Chapter 1 – Selfishness

• Ella
• “Chug! Chug! Chug!” the crowd cheered as he emptied the drink in one go.
• Surrounding him were “our friends”—Helen, Arthur, Daisy, and Sean. Everyone was there except for me; I had been replaced by a familiar face. She was tall and fair, with doe-like eyes—a goddess who could make any man fall hard at a moment's notice. Camilla Dove: his long-lost obsession, his lover—the woman I could never be.
• The game of spin the bottle continued, and everyone excitedly waited for the bottle to slow down. The crowd went wild as it stopped on Zeru.
• “Dare!” Zeru shouted.
• “I dare the newly reunited couple to have a hot make-out session—right here, right now!” said Helen.
• Without hesitation, she jumped into his lap and got down to business. He responded, holding her with love and affection. Suddenly, everything became clear to me—the distance, the open relationship, his time spent away from home—it had all been spent with her. She was back to claim her rightful place, which meant I had to go. My heart broke into a million pieces as I turned around and left. Five years, two months, and twenty-two days of delusional love came to an end tonight.
• I made my way down the dark road, reminiscing about the good times we'd had together. We had been high school friends. I fell in love with him in our second year, but I was scared to lose our friendship, so I never spoke up. High school passed by as I watched him spend time with everyone but me.
• When college came, I finally built up the courage to confess, only to be told he had found the woman of his dreams. Foolishly, I congratulated him and sent him off with a smile. I watched from the sidelines as he fell in love, made memories, and smiled with genuine happiness. But by the end of college, trouble was brewing in paradise.
• Zeru asked for Camilla’s hand in marriage, but she refused and disappeared. That was when I came in. He sought me out because I had always been there to listen. And like so many times before, I listened. I learned many things—things he would never tell anyone else. For the first time, I saw this man broken.
• Pity, love, or alcohol—I didn't know what it was, but we ended up in bed together that night. The next morning, he asked me out of nowhere to be his girlfriend. I was shocked, but more than that, I was happy. I agreed, and that's where our story began.
• Life with Zeru was blissful at first. It didn’t take long before he returned to his old self—happy, cheerful, playful, and charming. The man he had been before Camilla returned in full force, but it never bothered me because that was who he truly was.
• Moreover, he never truly gave me a place in his heart, and I knew that. I knew my presence meant no more to him than the women he spent one-night stands with. I knew I could never affect him the way Camilla had. I knew I could never truly be his lover—but as long as he came home to me every night, it was enough. I was satisfied.
• Two years ago, everything suddenly changed. Out of nowhere, he stopped coming home. Dinner was left untouched and cold on the table. I went to bed alone, and that became the norm. After that incident, I was abruptly cast aside by him and “our friends.” Everything made sense now.
• I made it to the home we'd shared for the past five years and burst into tears. I had hoped that one day I could break through the wall around his heart—that one day he would fall for me. I had always been careful not to overstep my boundaries, but unintentionally, I'd crossed the line. The other side wasn't what I'd expected. There was no place for me in his heart. Today, this delusional love ended.
• I got up and began packing. I didn't take anything besides my clothes and a pair of shoes. Before leaving, I took one last tour around the house. There were pictures of us from our trips to Yellowstone, New York, Las Vegas, Paris, and more. Memories were the only things I would take with me. When the delusion ends, everything else must be left behind.
• Before completely letting go, I made him dinner, refilled his medication, and wrote a goodbye letter. Knowing Zeru, he'd either be late or wouldn't return until morning. He'd probably sleep until evening and wake up with a headache. This time, I won’t be here to welcome him home.
• Five years, two months, and twenty-two days—and I'd failed to capture his heart. This child would do nothing but tie him down with responsibility, bringing endless pain to both of us. After finishing the letter, I left it on the nightstand and walked out.
• With my luggage in hand, I made my way to a nearby hotel to spend the night. Tomorrow, I will quit my job at Anderson Corp and leave the city. I couldn't face Zeru now. I was afraid that if he asked me to stay, I wouldn't be able to refuse. It is time to let go of my delusions and move on with my life.
• *Ding*Dong*
• The door opens after a few rings. Mrs. Anderson, who is three months pregnant, stands on the other side, glaring daggers at me.
• “I’m looking for Mr. Anderson,” I said, and the woman’s expression darkened.
• “Who are you? Why are you looking for my husband?” she asked murderously.
• “I’m Ella from the office. May I speak with Mr. Anderson in private, please?” I asked.
• Before she could yell at me again, Mr. Anderson walked up to us.
• “Celine, who is at the door?” he asked, wrapping his hand around her slightly protruding belly.
• She turns around and starts hitting her husband. She screams at the CEO, accusing him of cheating on her. This stern man gently holds her hand and patiently explains my situation to his wife. Tyson Anderson knows everything about me and his brother, but he doesn’t want to be too involved with us, so he lets us be.
• After the mini brawl with his wife, they invited me inside.
• “What do you want to see me for?” Mr. Anderson asked, while Celine serves snacks.
• “I wish to terminate my employment with Anderson Corporation immediately.”
• Mr. Anderson was taken aback. “Why?” he asked.
• “I will be moving away today, sir,” I replied, keeping the information to a minimum.
• “Send your resignation to your direct manager.”
• “Sorry, sir, but I do not wish to tell him directly.” Mr. Anderson’s brow furrowed.
• “Be honest with me, did Zee do something stupid again?”
• “It was me who was the stupid one. We were never in a real relationship to begin with. I wanted to let go and move on,” I explained.
• “Tell me the truth. Are you pregnant?” Mrs. Anderson asked.
• I was taken aback but tried to keep my composure and answered, “No.”
• “You are pregnant, aren’t you? I saw you at the hospital today—in the maternity department,” she confessed. It must be why she was angry to see me in the first place.
• I sighed and confessed, “Yes, I am.”
• “You’re pregnant with Zee's child?!” Celine almost jumped a foot in the air. “Why are you leaving?”
• “You guys know how he is. We are not enough to stop Zee from being who he is. Forcing this child on him will only bring endless pain for everyone. I know I’m being selfish, but I want to move on with my life.”
• “I cannot let you go. You are carrying my nephew. What will you do? How will you live?” Mr. Anderson asked.
• “I will figure something out as long as I am free from this contract.”
• “Are you adamant about leaving?” he asked.
• “Yes,” I answered sternly.
• “If so, then I will send you to one of our smaller firms,” Tyson offered.
• “I do not wish for Zee to know my whereabouts.”
• “I’m currently investigating corruption within this firm. You will be working undercover for me, and your compensation will come from my personal accounts. Zee will never know about this deal.”
• “But I…”
• “You are free to take any other job as you wish, but let me take care of my irresponsible brother’s child,” Mr. Anderson reasoned.
• “OK,” I agreed.
• In a matter of hours, everything is settled, and I leave the city without looking back.