Chapter 4

Chloe and I got a cab to the restaurant.

Our friends were already waiting in the private dining room.

We chatted for a while, but my attention kept drifting to the door.

More than anyone else, I was looking forward to seeing Zachary.

It wasn't until six-thirty that someone finally knocked.

I immediately got up to answer it.

A huge bouquet of flowers filled my entire field of vision.

Camellias.

My favorite flowers.

I'd struggled with severe nasal problems for years, and after surgery, I'd completely lost my sense of smell.

But that didn't stop me from loving flowers. Just seeing my favorites made me happy.

Zachary stood at the back of the group, smiling at me.

"I love you, Sylvia."

I pushed past everyone and ran straight into his arms.

"I love you, too."

But Zachary didn't return my embrace.

Instead, he shoved me away with both hands.

I stumbled backward. One of our friends caught me just before I hit the floor.

I stared at Zachary, unable to believe what had just happened.

Fear spread through my chest.

I couldn't bear the thought of being abandoned for a third time.

I wanted to cover my ears, to shut out whatever he was about to say.

But his cold voice reached me before I could.

"I never thought you were this kind of woman!"

His face was twisted with anger. The veins in his neck stood out, and there was a viciousness in his expression I'd never seen before.

I started trembling.

"Zachary, what are you talking about? What did I do?"

He let out a cold laugh.

"Don't act like you have no idea."

I looked around at our friends, hoping someone would explain what was going on.

But no one said a word.

"Please, just tell me what's happening. Yesterday, Wendy called me a slut. Mark did the same thing. Today, people at work called me that, too. And now you?"

My voice began to shake.

"Why? What did I do to deserve this?"

Zachary pointed toward the door.

"Get out. I never want to see you again. We're done. We're breaking up!"

Then he grabbed the enormous bouquet and hurled it at me.

The flowers struck my body.

Chloe immediately stepped forward and put an arm around my shoulders.

"Can't you talk to her like a normal person? Why do you have to get physical?"

Zachary looked at her with open contempt.

He planted his hands on his hips.

"There's nothing to discuss with a slut like her! Sylvia, get out of my sight. Right now. Or I'll call security!"

A slut.

That word again.

Wendy had called me that. Mark had called me that. My coworkers had called me that.

And now Zachary.

The last person I thought would ever turn against me.

Something inside me finally gave way.

I was done trying to explain myself. Done begging people to tell me what I'd supposedly done wrong.

"Don't bother calling anyone. I'll leave on my own."

I forced the words out, then turned and walked away like a zombie.

When I reached the roadside, I suddenly heard a loud crash.

A car had hit someone.

People rushed toward the scene. The injured person lay motionless on the road.

I stood there, staring.

Then, suddenly, everything clicked.

Why people kept calling me a slut.

Why everyone I'd trusted had suddenly turned against me.

Why all these seemingly unrelated things had happened one after another.

I finally understood.

My hands clenched into fists.

I turned around and ran back toward the private dining room.

I was going to make them pay for what they'd done.

When I rushed back inside, everyone turned to look at me.

Chloe was trying to talk Zachary out of breaking up with me.

"You two have been together for so many years. You can't just throw all that away over this. You should at least hear her out."

The moment she saw me, she stopped talking.

Her expression changed to one of concern.

"Sylvia? Are you okay? You don't look well. Come on, let's go home together."

I looked her straight in the eye.

Then, without a word, I slapped her hard across the face.