Part 3The Scallion Effect

Naturally, we parted on bad terms.

Leo drove off, leaving me at the restaurant entrance.

I thought I would be sad.

But in reality, too many similar things had happened.

My feelings had been consumed bit by bit, my emotions diluted drop by drop...

Watching the black sedan disappear into the distance, I felt nothing.

I called a taxi and went to my apartment a few miles away.

I bought this apartment when I first started working.

At the time, Leo was dead set against it.

He said he had already bought our marital home. He said buying this apartment was a waste of money, completely unnecessary.

Looking back, I had foresight.

I slept soundly that night.

The next day, I specifically chose a time when Leo would be at work to return to our shared home to pack.

But I didn't expect to see him there. Or Bella.

"Long time no see, Sarah."

Bella greeted me first.

Still with that aloof, arrogant air.

I nodded.

It had indeed been a long time.

Bella and I were roommates in undergrad.

Her family was exceptionally wealthy back then.

She only lived in the dorms for two weeks freshman year before complaining it was too crowded. She bought an apartment across the street and moved out.

After that, she rarely came to class, and I rarely saw her.

I started seeing her again when she started dating Leo, who was in the same club as me.

Yes, she is Leo's ex-girlfriend.

Later, for some reason, they broke up.

Bella and I never saw each other again.

Leo, however, went to the same grad school as me.

It was during grad school that he started pursuing me relentlessly.

At first, I had zero interest in him and declined all his invitations.

He wasn't discouraged and continued to show concern and care for me every day.

The turning point happened one night.

I was walking back to the dorm from the library when a man jumped out of the dark bushes.

He held a small knife, grinning at me with yellow teeth.

He walked toward me, laughing.

I was frozen with fear.

Just then, Leo appeared out of nowhere.

He kicked the man and started wrestling with him.

Afterward, I accompanied him to the campus clinic to treat his wounds and asked why he was there.

He looked a bit embarrassed:

"I saw on the campus app that there have been creeps around lately. You're so pretty, I was worried..."

Seeing me frown, he quickly waved his hands:

"Of course, I know you don't want to see me, and I didn't want to be annoying. I just wanted to secretly walk you back to the dorm and leave once you were safe."

My heart trembled imperceptibly.

After that night, my relationship with Leo changed.

Later, I accepted his confession.

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.