I Loved You and That’s It

Jane walked out of the magazine office and immediately saw Tom leaning against his black Cullinan, lost in thought.

As she approached, she finally understood what Wendy meant by "a surprise."

The interior of the black car was filled with bright red roses, blooming vibrantly.

Except for the passenger seat, the backseat and the trunk were completely stuffed with roses.

Behind her, she could still hear the voices of a few close female colleagues from the office.

They were hiding behind the company sign, sneaking glances in their direction, giggling and nudging each other.

Whenever Tom came to pick her up, he often brought her something she liked.

Cakes, drinks, or a variety of snacks she enjoyed.

Her colleagues had seen it many times, but they still teased her every time. "Whenever your boyfriend shows up, the whole office gets a treat. We're really benefiting from you, Jane!"

Jane always tacitly acknowledged these remarks, brushing them off with a smile. She would then share whatever Tom brought with everyone.

Now, they were probably all waiting for a chance to divide up the roses in his car.

She called out, "Tom."

Tom lifted his head, but his expression was unpleasant, his demeanor still icy. "Show some respect. I'm your brother."

Jane froze for a moment.

Then she slowly nodded. "Okay."

"I was too harsh last night. Don't take it to heart."

"Okay."

"But you're not a child anymore. Pushing someone down the stairs like that is dangerous. Don't ever do it again."

Jane looked up in disbelief, her anger bubbling over. "So, you're here today to interrogate me?"

Tom's expression darkened. "You still don't realize what you did wrong, do you?"

"Tom, you've known me for over 20 years. Even if I really wanted to harm her, I wouldn't be stupid enough to do it in my own house!" Jane shouted in frustration but instantly regretted it.

What was the point? She was leaving anyway.

No matter how much she explained, it wouldn't change anything.

"Forget it. Leave. Stop bothering me at work."

When Jane returned to the entrance of the workplace, her previously cheerful colleagues seemed to notice something was wrong and looked at her with concern.

"Jane, did you have a quarrel with him?"

"Don't be mad. He brought all those roses to apologize. Give him a chance!"

"Exactly, Jane, you're so lucky, but you don't even realize it. A boyfriend like him is one in a million!"

Jane kept a neutral expression and said quietly, "Stop crowding around. Get back to work."

Her strong photography skills gave her a respected voice in the magazine office.

The younger colleagues listened to her, reluctantly returning to their desks, looking disappointed.

Wendy, who was the closest to her, tugged on her sleeve and asked softly, "Jane, can I ask for just one rose? I saw his car was full of flowers, and even prepared a vase."

Jane felt a headache coming on. "I'll buy you one myself later. I won't let your vase sit empty."

Back at her desk, she was still distracted and irritated.

She tried to process some photos she had taken earlier, but her phone buzzed.

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[Which one do you like best? Blushing shy face.jpg]

Hailey had sent several pictures of various nightgown styles.

Rather than nightgowns, they looked more like lingerie.

The designs revealed far too much, leaving little to the imagination.

Moments later, the messages were all deleted.

Hailey. [Sorry! Sent it to the wrong person.]

Jane turned off her phone and shoved it into the drawer.

They both knew Hailey hadn't sent it to the wrong person. She did it on purpose.

It wasn't until after work that Jane retrieved her phone and turned it back on.

There were no missed calls.

No texts.

No WhatsApp messages.

Nothing.

Before, if she didn't respond for more than half an hour, Tom would call her nonstop or rush to the office to find her.

Now, he didn't.

Her Twitter feed notified her of a new post.

When she opened it, the scene was all too familiar—

The black Cullinan, filled with vibrant red roses.

Hailey was holding a large bouquet, standing in front of the car with a radiant smile.

The caption read: [Thank you, my love. This is the best birthday gift I've ever received.]

'Oh, so, today is Hailey's birthday,' thought Jane.

Everything in the car had been prepared for Hailey.

After work, Jane didn't feel like going home.

But Tom’s mother, Linda Howard, called her, worried. "Jane, why are you working so late these days? It's not safe for a young girl like you. I'll have Tom pick you up."

Jane no longer wanted to ride in his car.

Neither the passenger seat nor the roses belonged to her anymore.

"There's no need, Linda. I'll take a cab home."

"Alright then. Stay safe, dear."

Jane hailed a ride and returned home, only to find Tom and Hailey already there.

Hailey was dragging a large suitcase out of her room. "Jane, you're back!"

Jane was instantly furious. "Who gave you permission to go into my room?"