My Ex-Boyfriend is a Firefighter

2

After Ian Sheffield left, the stiff posture I'd been holding crumbled.

'Honestly, today was so embarrassing. Ian Sheffield is definitely going to laugh at me.'

'We were at the point of discussing marriage when I broke up with him. There's no way he doesn't hold a grudge.'

Ian Sheffield and I were classmates in middle school, attended the same high school, and even went to university in the same city. You could say we were childhood sweethearts.

Ian Sheffield proposed to me right after we graduated from college, and I accepted without a moment's hesitation.

But in the end, I broke up with him.

Because I just wasn't cut out to be a firefighter's wife.

I would have worried about him constantly. I didn't want to be reminded of him every time the news reported an incident involving firefighters. I didn't want to live my life on pins and needles.

So, I broke up with Ian Sheffield.

I never expected to see him again today.

Three years had passed, and he was still just as sharp-tongued, yet also just as gentle and attentive.

I stared at the pair of slippers for a long time. The anguish from when we first broke up felt like it had solidified into a heavy stone, pressing on my chest and making it difficult to breathe.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

It was the Landlord.

The Landlord came in smiling cheerfully. At first, he seemed very concerned when he saw the gauze wrapped around my foot and leg, but his expression changed in an instant when he spotted the damaged security bars.

"What happened here?"

I hurriedly explained, "I'm sorry, sir. My phone accidentally fell outside, and I stuck my foot out to…"

The Landlord glared at me. "So just because you dropped your phone, that gives you the right to destroy my property?"

I opened my mouth to protest. "No, that's not it. It was because my foot—"

"Alright, that's enough. You don't need to say anything else. Just hurry up and find a place to move out." The Landlord gave me no chance to explain, leaving those words behind as he walked out.

I called the Landlord and told him my lease wasn't up yet and that I wasn't moving out.

An hour later, the Landlord showed up at my door with two burly men. I had no choice but to leave.

I walked alone down the street, dragging my suitcase behind me. The pavement was wet.

I didn't know where to go, so my only option was to call my mom.

"Mom, the landlord kicked me out. I…"

"Was it because you didn't pay rent? You make so much money a month, what did you do with it all? Let me tell you, there's no room for you at home. Your brother and his wife already think it's too small. Fine, you can come back, but only after you go out, make a fortune, and buy your brother a house… Two Dots!"

My mom hung up.