Chapter 2
In the morning, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Sam and Leo in the kitchen, playing house like a perfect little couple.
As if last night was not enough to make my blood boil, Sara had the audacity to return to our home.
Sara even stood by the stove, flipping eggs with practiced ease, while Leo leaned against the counter beside her, close enough that
their shoulders brushed
He laughed at something she said, his eyes warm and relaxed in a way I had not seen in a long time.
The moment she noticed me standing there, she nudged Leo playfully with her hip before turning to me with a bright smile. “Lucy, are you awake?” she greeted, her tone sweet and casual, as if nothing was out of place. “Sorry, I was in a hurry last night and accidentally left my bag. I only meant to grab it, but since Leo was hungry, I made him some sunny–side up. Do you want some too?
She made it sound so harmless, so considerate–like she was just a thoughtful friend looking out for my boyfriend. But I knew better. She had never been sensitive to my presence, not even back in university!!
Sara had always found her way into Leo’s car whenever he picked me up from class, sitting in the passenger seat while I took the back
I
She always needed his help for one thing or another, and I never complained. I had told myself I did not want to be the controlling. insecure girlfriend, so I let it slide every time.
But maybe that was my mistake. Maybe my kindness made Sara think she had the right to overstep 3
Leo finally looked at me, his face lighting up as if the situation was normal. He walked over and took my hand in his, his grip warm and firm.
“You should try it,” he coaxed. “Sara’s sunny side up tastes like it’s made by a chef.”
I let myself be led to the dining table, nodding at everything as if I were on autopilot }
In the end, we sat down to have breakfast together. Leo took the middle seat, while Sara and I sat across from each other.
As expected, Sara filled the silence with her usual chatter. She laughed with Leo, telling him stories and reminiscing about their Bali vacation in a way that made me feel like an outsider:
Occasionally, she threw a comment my way, as if to acknowledge my presence, but it only made the imbalance clearer.
I was the third person there.
As the conversation continued, I cut in. “Since Sara was kind enough to cook, I’ll wash the dishes.”!!
I stood up immediately, grabbing my plate and heading to the sink before anyone could stop mel
Leo, ever the doting boyfriend, got up as well. “Sure, let me help you,” he offered, gathering the dishes and placing them beside me Sara stretched her arms lazily. Till freshen up in the bathroom then,” she announced, excusing herself as if she truly belonged here. The moment she disappeared, I took my chance
Keeping my voice calm, I murmured. “Can you take me to the US embassy later? My passport expires in a week.”
Leo, completely oblivious, nodded without hesitation. “Sure! We can go after this
He placed his hands on my waist from behind, pulling me into a warm hug as if he had all the time in the world for me at that
moment.
However, as Leo and I had just started chatting casually, a sudden scream echoed from the direction of the bathroom.
Leo did not hesitate. He bolted from my side, completely forgetting I even existed.
I stood frozen. The warmth of his embrace still lingered on my skin, but the person who had held me just moments ago was already gone
A few moments later, he emerged, carrying Sara in his arms. Her expression was pitiful, but I caught the fleeting smirk she shot my way when Leo was not looking
“Sara’s foot is sprained and really swollen,” he said hurriedly while grabbing his car keys from the counter. “I’ll take you to the embassy after I make sure she’s okay!
Then, without waiting for my answer, he left, leaving only silence.
I stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty space where he had been. But I was not surprised
This was not the first time Leo had disappointed me.X
From the very beginning of our relationship in college, Sara had always come first.
However, I thought after he had invited me to live with him and he started working at his family’s company, he would have less time for her and focused on us!!
But reality was crueler than my naive hopes.
Whenever 1 voiced my unhappiness, he would simply wave it aw
money to the card he gave to me as an apology.
treats
away, as if my feelings were an inconvenience. Instead, he would send
“I’m sorry. Use this to lighten your mood. Go shopping, hang out with your friends,” he would say, as if I were a pet to be pacified with
The problem was, I was not that kind of person
I did not want shopping sprees. I did not want material things. I just wanted a partner who cared.
But Leo had never truly considered my feelings
Taking a deep breath, I left for the US embassy alone.
Sitting in the waiting area, I filled out my identification Tenewal forms, my pen moving mechanically across the paper. But as reached the section that asked for my name, I paused!
A thought struck me, sudden and overwhelming. In twenty–nine days, I would be leaving for Melbourne for a fresh start. So, why not erase everything?
My fingers tightened around the pen.
And then, with quiet determination, I signed another form–requesting the deletion of my current ID and the registration of a new name.X
