Chapter 2

Just what? Just that you care about her more, right?" I interrupted him, my eyes turning red as tears threatened to fall but stubbornly stayed in place.

"We've been together for so long, and I've never seen you treat anyone with such tenderness, such care. Daniel, you make me feel like I'm just an extra in your life."

Daniel seemed worried I might overthink things. He hesitated for a moment, then smiled and gently ran his fingers through my hair.

"Come on, Jenny, don't overthink it. Let's go home."

I watched the false gentleness on Daniel's face, suppressing the flood of questions and anger within me, forcing a smile.

I didn't miss the flicker of restrained hatred in Katherine's eyes as she watched Daniel walk toward me. But when she looked back at him, her expression shifted to that same soft, vulnerable façade.

Back at home, Daniel gently helped me to the couch, lightly patting my back, his voice tender and soothing.

"Jenny, are you jealous? That girl is just like a little sister to me—she stayed at my house when we were kids. Her parents are gone, and she has no one to rely on, so she came to me."

"And besides, I was planning to come see you after finishing up at the company. It's just that I ran into her outside, crouched down on the ground. I didn't think much of it and brought her to the hospital. I figured since I was already here, I could check on you too."

I lifted my head and looked at him, my gaze complex. Those same eyes that used to give me so much comfort now felt completely unfamiliar.

Daniel's calm, gentle demeanor, as though nothing had happened, made it seem like his coldness earlier was just a figment of my imagination.

"Daniel, did you know? It's not that I don't trust the relationship between you and her. What I care about is your attitude towards our relationship." I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady.

"You keep saying she's just like a sister to you, but in the hospital, the tenderness and affection you showed her was something I've never seen before. In that moment, I really felt like an outsider."

Daniel's expression changed slightly.

My eyes welled up with tears, yet I managed to muster a faint smile, determined not to let them fall. "I'll go take a shower."

A faint pain spread through my chest, though I wasn't sure if it came from my heart or from Daniel.

Back in the bathroom, tears streamed down my face without warning.

The phone rang suddenly, jolting me back. I wiped my hands dry and answered.

"Jenny, you better come tomorrow night, no flaking on me this time, or you're dead!" My best friend Sophia's voice blared from the other end.

"Alright, I'll be there on time," I replied in a hoarse voice.

"Jenny, what's wrong? Why do you sound like that?" Sophia asked, concerned.

"Nothing, just caught a little cold," I said, trying to steady my voice.

"A cold? Well, get Daniel to make you some hot water and take some medicine."

Suddenly, it hit me—these five years with Daniel, though he was always kind and gentle, he never seemed to be around when I wasn't feeling well. He always had an excuse, and his tenderness always arrived just a moment too late.