Breakup for the Better

I broke up with Sean.

Everyone was waiting for me to beg him to get back together.

The next day, I packed up everything related to Sean and sent it off without a second thought.

I heard Sean was panicking!

1

The day I broke up with Sean was a rainy night.

I didn't have an umbrella, so I called Sean, but he didn't pick up. I ended up soaked to the skin by the time I got home, only to receive a Whatsapp message from Sean saying he had gone to give his childhood sweetheart an umbrella.

How ridiculous.

Raindrops trickled down my cheeks and splattered on the floor, resembling my shattered heart.

I walked into the bedroom, where a photo of Sean and his childhood sweetheart, Gillian, sat on the nightstand. In the picture, Gillian leaned against him, her smile radiant.

I chuckled bitterly and turned the photo face down on the table.

Gillian was the little sister Sean grew up with. Whenever she asked for something, Sean would always oblige.

And me? According to Sean's bad influence friends, I was just a dispensable substitute, a mere distraction, a "doormat" in their eyes.

Ignoring my own state, I quickly packed my bags and called Sean. Gillian answered.

"Jenifer, it's me. Sean's in the shower after getting caught in the rain."

Gillian's voice was sickly sweet and grating.

"Lucky for her, Sean was there just in time, or I'd have been soaked today. Oh, by the way, Jenifer, did you get caught in the rain?"

The provocation was clear.

I couldn't be bothered to respond. Hearing the sound of a door opening on the other end, I knew Sean had finished his shower. I calmly said, "Put Sean on the phone."

"Alright then, Sean, it's Jenifer."

Once I was sure Sean had taken the phone, I didn't wait for him to speak. I decisively said, "Sean, let's break up."

With that, I hung up and resolutely left this golden cage with my luggage.

...

After moving back to my old place, I was too exhausted from the rain to unpack. I lay in bed, drifting in and out of sleep. Early the next morning, after I had informed my friends of my whereabouts, Keira rushed over in a panic.

"Are you out of your mind? I heard from the group that you broke up with Sean?"

Ha, news travels fast.

How much of a "doormat" must I have been for Keira to think leaving Sean was a moment of madness?

"Yeah, I was out of my mind."

I felt weak all over, running a fever. If that wasn't a fever, what was?

Keira was taken aback by my words. Seeing my pale face, she quickly reached out to feel my forehead and exclaimed, "Jenifer, you have a fever!

Lie down, I'll get you some fever medicine!"

Seeing Keira fuss over me made me smile weakly. It felt good to be cared for.

After taking the fever medicine, I lay limply on the couch. My phone screen kept lighting up with notifications. When I picked it up, it was still vibrating.

It was a group chat with Sean's friends, one I had insisted on joining back then.

"Did you hear? Jenifer broke up and ran away from home."

"Hah, it's not her first time. She's probably trying to force a marriage."

"Exactly, a girl from a small town should consider herself lucky to have found Sean."

"Let's start a betting pool. How long will she stay away this time?"

I quickly scanned the messages. Some said a day, others an hour, and some even joked that I'd be waiting outside, ready to crawl back at Sean's whistle.

I picked up my phone and sent a message.

"I'm betting on forever."

Then I swiftly left the group and locked my screen.

2

Thanks to the fever medicine, I dozed off on the couch. When I woke up, it was already dark.

Keira noticed I was awake and rushed over, reaching out to check my forehead.

"Finally, the fever's gone. I made some porridge; it's still warm on the stove. Wait, I'll get you a bowl."

The once empty room felt less lonely with Keira around.

I hugged my knees, sitting on the couch, and gave a weak smile.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but I was never one to cry.

Last winter, I was on a business trip out of town. To make it back for Sean's birthday, I couldn't get a plane ticket and had to take an old, slow train.

After five hours on the train, I arrived at the restaurant to find Gillian smearing cake on Sean's face. Despite the cream all over him, Sean smiled indulgently.

I remembered clearly how I once wanted to do the same, but Sean had refused without hesitation, his gaze carrying a hint of reproach: "Jenifer, you know I have a cleanliness obsession."

Meanwhile, his bad influence friends watched the scene with mocking smiles.

"What are you thinking? Hurry up and drink the porridge."

Keira interrupted my thoughts, placing the bowl in my hands.

After drinking half the bowl, I felt warmth spreading through my body.

