On the third day of our reconciliation, I suddenly realized I didn’t have feelings for Liam anymore. We were at a dinner party. Liam’s childhood friend, Olivia, was watching him peel shrimp for me. “Look at our Liam, all grown up,” she said with a nostalgic sigh. “Putting his wife first. Not like when we were together. Back then, all he wanted to do was fart on me.” She quickly corrected herself, realizing what she’d said. “Oh, not that we were *together* together. We were just kids, you know, playing house. He was so dumb back then, he didn’t even know how to put on a condom. Almost got me pregnant.” The whole table went silent, all eyes on me. When I didn’t say anything, Liam frowned. “Are you really going to get jealous over something that happened a million years ago? If there was anything real between us, you wouldn’t have even been in the picture.” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I just said, calmly, “No, I’m not.” Suddenly, the glass in Liam’s hand shattered. 1 “Let’s break up.” I glanced at the blood dripping from his palm, my voice flat. He froze for a second, then the veins in his arm bulged, his fist clenched tight, blood pouring from between his fingers. “Ava, what the hell is your problem? We just got back together. Olivia was just joking. Who are you trying to piss off with that face?” “What, are you addicted to breaking up with me now?” Everyone at the table held their breath. In the past, whenever he got angry, I would immediately back down, apologize, and beg for his forgiveness. But now, I didn’t even bother to look at him. I just slowly wiped my mouth with a napkin. “No, a real breakup,” I said. “I don’t love you anymore, Liam.” I pushed my chair back. “I’m full. I’m leaving.” He let go of the broken glass and grabbed my arm, his grip like a vice. He shoved the small bowl of peeled shrimp in front of me. “Sit down and eat.” I cried out in pain, but when I looked up, his face was a mask of sneering contempt. All those times we had broken up and gotten back together, I was always the one to crawl back. He actually thought this, this command, was his way of asking me to stay. When I didn’t immediately sit down, his face darkened. I just laughed at his arrogance, and with a sharp twist, I pulled my arm free. “Give them to your precious Olivia.” The whole table gasped. They had never seen me, the quiet, submissive Ava, publicly humiliate Liam before. He stared at me, his face turning from red to purple, his whole body trembling with rage. Olivia, seeing her chance, tugged on his sleeve. “Liam, don’t be mad. You two just got back together. Don’t let me be the cause of another fight.” Her words were like fuel on the fire. “Ava, don’t push your luck,” he snarled. “Apologize to Olivia. Now.” Olivia looked at me, a triumphant glint in her eyes, but her voice was all sweetness and reason. “You don’t have to apologize, Ava. It’s my fault. I’m just so used to joking around with Liam…” I couldn’t stand her fake innocence for another second. “If you don’t know how to talk,” I said, cutting her off, “then don’t.” She was speechless, her fists clenched, her face red with suppressed anger. I ignored both of their furious glares and walked out. “Ava!” Liam’s voice was like ice. “This better be a real breakup this time. Don’t come crying to me in a few days, telling me how much you love me, begging me to take you back!” His words were like daggers in my back. I had loved him so much, I had lost myself. And now, that blind love had turned into a weapon he used to humiliate me. I fought back the tears, and after a long moment, I managed a small, bitter smile. “Don’t worry,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady. “I’m already over you.” I heard the sound of dishes shattering behind me as I ran out the door. His roar echoed down the hallway. “Get out! And don’t ever let me see you again!” I just laughed. I wanted that more than he did. I was on the curb, trying to hail a cab, when I realized I had left my phone on the table. I had to go back. As I approached the door to the private room, I heard one of his friends speaking. “Liam, man, I think she’s really mad this time. You’re not going to go after her?” “Aren’t you supposed to be proposing on your anniversary in a few days?” “Yeah, what if the bride doesn’t show up?” I peeked through the crack in the door and saw Liam, a smug, cruel smile on his face. “Ava? She won’t last the night. She’ll be on her knees, begging me to take her back. But this time, I’m not going to give in so easily.” “She’ll probably come back with the anniversary ring any minute now.” The room erupted in laughter. I pulled the custom-made ring from my purse and threw it in the nearest trash can. *Happy anniversary, Liam. Marry yourself.* Then I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. 2 The room went silent. A moment later, everyone looked at Liam with a new respect. He just sat there, a smug look on his face, and said, in a long, drawn-out voice, “Ava. We’re broken up. What are you doing back here? Having second thoughts already?” I ignored the sneers and whispers and walked straight to him. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, waiting for me to beg. I just laughed, grabbed my phone from the table, and said, “You wish. I’m going home to write my resignation letter.” He hadn’t expected that. His eyes turned red, and he hissed, “Don’t bother. You’re fired. And Ava, I think I’ve been too nice to you lately. You need to go home and think about what you’ve done.” He was still waiting for me to apologize. I just shook my head and walked out. The next morning, I went to the office to pack up my things. My colleagues were whispering and pointing at me. Then I saw her. Olivia, sitting at my desk, eating a piece of cake off my keyboard. She saw me and pushed the half-eaten cake toward me, her red lipstick smeared on the frosting. “Ava, I’m so sorry. I accidentally reformatted your computer. Here, have some cake. My treat.” She leaned back in my chair, a triumphant smirk on her face. I glanced at my desk, which had also been “reformatted.” There