Chapter 2

I turned around and walked away without wasting another second.

Phillips was stunned. He chased after me and grabbed my wrist in the hallway.

"Susan, seriously? It's just a room. Why are you overreacting like this?"

I shook his hand off. "Just a room? Did you even bother to ask me first?"

"What is there to ask? It’s not safe for Penny to stay in a hotel by herself."

"What’s the big deal about us sharing for one night? She’s not even taking the bed. She’s sleeping on the couch!"

I stared at his face, suddenly feeling like I was looking at a complete stranger.

"Why didn't you tell me when you booked the room? Why didn't you say anything before we got in the car?"

"You wait until we're literally standing in front of the door to tell me we're sharing. Phillips, what do you take me for?"

"I just didn't want you overthinking things!"

He frowned, looking at me as if I were the one being completely unreasonable.

"You always do this. You get mad over the smallest things. Why do you have to make everything so complicated?"

"I’m making things complicated?"

I almost laughed out of sheer anger.

"You brought another girl to stay in our room, I said no, and that makes me complicated?"

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"That’s your problem, not mine."

I hit the button for the elevator.

"Since you care so much about her safety, you two enjoy the room. Leave me out of it."

The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped inside.

Phillips didn't follow me.

"Susan, can you stop being so dramatic? Do you really have to ruin this trip for everyone?"

As the elevator doors closed, I heard Penny run out of the room. Her voice sounded soft and pitiful.

"Phillips, maybe I should just leave. I don't want you guys fighting because of me."

I didn't hear how Phillips replied.

The elevator dropped to the lobby. I walked straight to the front desk and asked if there were any vacancies.

The receptionist checked the system for a while and said, "We actually had a last-minute cancellation. We have a deluxe king room available. It's $350 for the night."

Normally, I would never spend that much. But tonight, I didn't even hesitate. I handed over my credit card.

I took the key card and went up to the twelfth floor. Their room was on the ninth.

Once inside, I threw my suitcase on the floor and collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

My phone kept buzzing. It was a barrage of Snapchats from Phillips.

"What do you actually want from me?"

"Did you really have to ruin the trip like this?"

"Susan, can you be reasonable for once?"

I didn't reply. Ten minutes later, he sent another one:

"I talked to Penny. She’s going to stay somewhere else. You can come back now."

I stared at the message for a long time. Then, I typed my reply:

"Phillips, let’s break up."

After hitting send, I flipped my phone face-down on the bed.

My heart was racing, and my palms were sweating.

I forced myself not to look at my phone for three minutes. When I finally picked it up, Phillips had replied: "Are you sure?"

Looking at those three words, I suddenly smiled.

I replied: "Yes."

This time, he shot back instantly: "Fine. Don't regret it."

I didn't write back.

I lay in bed for about half an hour until my stomach started cramping.

I had only eaten some snacks in the car at noon, and now it was almost 8 PM and I hadn't had dinner.

I got up, washed my face, changed my clothes, and went downstairs to find some food.

There was a trendy restaurant street near the hotel, packed with holiday tourists.

I walked along the sidewalk, looking for a place with the shortest line.

But when I reached a popular Korean BBQ spot, I stopped.

Not because the line was short, but because through the glass window, I saw Phillips and Penny.