“If there’s no trust in a relationship, then that’s nothing but a shallow façade. You say you love me, but love comes with trust. And there’s no trust in your love,” I said. A shaky breath left my lips. “And I don’t think I can stay in a relationship where there’s no trust in it.”

SIXTY: LEAVING HIM

With clenched fists, I stood there with tears brimming in my eyes, watching him going still. Color slowly drained from his face as his gray eyes widened.

“W-what did you say?” his deep accent asked.

“I said what you heard. If you don’t trust me at all, I don’t think this thing between us can work.” Shaking my head, I wiped my tears furiously. “I’m tired of you continuously keeping me in the dark! I’ve already suffered for years because of your one-sided decision. I won’t take more. You can now happily stay in your penthouse with your stubbornness, secrets, and privacy! No Emerald will nag you again and again to know your past from now on!”

Ignoring the way his shoulders tensed, the crazed look that flashed across his eyes, his clenched jaw, I turned around and stormed out of the room.

“Don’t you dare step out of the penthouse, Emerald! You aren’t going anywhere!”

This time, I didn’t flinch at his roar as he started to approach me. Instead, as soon as I stepped out of the room, I closed the door from outside, locking him in. I knew he wouldn’t let me leave at any cost. But if he was stubborn, so was I.

His heavy fists landed on the other side of the door. “What are you doing? Open the door, Emerald! You’re not leaving me! No way in hell! I won’t let you!”

“I will! And you can’t stop me!” Yelling out, I strode towards the main door.

“Emerald! Stop it! Open the door, please! You don’t mean what you’re saying! You can’t leave me!” The door jiggled with the force he tried to open it. “Rosebud, please! Baby, open the door. You belong here with me. You can’t just leave like that. I won’t let you! Please, baby. Open the door!”

Shrugging my jacket on as I pulled the main door open, his voice made me hesitate.

“Baby, please! I-I love you…”

I gulped the thickness of my throat. My eyes went back to the closed door of his bedroom.

I hesitated.

Then the words he spit out earlier rang in my head again. The ache in my heart added fresh fuel to my anger. Gritting my teeth, I wiped my cheeks furiously.

“Goodbye, Achilles Valencian!”

“No! Don’t you dare, Emerald—”

I slammed the door close behind me and the sound of his violent pounding on the bedroom’s door stopped along with it.