She didn't even lift her head. She took the keys, thanked me, and left without looking back.
It wasn't until the next morning that she came back looking exhausted.
"My friend is seriously ill. It's cancer. He's depressed and vulnerable, and he needs someone to be with him. I have to go to the hospital for a few days to be there for him. I hope you can understand."
I still vividly remembered Nina's expression at that time.
As she calmly said the words "my friend", her eyes revealed her concern and distress for Pierce, and she didn't feel guilty toward me at all.
She didn't give a damn about the candlelight dinner and surprise I had prepared for her last night.
What did I do back then?
I brought a freshly made breakfast to her and said with a smile, "When you're sick, you're the most vulnerable. I get it."
When we went to Nina's parents' house for dinner, and they asked when we would get married, Nina fell silent. On the contrary, I smiled and smoothed things over, saying that she was too busy with work, and we had yet found the time.
Since then, whenever she couldn't hide her connection with Pierce from her parents, she'd ask me to cover for her.
We had been living together for five years. In her eyes, I had always been a generous, considerate, sensible boyfriend who never caused her trouble and never bothered her, and I also provided financial support at any time.
I didn't know if she was sad for me when she heard the news of my death in a car accident. I'd be glad if she was sad just for a second.
It took a long, long time for me to finally feel less uncomfortable when I breathed.
Being together and sharing hardships with Pierce were her wishes in my previous life, weren't they?
I'd fulfill her wishes.
I'd like to see if she actually got to be with Pierce, whether she could stay with him for the rest of her life.
"Pierce has cancer. I have told you many times how painful the treatment process is. There is no one he can rely on in this city. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come to beg me while putting his dignity as a man aside. And you're breaking up with me at this critical moment? What are you, a monster?"
Nina called me again. I could imagine her expression right now just by listening to her voice.
I supposed she must be frowning and angry now.
She had told me how painful Pierce's battle with cancer was.
It was very inspiring.
But what did it have to do with me?