A Game of Hearts

It turned out that this fried chicken place was Jessica and Cameron's favorite haunt from their university days. So, this was a little trip down memory lane for them. When the owner's wife asked that question, Jessica and Cameron both shared a look of understanding and just went along with it, not bothering to clarify.

Deep down, I knew Jessica must be hoping that her fiancé was Cameron. After all, despite everything I had done for her over the last five years, she had never forgotten him.

The smell of sizzling meat filled the air. The restaurant was surprisingly clean, a contrast to the chaos outside.

Jessica and Cameron settled into a corner of the restaurant. They laughed and joked, their noses turning red from the spice, while I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.

She served him first, piling food onto his plate with a bright smile. Just as she was about to go back to her own meal, she remembered me and placed a few pieces of spicy fried chicken on my plate. The steam from the freshly fried chicken swirled up around me as I set my cutlery down.

"I don't eat spicy food," I said, my tone sharper than I intended.

The restaurant seemed to go silent for a moment.

Finally realizing her mistake, Jessica looked up at me, her eyes wide with concern.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I was just thinking about how much Cameron loves this place. I completely forgot that you don't eat spicy food."

She seemed genuinely anxious, like she thought I was about to explode. I caught a glimpse of unease in her eyes; it was clear she was worried about Cameron finding out about our relationship.

Watching her fidget and her long lashes fluttering nervously, I didn't feel anger or sadness. Instead, there was a strange calmness, as if all emotion had been drained from me. The moment Cameron stepped back into her life, she had made her choice, and I had long since given up on hoping she would ever love me.

Deciding I didn't want to stay any longer, I stood up and looked at them, my voice steady as I said, "It's been five years since you two saw each other. You should catch up. I just remembered that I have something urgent to handle, so I'll head out now."

With that, I pushed my chair back and walked out of the restaurant.

Behind me, I heard Cameron ask Jessica in confusion, "Does your friend have a thing for you? Am I making him jealous?"

Jessica paused for a moment, then laughed, shaking her head. "No way! We're besties, that's all! Besides, you know you're the only one for me, right?"

Her words felt so sincere.

Strangely, I realized I didn't even feel a hint of disappointment. In that instant, it hit me—my feelings for Jessica had faded.

-

Cameron was Jessica's first love. I had always known that. She loved him to the core, and when he left without a word, it had shattered her. I loved her to the point of obsession, so even when I realized she only agreed to be my girlfriend out of spite, I accepted it without hesitation.

At first, Jessica had been so cold towards me. We shared the same home but never exchanged a word. I never complained—this was the path I had chosen. I believed that if I just held on long enough, I could melt her icy heart.

But after five years, it all seemed like a cruel joke. In the end, I was the only one who had poured any emotions into this relationship.

Jessica didn't get home until the early hours of the morning. I was still in the study, engrossed in my book when she came in. She didn't say anything to me and went straight to the bedroom. I heard rustling sounds and went to check on her.

She was packing her suitcase and putting her clothes in it. When she saw me, she paused, then straightened up and got right to the point.

"I think it's best if I move out."

The silence in the room was deafening.

I studied her face closely, searching for any trace of emotion. There was a flicker of guilt in her eyes, but it was barely there.

Now that we were at this juncture, I pressed my lips together and asked bluntly, "You want to break up, right?"

After all these years of entanglement, I was more exhausted than anyone. I wanted to let go more than anything. I had thought Jessica would at least wait until tomorrow to confront me, but it seemed she couldn't wait to cut ties.

She pursed her lips. "Sebastian, it feels unfair for you to waste your time on me. Maybe it's time you look for someone else."

I took a deep breath and smiled brightly. "True! Your best friend previously wanted to hook up with me, you know? And honestly, I was kind of interested."