Ended My Six-Year Relationship with a Cheater

Chapter 3

As dawn broke, I was jolted awake by the sound of the door creaking open. Landon stood in the doorway, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Why didn't you go back to your room last night?" he asked, a touch of concern in his voice.

I chuckled lightly, raising my arms to shield my eyes from the harsh morning light. "Before I left my job, my manager asked me to finish the final plan, but I worked too late, so I ended up crashing here."

In truth, I'd spent the night browsing company listings and sending out resumes. A few days ago, Landon had quit his job, claiming it was in preparation for our upcoming marriage and his move into the Wright family. Now that I was planning to leave, I knew I had to find a new starting point.

Landon didn't press further. He casually strolled into the room, leaning against my desk, and started flipping through the files scattered across it. My heart skipped a beat. The ticket I had tucked inside one of the folders was within reach, and I feared he might spot it.

"Landon, you're aware that this information is confidential. If you share it, you could face serious consequences," I warned.

His gaze flicked up to meet mine, and his expression shifted to something more intense.

"What did you just call me?"

After six years together, I had always called him "Lance", a term of endearment, even in moments of frustration. I hesitated, then softened my tone.

"Lance."

He finally released the document with a teasing smirk. "Still not a fan of your company's projects, huh? I was just trying to help you review the plan. But if you're not interested, fine."

He stood up, his posture shifting into one of playful authority.

"Get ready. I'm taking you out for a walk."

As he turned to leave, he paused, brow furrowing slightly.

"Have your parents set a time to come over yet?"

Landon and I had planned to get married, and he was supposed to visit my parents soon, but he'd declined multiple times due to his hectic schedule at work. To avoid making me feel awkward, my parents had taken the initiative to visit him instead. Yet, Landon had never set a date for our parents to meet, leaving the whole thing hanging. When he asked now, I couldn't help but suppress a sarcastic smile.

"It's a busy farming season at home, so they can't come for now."

Landon frowned, clearly dissatisfied, but he didn't press further and left the study.

Later, while shopping at the mall, I unexpectedly ran into Brittany in front of a dessert shop. Her face lit up when she saw us.

"Landon! What a coincidence to see you here!"

Landon casually rubbed her head as if we were all close friends.

"It really is quite a coincidence."

I stayed quiet.

Since Brittany had been introduced to the company through Landon's relatives, these "coincidences" had become too common to faze me. I was used to being drawn into their orbit.

As I scanned the mall, my eyes landed on some empty lounge chairs. I considered suggesting that Landon and Brittany take a break, but before I could speak, I saw Brittany cling to Landon's arm, her voice sweet and playful.

"Landon, the baby wants to eat that cone, but the line is so long."

Landon affectionately pinched the tip of her nose, eyes filled with fondness.

"Okay, okay, little greedy cat, just wait."

"Yeah," she chimed, bouncing on her feet. As her miniskirt lifted, Landon instinctively pulled her into his arms, quickly draping his coat around her waist to cover her. I couldn't help the sting of jealousy that flared up.

"Next time, don't dress like this, and definitely don't jump around," he chided, his voice light, though tinged with seriousness.

Brittany stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "I know."

Then, he turned to me.

"Do you have any cash on you?"

I was taken aback.

"No, I don't."

"Then go get 20,000 cash now," he ordered.

Frustration surged within me, and I decided not to stick around any longer. I walked away, returning soon after with the money.

I watched as Landon handed bills to the people in front of him, apologizing profusely. "Sorry, cutting in line."

The once-arrogant man I had known now seemed almost desperate, groveling for a cone of ice cream for Brittany, who was blissfully unaware of the awkwardness around her.

I couldn't help but chuckle, and Brittany glanced at me, narrowing her eyes.

"Olive, why are you laughing? Has Landon done something like this for you?"

I shook my head, dismissing her question, the urge to escape the situation becoming too strong. I moved away and sank onto a nearby bench, trying to collect myself. But as I shifted, a sharp pain shot through my heel.

I looked down and saw blood seeping through the fabric of my shoe. Just my luck.

Landon, riding high on his ability to splurge, quickly bought three cones of ice cream. He handed one to me, but I politely declined.

"Thank you, but I don't need it."

His expression darkened, frustration seeping through. "Can you be a little nicer? I bought them for you!"

Brittany, ever the opportunist, grabbed the cones with both hands, taunting him.

"Landon, you're such an idiot! Olive just got out of the hospital, of course she can't eat cold food! How could you forget that? But I guess you remember my menstrual cycle just fine."

With that, she skipped ahead, taking playful bites from both cones, her carefree nature shining through. Landon, looking sheepish, hurried after her.

"Brit, you can't eat so much cold food! You'll end up with diarrhea!"

Just then, a scream echoed nearby, and the crowd erupted in panic.

"Run! There's a murderer up ahead!"

Without hesitation, Landon shielded Brittany, pulling her close as they hurried away, disappearing into the throng of frightened shoppers. I felt the weight of the moment, powerless in the chaos.

I followed the crowd, my heart pounding. I spotted Landon and Brittany in the distance, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing briefly before kissing him passionately. In that instant, I felt like a ghost, invisible, no longer part of their world.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, bringing me back to reality. It was my mom's warm voice.

"Oli, happy birthday!"

Despite the mess around me, a smile tugged at my lips. "Thanks, Mom! I'm really happy. I'll see you tonight!"

After hanging up, I took a taxi home alone, the weight of the day pressing heavily on me.

I quickly packed my things, dragging my suitcase to the door. The keys, once adorned with couple-themed trinkets, were now a painful reminder of what was. I plucked them off the hook, pulled the trinket off, and tossed it in the trash before hanging the keys back up.

"Goodbye, Landon."

"Goodbye to the boy you once were."