Chapter 2. Rejected

Stacy waited a long while, but Kevin still hadn't shown up. She hesitated before calling him again.

"Hey, dear. I'm still waiting for you. Are you still busy, or are you on your way? If it's too much, we can reschedule," she said, her voice steady despite the dull ache in her chest.

Lately, he had been avoiding her. Always busy. Always making excuses.

"Maybe he's just swamped with work," she told herself. "He wouldn't cheat on me… right?"

She had once mentioned her concerns to Ginna, but her best friend had waved them off. "Don't overthink it, Stacy. When he's free, he'll give you all his time. And besides, he wouldn't cheat on you, right?" The way she had said it had left Stacy uneasy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kevin's impatient voice.

"Stacy, I already told you I'm coming. I just got held up. Can you please not nag me right now?"

Stacy froze. He had never spoken to her like that before.

A second later, Kevin sighed, as if realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry, dear. Work has been stressful. I know I haven't been giving you enough time. Just wait a little longer, okay? I'm on my way now."

Stacy let out a small breath, pushing down the sting of his words. Maybe I am being too demanding.

"I'm sorry too," she murmured before hanging up. She would wait for him—even if he arrived at dawn.

As she gazed outside the restaurant, she caught sight of someone familiar in the distance. Was that… Ginna?

She stood up to get a closer look, but by the time she did, the figure had disappeared.

---

Hiding behind a row of potted plants, Ginna let out a relieved breath. That was close.

"Why is she so sharp? On top of being annoying, she makes things difficult for me. But I can't let her have Kevin. He belongs to me."

Smirking, she pulled out her phone and dialed Kevin.

"Hey, Kevin. Are you on your way to meet Stacy? I remember she mentioned you had a date today. I was going to bring you some food at the office to thank you for helping me the other day."

Her voice was laced with sweetness.

"Oh, there's no need," Kevin replied, warmth creeping into his tone. "You're Stacy's friend. I'd do anything for you. Honestly, I wish Stacy was more like you—gentle, sweet. She's so independent, sometimes I feel like she doesn't even need me."

Ginna smiled. Hook, line, and sinker.

"Well, you should get going to meet her," she said lightly. "I wish I had a boyfriend as caring as you. Stacy is so lucky."

She ended the call with a smug grin. If Kevin and Stacy could see her now, they wouldn't recognize the "gentle and caring" girl they thought they knew.

---

Twenty minutes later, a sleek blue convertible pulled up outside the restaurant.

"Oh my God," someone whispered. "Isn't that the latest model? There are only ten of those in the country!"

"Seriously? Now I'm curious about the owner," another said.

Just then, the car door opened, and a handsome man stepped out.

Kevin.

He looked irritated, his jaw tight, but the moment he entered the restaurant, a charming smile spread across his face.

"Dear, I'm here. Sorry to keep you waiting so long," he said smoothly, walking toward Stacy's table.

Her face lit up at the sight of him, and she reached out to hug him, but he dodged her embrace, sliding into the seat instead. Her hand fell awkwardly to her side before she sat down as well.

Dinner was served, and they ate in relative peace. Stacy had impeccable table manners, and she disliked talking during meals.

As dessert was brought out, the waiter, Elliott, smirked. "I see why you were willing to wait so long for him," he teased Stacy. "He's really handsome."

Stacy just smiled, but Kevin, who hadn't heard the comment, shot Elliott a glare.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Stacy beat him to it. "I hope you enjoyed the dinner."

"Yeah, the food was decent," Kevin said, momentarily distracted.

A beat of silence passed before Stacy took a deep breath.

"Kevin, we've been together for a long time now," she started carefully. "There's something I wanted to ask you."

Kevin checked his watch. "Can we make it quick? I have an important meeting tomorrow, and my boss will be there. I need to be in top shape."

Stacy's heart sank, but she forced herself to continue. "Would you like to marry me? I think it's time for our relationship to move forward."

Kevin stiffened, clearly caught off guard. His expression darkened.

"This is what you wanted to talk about?" he scoffed. "Why would you be the one to ask me that? Can't you be more like Ginna? She's gentle and sweet—she would never do something like this."

Stacy's breath caught in her throat.

Kevin let out a heavy sigh. I was going to wait until my promotion… but I might as well do it now.

"I'm sorry, Stacy," he said flatly. "I can't marry you. In fact, the reason I came today was to break up with you. I feel suffocated. This relationship is over."

The words hit like a punch to the gut. Stacy sat there, stunned, as Kevin stood up to leave.

"Please, Kevin," she whispered, grabbing his arm. "Don't do this. You're all I have. I've given everything to this relationship. I love you."

Kevin pulled away. "I'm sorry, Stacy. But I don't love you anymore. The person I love is Ginna. She's gentle, caring… she makes me want to protect her. She just doesn't know it yet, but I was planning to tell her tomorrow."

The world blurred around Stacy as his words sank in. He loves… Ginna?

Tears slipped down her face. But she straightened her shoulders, swallowing the sob in her throat. "If that's your choice, then fine."

She paid the bill, picked up her things, and left.

Kevin offered her a ride home, but she shook her head. "I need to clear my mind. I'll take the bus."

As she walked toward the station, her heart ached with every step.

She had given him everything. And in return, he had given her nothing.