didn't intend to compromise. If he didn't love me! Why did he accept my confession in the first place? If he didn't want to touch a finger of mine, why did he agree to live with me?

I didn't want to live days like this for another second. Being with Julian, I lived in fear like a stranger for a year.

I also wanted to do nothing when I got home, lie on the sofa and scroll through my phone, instead of changing slippers, showering, and constantly worrying about dirtying his territory.

I wiped away my tears and sat up. "Thought it through."

"I'll pack my luggage and move out later."

Julian frowned, giving me a deep look, but ultimately didn't ask me to stay. "Okay, do you want me to call a car for you?"

I clutched my chest, took a deep breath, and muttered to myself, "Don't be angry, don't be angry, don't argue with an idiot..."

I got up and went back to my room to pack my luggage angrily, looking like I was running away from home. But when I got to the door, the more I thought about it, the more unwilling I felt.

Why should I be so uncomfortable, while Julian could remain unmoved?

No, I had to make him uncomfortable too. I couldn't bear this pain alone.

So I dropped my luggage and walked aggressively towards Julian at the desk. Julian rarely showed a trace of confusion. "Chloe Vance, what do you want to do?"

But why would I explain? I just forced myself on him, grabbing Julian's collar and kissing him.

Then I bit his lip in revenge. Not only that, I reached out and touched his chest all over. Before Julian had a chance to react, I ran away dragging my luggage.

Behind me came Julian's roar, "Chloe Vance! Are you crazy!"

That was my first kiss with him, and also the last.

News of my breakup with Julian spread quickly. After moving out of his apartment, I met with the manager who tried to poach me to their company last time.

It was a state-owned enterprise, but they had always cooperated with foreign companies.

After discussing the salary and benefits, I bought a plane ticket without hesitation and flew out of this city that broke my heart. Just a week into the new company, I won the opportunity to go abroad for training and further studies based on my previous excellent performance.

I admit I wanted to escape. I didn't want to see Julian again because I was afraid I would soften again.

Sitting on the plane flying abroad, looking at the countable and not intimate photos with Julian in my phone album, tears fell again. Then I reached out and deleted them all.

Julian, I will make you regret not cherishing me properly!

Crying and crying, I was afraid of ruining my expensive makeup, so I picked up my portable mirror and wiped my tears...

After half a year of further studies, I returned to the new company and worked hard for the boss. Gradually... I missed Julian less.

Perhaps this is the power of time.

I made a cup of coffee boredly. Footsteps sounded behind me. I didn't look back, but the man behind me called my name, "Chloe Vance, still working overtime?"

I turned to look at the person who came. It was our department's new colleague, Ryan Moore. He was also very hardworking.

Compared to me back then, he was even more so. When he first arrived, I teased him, "Are you also heartbroken?"

At that time, he answered me, "Yes."

Probably out of mutual pity, we quickly became familiar. Sometimes we traveled together on business, closer than best buddies.

I took a sip of coffee. "Isn't it obvious?"

Ryan laughed. "Be careful you don't go bald."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Nothing good comes out of a dog's mouth."

Ryan said again after a while, "There's a party tomorrow night. Do me a favor?"

I said directly, "No."

Ding ding, Venmo notification: Ryan Moore transferred you $5000.

I accepted it happily, then looked up at him. "I take back what I just said. Say it, what favor? As long as I can do it, I'll go through fire and water to get it done for you."

Ryan had a sly expression. "Pretend to be my girlfriend."

I said shamelessly, "Add another thousand."

Ryan twitched the corner of his mouth. "Pleasure doing business."

The next night, I wore a hot, waist-cinching red dress and followed Ryan into the party venue. Although my figure wasn't particularly great, it was considered above average, and my face wasn't bad. Ryan would definitely look good.

Ryan greeted his friends enthusiastically and then introduced me to them. Adhering to professional ethics, I held Ryan's arm, looking intimate.

When the crowd dispersed a bit, my peripheral vision paused, and my smile froze on my face.

Not for anything else, but because I saw an incredibly familiar figure, a figure I had escaped for two years but hadn't forgotten.

My gaze followed that man step by step as he walked over.

Julian Thorne. The person I would recognize even if he turned to ashes.

Seeing Julian arrive, Ryan immediately perked up. "Dr. Thorne, you're finally here. We've been waiting for you for a long time."

"This is my girlfriend, Chloe Vance."