Ended My Six-Year Relationship with a Cheater

Chapter 4

By the time I got home, it was late, but the lights were still on. My parents had been waiting up for me. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a beautifully arranged dinner spread and a princess cake, and my heart felt heavy.

"I told you not to wait for me," I said, a little overwhelmed.

My dad grinned, lifting my suitcase and guiding me upstairs. "How could we? Today's our little princess's birthday."

The sound of birthday songs soon filled the living room, and later that night, I curled up under the soft quilt my mom had made, letting the warmth and love of the moment pull me into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, at eight o'clock, I was jolted awake by the incessant vibrating of my phone. Groggy, I struggled to unlock it, finally managing to see the missed calls from Landon. The red notification seemed to glare at me.

I opened Instagram and found a single message among all the missed voice and video calls. It read:

"Playing a game of running away from home with me? Olive, if you don't do anything for one day, you'll die, right?"

I realized I hadn't officially told Landon I was breaking up with him, so I decided to call him back. It rang five times before he picked up, his voice tight with anger.

"Olive, you're almost thirty. When are you going to start acting your age? Running away from home is something only kids do."

I stayed calm. "I didn't run away from home. Actually, I went home, to my own home."

"Landon, leaving your house means I'm leaving you and everything that comes with you."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before he let out a heavy sigh, fatigue clearly weighing on him. "What now?"

Even after everything, he still thought this was just me throwing a tantrum. I held the phone closer, my voice firm. "This time, I'm leaving because I don't love you anymore. Let's break up, Landon."

"Do you really think I'll believe that?" His voice was laced with disbelief, but his arrogance was still there.

"You will," I said, my tone unwavering. Then, I hung up.

When I opened the door, I found my parents leaning against the wall, clearly eavesdropping. I gave them a pointed look, and they both smiled sheepishly.

"We came to ask if you wanted breakfast. Your father's idea to eavesdrop," my mom said, trying to deflect.

"Huh? Who told you to eavesdrop? Don't blame me for that!" my dad added, pretending to be innocent.

I squeezed between them, playfully grabbing each of their necks and pulling them downstairs. "Okay, okay! I didn't want to keep it from you. Landon and I broke up. I don't like him anymore."

My dad tilted his head, looking at me closely. "You really don't like him anymore?"

I nodded firmly. "Really."

He clapped his hands in excitement. "Great! I'll call Aunt Betty tomorrow. She's the best matchmaker in town! She'll find someone for you in no time."

Taking a deep breath, I released his neck and started to head back upstairs. "I'm not eating right now. I'm going to sleep for a bit."

But before I could get far, my mom wrapped her arms around me, giving my dad a playful shove. "Go away! My daughter doesn't need to worry about marriage. She can stay at home as long as she wants. She never has to marry if she doesn't want to. I'll support her."

I felt a warm rush of gratitude. My mom's support meant the world to me. I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek, thankful for the love she gave me.