A Lab Rat for His Love

Forcing that sentence out—saying I didn't need Howard—had drained me.

Howard stiffened, his expression growing cold. "What are you getting at? What do you mean you don't need me?"

"That's exactly what it means. I don't need your help. Who are you to fetch me to the hospital? My boyfriend? My fiancé? If I'm not mistaken, you haven't even informed your parents of our engagement, have you? Well, the engagement doesn't count if none of our parents were present."

The vein by Howard's temple throbbed.

"Is this really the time to throw a tantrum? I'm not your parents. I don't have an obligation to bend to your every whim. If you don't want me to touch you, that's fine. Get up. I'll drive you to the hospital."

Weak from my cold, I couldn't resist, and Howard successfully yanked me into his car. On the way to the hospital, his expression was stony, and I wasn't in the mood to talk either.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the hospital. We were about to head in when his phone buzzed. It was a message from an important contact.

After glancing at his phone briefly, Howard ordered, "I've got something I need to deal with. Go queue up and get an appointment with the doctor. Remember, don't throw a tantrum. You're the one who will suffer if you continue being sick."

Then, he left without a backward glance.

I fainted in front of the hospital and was sent to the emergency room by a few nurses.

When I woke up, I saw Melissa had posted an Instagram story. It was a picture of a couple's entwined hands. A huge diamond ring glinted on her finger.

"Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected that a passing mention of wanting to be proposed to would end up with an actual proposal! My magical, wish-granting boyfriend is amazing! I heard he'd even rehearsed it beforehand! So, this is how it feels to be loved."

In the corner, I saw Howard's roommates. The same petals from my proposal were scattered on the floor. Howard's speech was the same one. The last time he'd proposed was a rehearsal. This was the real deal.

I accidentally closed the app. When I reopened it, I could no longer see the story she'd posted.

It was as though my fever had dried up all the tears I had left in me. Only the corners of my eyes burned.

I submitted my application to transfer to a foreign university.

Howard had booked out an amusement park for a day. He didn't contact me at all.

After my fever subsided, I seized the opportunity to head home and clean the house. I threw away the matching cups and couples' pajamas I'd bought, as well as our pictures together, into the bin. Along with them went the memories I'd once thought I'd never forget.

He'd never touched any of it since we moved in. Howard probably wouldn't even notice that I'd thrown them away. In the empty room, the curtains fell on my one-woman show.

Occasionally, Howard would text me, impassionately.

"Your fever has gone away, right? Remember to take your medicine."

"Learn from your mistakes. Stop being so stubborn with me. I always know what you're playing at."

"Melissa said she'd like to thank you for taking care of her for the past four years. When you're free, do arrange a meeting with her. I won't get between you guys."

I didn't reply.

Instead, I texted my parents about my plans to study overseas. They were surprised. Everyone thought I'd marry Howard the second I graduated to assume my position as his housewife. They couldn't understand my sudden change of heart.

Afraid they'd lose sleep over this, I told my parents that I didn't want to get married at such a young age. So, they transferred five million dollars to me as my allowance and reminded me to stay safe.

Howard didn't come home for two days. The only people who came to our house were the drivers delivering the food he'd ordered for me.

Howard probably hadn't stepped out of his hotel room in those two days, not with the pretty woman in his arms. I was surprised he even remembered that I needed to eat.

However, everything he ordered was spicy, and I couldn't stand the spice. As a result, everything went straight into the bin. I drank stew to detox instead.

In a rare flash of vulnerability, Howard texted me before I left.

He asked, "How's the food I ordered for you? Did you like it? Melissa said most women like that kind of stuff. I don't know much about things like that, so I ordered according to her recommendations.

"She's a great person. You guys could be friends in the future. After graduating, why don't you let her intern at your family's company? That way, she won't have to suffer outside."

It was the first time he'd asked me to help with something in the 20 years I'd known him. Yet, he'd only done so on behalf of his beloved.

Without replying to the message, I blocked him on every social media platform I had. Then, I headed to the airport with my bags.