Keira sat beside me, scrolling through her phone out of boredom. She stumbled upon Gillian's Facebook post and couldn't help but curse.

"Tsk, shameless."

She held her phone up to me. "Look at this two-faced person."

Gillian had posted several photos from a bar on Facebook.

In the photos, Gillian, wearing pajamas, looked a bit tipsy, her cheeks flushed. Sean had his arm around her shoulder, and they looked like a couple.

The caption read: "The best relationship is when you're always by my side, always spoiling me like a child."

Even though I knew they were together last night and might have done something intimate, I only felt a slight twinge of bitterness. The heart-wrenching pain I expected didn't come, and I even finished a whole bowl of porridge.

My body was thoroughly warmed, and sweat broke out on my forehead.

Keira was even more furious. She found Sean's friends' comments under Gillian's post.

"It makes me so mad, Jenifer. That jerk Sean said you ran away to force a marriage and that you'd eventually crawl back."

After a moment, I met her gaze, trying to calm her anger, and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not that out of my mind."

With that, I stood up and went into the bedroom to pack up the things I had brought back yesterday, along with the items originally in this apartment.

I had to admit, Sean occupied not only my memories but also many of my belongings.

In this ten-year-long one-sided pursuit, I never wavered.

From a high school crush, I worked hard for three years to get into the same university as him.

I thought I'd continue this unrequited love forever, but by junior year, I became his girlfriend.

I carefully cherished my love for him, willingly being his gentle and considerate girlfriend, but my passion was never reciprocated. All I got in return was his indifference and restraint.

"Keira, I've packed my things. Can you call the postal service to pick them up?"

I wanted to send everything related to Sean back to him!

Sean said I was trying to force a marriage?

Well, sorry, he was overthinking it.

3

On Monday, I dressed in a business suit and pencil skirt, put on some light makeup, and headed to the office in high heels.

After graduation, I didn't rely on Sean's connections. I found a job and interviewed on my own, entering the editing industry I loved.

The morning rush in the elevator made me a bit dizzy, possibly a leftover effect from the fever. As I entered the office, I stumbled, thinking I would fall hard, but a strong force pulled me into a firm embrace.

"Careful."

The man's voice was pleasant yet familiar.

I quickly stepped away from his embrace, but my heel slipped, and a sharp pain shot through my ankle. I instinctively gasped.

"Twisted your ankle?"

The man frowned.

I looked at his familiar, stern face and pressed my lips together, feeling a sinking sensation.

Phil, one of Sean's friends.

Unlike Sean's other bad influence friends, Sean was wary of him and didn't dare act out in front of him.

Coincidentally, after I joined this company, Phil had switched from a foreign company to become a department manager here through an investment.

I had to admit, he had a good eye. The company's profits had become quite impressive since his arrival.

"I'm fine."

Thinking of Sean's friends and their attitudes, I didn't want to have anything to do with him.

I stood up, almost losing my balance again, but Phil quickly reached out to steady my shoulder.

"Still thinking about Sean?"

The implication was that I tripped because I was distracted and listless.

I was taken aback, wondering if this guy was sent by Sean just to mess with me.

I looked up to meet his gaze. "You're overthinking it."

Stop pretending. He was in the group chat too, and maybe he even bet on how many days it would take for me to crawl back.

But Phil usually didn't speak in the group chat.

Even if he was the only decent person there, I wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything related to Sean.

"Thanks for earlier," I said as I was about to push open the office door, but Phil grabbed my wrist and gently supported my arm.

"Let me help you inside."

Phil's actions left me puzzled. I furrowed my brows and quietly withdrew my arm from his grip, lowering my voice. "Phil, Sean and I broke up."

The implication was that I was no longer his friend's girlfriend.

There was no need for him to act like this...

Besides, with people coming and going around us, Phil was a golden bachelor, and I didn't want to give anyone something to gossip about.

"Yeah, I know. Finally got a clue, huh?"

Phil said with a teasing smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

I remembered him as someone who rarely smiled.

And what did he mean by "finally got a clue"?

Was he really Sean's friend, or was he just messing with me?

At 10 a.m., as I walked into the meeting room, Phil happened to look up at me.

A big question mark formed in my mind.

Phil was the head of the company's marketing department and usually had nothing to do with our editorial team. His presence here was indeed a bit strange.