was nothing left to pack. The lost files were the company’s problem, and the personal items were mostly gifts from Liam. Good riddance. I just gave her a look of pure pity and turned to leave. My indifference seemed to bother her more than any anger would have. “Wait!” she called out. I sighed, exasperated. “Olivia, Liam and I are broken up. I’ve been fired. Can you please stop using him to try and get to me?” She picked up the piece of cake and was about to throw it at me. I instinctively put up my hand to block it, and the cake went flying, right into her face. She stood there, covered in frosting, tears streaming down her face, a ridiculous, pathetic sight. The whole office was staring. Liam rushed over, gently wiping the cream from her face. He looked at me with daggers in his eyes. “Ava, are you insane?! Apologize to her right now!” Olivia, a look of pure victory on her face, leaned into his chest and started to sob. “It’s my fault, Liam. I broke her computer, and she got mad and threw the cake at me.” “I can’t believe you,” he roared at me. “I never knew you were such a petty, vindictive person!” He grabbed my wrist and pointed to the mess on the floor. “Now, you’re going to get down on your knees and eat that cake.” I tried to pull my arm away, but he just held on tighter, forcing me to the ground. “Apologize!” I wouldn’t bend. The pain in my arm was excruciating, but I wouldn’t give in. A cruel, vicious look came over his face. “Ava, why have you been so difficult lately? Do I have to… personally teach you how to be sorry?” He dragged me toward the storage room. He was so much stronger than me, my struggles were useless. He threw me inside and locked the door. I looked around. We were alone in the dark, cold room. He picked up a roll of duct tape. I tried to run, but he pinned me against a shelf and wrapped the tape around my hands. I was trembling. “Liam, you can’t…” The tape went around my legs. He looked at my terrified face, a satisfied smile on his. He gently stroked my hair, then leaned in and whispered in my ear, his voice like ice. “You’ve been so spoiled lately, Ava. Why do you keep embarrassing me in public?” “You’re going to stay in here and think about what you’ve done. When you’re ready to apologize, I’ll let you out.” “I have nothing to apologize for!” He kissed me then, a hard, punishing kiss. When he finally pulled away, he tore off a piece of tape and sealed my lips. “Be a good girl, Ava. You’re about to be Mrs. Hamilton. You need to learn to behave.” I shook my head, my eyes wide with terror, as the heavy iron door slammed shut. 3 Suddenly, a blast of cold air hit me. Someone had turned on the freezer unit. I was bound and gagged, unable to call for help. I curled into a ball, shivering. I don’t know how long I was in there, but just as I was about to lose consciousness, the door opened. “Oh my god,” Olivia gasped. Liam rushed in and scooped me into his arms, his usual composure gone. “Who the hell turned on the freezer?!” he roared. He held me close, his warm body a stark contrast to the icy cold. He was tearing at the tape on my hands and feet, his eyes wet with tears. “Ava, it’s okay. I’m here. We’re going home.” For a moment, I was disoriented. His gentleness was so familiar. For five years, I had mistaken his gentleness for love. I saw Olivia and a group of our colleagues walk into the room, and Liam immediately let go of me. Olivia looked down at me, a smug look on her face. “I forgive you, Ava.” I looked at Liam, confused, but he had already moved to her side. “Don’t let it happen again,” he said, his voice flat. He walked out with her, leaving me on the cold, concrete floor. I pulled myself up and staggered out of the storage room. My phone, finally back in range, started buzzing with notifications. The company group chat was blowing up. “I was wrong. I apologize to Ms. Olivia Vance. My jealousy, my pettiness, my shameless behavior has caused her great harm…” It was a thousand-word apology, written by Liam, from my work account, painting me as a monster. In the past, I would have been furious. I would have demanded an explanation. But now, I just wanted to go home, pack my things, and get as far away from him as possible. On the way home, I booked the earliest flight to London for the next morning. This time, it was really over. I donated all the things he had ever given me, all the clothes I couldn’t take with me. In the end, I had just one suitcase. The next morning, as I was about to leave, he came home. He was in a tailored suit, his hair perfectly coiffed. He was clearly planning on proposing to me today. He saw my suitcase, and his face darkened. “Where are you going? Are you really going to throw a tantrum today of all days?” I just sighed. “Where I’m going is none of your business.” He tried to placate me. “Come on, don’t be like this. You’ve always wanted a proper proposal, right? I promise, you won’t be disappointed.” “And you’re already packed. Perfect. After it’s over, we can go to that resort for the weekend.” He pushed me toward the door. I was trying to figure out how to get away when his phone rang. It was Olivia. “Liam, my stomach hurts. I don’t think I can make it today.” “Don’t worry, I’m on my way,” he said, his voice full of concern. He started the car. “Just take a cab,” he said to me, his attention already elsewhere. Before I could react, the automatic door closed, trapping the hem of my coat. My heart lurched. I pounded on the window, but he was too preoccupied with Olivia to even notice I was there. The car started moving, and I was dragged along, stumbling and falling. The gravel tore at my skin, the world a blur of motion. My coat finally ripped, and I was thrown to the pavement. I lay there, unable to move, my jeans torn and bloody. Any last shred of guilt I had about leaving him vanished. I ignored the pain, hailed a cab, and went straight to the airport. Just as the plane was about to take off, he called. His voice was full of a happy, expectant excitement. “Where are you? We’re all waiting for you.”
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