You're Acting, but I'm Not

Nathan and I had met at a charity event. He was a surgeon, and he often got phone calls asking him back for operations. Having a full date was a rare occurrence.

Even though he often abandoned me in the middle of our dates, I would always be understanding, because he was doing it for his job. I had done everything I could as his girlfriend in both life and work.

The day we got engaged, I still thought that he was the best choice, and that he was my most intimate lover. I had only discovered now that he hated the mundane life and craved excitement.

Was that the reason he had pretended to have amnesia?

I stood in front of his friends and saw that every single one of them had indifferent, somewhat disoriented looks in their eyes. I almost opened my mouth to demand why they were treating me that way when I had treated all of them with the utmost sincerity.

However, I didn't say anything in the end. At that moment, the door behind me opened.

Nathan's shirt was half unbuttoned and had exposed his flushed neck. Even a blind man could have guessed what had just taken place. He stuffed a half-full bag of period pads into my suitcase.

"You left this in the bathroom. Take it away. It's disgusting."

I smiled. "Doesn't your girlfriend use these? Work a little harder. You'd better get her pregnant as soon as possible, or else you'll be seeing these every month.

"Also, since I've already moved out, we're even. Make sure you speak more politely to me in the future, because I'm afraid that I won't be able to resist slapping you in the face."

A look of panic flashed across Nathan's face. After all, he had never seen such an impassive expression on my face.

For all those years, I had been gentle and considerate. I had always given unconditionally.

There was a tinge of panic in his eyes. "Liv, I—"

His friends laughed and interrupted him, and he changed his tone at once. "Fine. I'll be sure to work hard. I hope you find someone you love soon, too, so that you don't continue to badger me fruitlessly."

I smiled and said, "You'd better hurry back, or your girlfriend might get annoyed."

I hadn't broken down the way he had expected me to. Nathan must have sensed the difference in me.

However, he would never dream that it was because I had discovered his true colors. His friends were afraid that he would let it slip, so they pushed him quickly inside.

I watched his retreating figure and knew that things between Nathan and me would never go back to the way they had been.

After two days, Nathan told me to go to the new house we had bought together.

"Come over and list down the furniture you bought. I'll reimburse you for them in cash."

I did not go. I merely gave him the address of an orphanage.

"I've sent you the list. Send them here."

The director was an old friend of mine. He called to ask me why I didn't want the items when they were all in good condition.

"Didn't you say that you were getting married? Why don't you want these anymore?"

"My fiance passed away. I won't be getting married for now."

The director comforted me and told me to go and visit when I had the time. He said that the children all missed me very much.

After hanging up, I breathed out deeply. We had been in love for many years, and I had spent almost every single day living for Nathan.

Nathan was obsessed with cleanliness, and the house had to be cleaned every day. When I finished work and got home, I had to clean every inch of the place.

He was picky with his food, and he was not used to food bought outside. I often cooked and delivered it to him. Now, I could finally rest without worrying, no longer having to take care of a man as if I were taking care of a child.

I decided to take some time off to rest before going abroad for graduate school. Therefore, I returned to the office and tendered my resignation.

As soon as I had finished, Nathan called.

He sounded very impatient. "Didn't we agree not to contact each other? Why did you ask someone to write a thank-you letter?"

It took a while for me to realize that when I had sent the furniture to the orphanage, Nathan's name and address had been listed as the sender's.

The director said that the children were grateful and had noted it down. They had written thank-you letters in secret.

I smiled and said, "It's not a friend. It's just someone who helped me deliver the parcel."

After a while, Nathan called again. "I'm warning you: stop whatever you're planning to do!"

Before I could speak, I heard Cassidy Wilkes whining. "Nathan, why are you paying attention to your ex-girlfriend when you're with me? Focus!"