However, Phil's good looks were so striking that the female editors around couldn't help but stare at him openly.

The editor-in-chief, Sloane, walked in and began assigning the week's interview tasks, and I quickly started taking notes.

"Alright," Sloane clapped his hands and stepped aside.

"Our editorial team needs to fully cooperate with the marketing department."

Phil stood up, his dark eyes casually sweeping in my direction. His burning gaze made me too nervous to meet his eyes, afraid he'd catch me slipping and make my life difficult.

"Thank you, Sloane," Phil said with a smile, and the women around immediately gasped in admiration.

"Jenifer," he called my name with a playful tone.

I looked up and met his gaze, seeing his eyes dark and bright.

"There's a dinner tonight. You're coming with me," he continued.

My mind went blank, as if struck by lightning.

This guy must be seeking revenge for Sean.

At the dinner that evening, I sat uneasily beside Phil, surrounded by the sounds of people urging each other to drink.

I was trying to figure out Phil's intentions.

He must be using the dinner as an excuse to get me drunk and vent Sean's anger.

To my surprise, when someone tried to toast me, Phil intercepted it.

Even when other men, reeking of alcohol, approached me, Phil shielded me, forcing them to stop in their tracks.

By the end of the dinner, Phil had secured the advertising budget for the next quarter, exceeding the target ahead of schedule. Even I got a windfall, with my bonus for the next month doubling.

My confusion deepened. If this was a new way to mess with someone, Phil was indeed more cunning than he appeared.

After the dinner, as I was about to leave, colleagues from the sales department stopped me, asking me to take care of Phil since he was the hero of the day.

I had no choice but to call a driver. I intended to send Phil home directly, but he insisted on dropping me off first, even pulling me into the back seat with him, leaning against me with a hint of drunkenness.

He was slightly drunk, but I was stone-cold sober, my mind clear.

I had countless questions swirling in my head, and when the car stopped at my building, I couldn't help but ask.

"Phil, if you want to stand up for Sean, just do it directly. No need to sweeten me up first."

After speaking, I opened the car door and had just stepped out when Phil pulled me back.

"Here, take this."

He shoved a paper bag into my hand.

I looked down to find a bottle of herbal liniment inside, puzzled, I looked up.

"Don't wear high heels anymore. You're not short," he said, releasing me and closing his eyes again.

I clutched the bag tightly, confused, as I got out of the car.

The next day, to avoid the morning rush in the elevator, I arrived at the office early.

On my desk sat a brand-new shoebox, the brand worth a month's salary. I opened it to find a pair of flat shoes, just my size.

I didn't need to guess who sent them.

Carrying the shoes, I stormed into Phil's office, where he happened to be.

"What's up?" he asked, looking up calmly.

I slammed the shoebox onto his desk. "Mr. Campbell, I can't take this without deserving it."

I was genuinely angry. "Even if you're messing with me, there should be a limit."

What was with this half-hearted approach?

Phil's tactics were even more impressive than Sean's.

As I turned to leave, Phil was quicker. He grabbed my arm, pressed my shoulder, and trapped me in his embrace.

"Jenifer, I'm not that bored," he said.

I turned my head, his lips brushing my cheek, soft and gentle.

My heart was pounding, and I dared not look at Phil. I pushed him away and fled in a panic.

Over the next month, I saw Phil more and more often.

He always found ways to run into me at the company.

Even during Monday meetings, our editorial team had grown accustomed to his presence.

Various small gifts frequently appeared on my desk, and I knew they were all from Phil.

Every time I received something, I would quietly put it in the drawer, not rushing to confront him like last time.

Phil!

What kind of game is he playing?

This maddening feeling is driving me insane.

On this day, while at work, my friend Keira messaged me on Whatsapp: "Jenifer, Sean's friends asked me yesterday when you're coming back. They're all about to lose their bets."

I couldn't help but smile. It had been a month since I left Sean, and it turned out that letting go wasn't as painful as I thought.

"Really?

Tell them I'm definitely winning this."

A moment later, Keira sent a big exclamation mark: "You've really made me proud this time. Sean's group of buddies are all stunned. They didn't expect you to hold out this long.

Keep it up, I'm rooting for you!"

I chuckled to myself. Why couldn't they believe that I could really leave Sean?

I worked overtime, and by the time I looked up again, it was already late, and the sound of rain was pouring outside.

I stood at the company entrance, waiting for the rain to stop.

It seemed I needed to quickly develop the habit of bringing an umbrella. I can't keep making the same mistake over and over.

The rain intensified, and I shivered from the cold, rubbing my arms and waving for a taxi, but none stopped.

Just as I was contemplating whether to pay extra or call Keira, I saw Phil walking towards me through the rain, holding an umbrella.

He walked gracefully, his expression deep and thoughtful. Despite his polished shoes stepping into puddles, I felt as if he was walking right into my heart.

Why was he here?

"I'll take you home," Phil said, holding the umbrella over my head, tilting it slightly towards me to ensure I got less wet.

But I had had enough!

Enough of his intentional or unintentional closeness this past month. Even if he was planning some sort of revenge, a month of groundwork should be enough.

I forcefully pushed his hand away. "Phil, what exactly do you want? Stop beating around the bush and be straightforward with me."

Phil laughed helplessly, his pleasant voice resonating above me.

"Jenifer, am I not being obvious enough?"

I was completely dumbfounded.

Phil, was he out of his mind? Was he actually trying to pursue me?

In a very short time, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

Clearly, Phil wasn't in a hurry.

"Let me take you home first."

He took off his coat and wrapped it around me, holding the umbrella high above my head and putting his arm around my shoulder, ready to leave.

"No need," I struggled, but it was clear I was powerless against Phil.

"Be good," he said, holding me tightly as he walked into the rain. He held me so closely that I had no choice but to follow his steps.

I glanced at his tense, handsome face. Because he had given most of the umbrella to me, half of Phil's body was soaked.

Phil didn't just drop me off at my apartment building; he came inside with me.

Once inside, he nudged me towards the living room sofa and headed into the kitchen.

"Sit for a while. I'll make you some ginger tea. Do you have ginger at home?

Any brown sugar?"

Curious, I peeked into the kitchen. He peeled the ginger, chopped it, and boiled water with swift, practiced movements.

Once, I was the one doing these things, and the person who enjoyed them never appreciated it.

"Come over and drink the ginger tea to ward off the cold," Phil said, bringing a porcelain bowl and gently blowing on it for me.

It was hard to imagine that someone usually so aloof and proud could be so patient in the kitchen.

His hair and most of his shoulder were wet.

I shook my head, refusing without thinking, "No need, I didn't get much rain, and I'm quite healthy."

He was the one who got soaked.

Besides, I didn't like the taste of ginger-too spicy and pungent.

Phil noticed the refusal in my eyes and smiled, stirring the ginger tea with a spoon and bringing it to my lips. "Who was it last time who said they had a terrible headache after a fever?

Be good, drink it."

I paused, remembering that I had mentioned it to Hayden from my team the last time I had a fever. I hadn't expected Phil to know about it and remember.

Phil's insistence left no room for refusal. I forced myself to swallow the ginger tea, grimacing at the taste.

After finishing the bowl, I felt warm, and sweat began to form.

"Give me your hand," Phil suddenly said, taking my hand and placing a piece of rock candy in my palm. "Sometimes the best medicine tastes the worst.

Have some candy, and it won't taste so bad."

The affection in his eyes was unmistakable.

My palm felt hot, and this kind of care was something I had never experienced before.

The sound of the rain grew louder, mirroring the chaos in my heart.

I thought for a moment and decided to be straightforward and ask.

"Phil... why are you pursuing me?"

Phil's gaze deepened, and he pressed his lips together slightly before speaking slowly, "Because I like you."

His voice was deep, yet there was an undeniable sincerity.

I instinctively wanted to refuse.

I must be crazy to get involved with my ex-boyfriend's friend.

Before I could speak, Phil stood up. "You don't have to give me an answer right away. After all, I'm just starting to prove myself to you."

Trial period?

Who allowed him to enter a trial period?

Sensing my confusion, Phil raised his hand to ruffle my hair gently. "I'll head back now. Take a hot shower and get some rest. See you tomorrow."

With that, he left my house, taking the dripping umbrella with him.

After showering, I lay in bed, unable to sleep, and started scrolling through Facebook.

I saw that Phil had updated his status a few minutes ago.

"Took her home."

The picture was of the umbrella he had just used to walk me home.

Suddenly, an inexplicable emotion surged within me, leaving me flustered.