Ended My Six-Year Relationship with a Cheater

Chapter 8

On the day the troupe arrived, I unexpectedly ran into Brittany. I had just traded a bag of diamonds for a handful of White Rabbit milk candies when she spotted me. Her face lit up with joy, and I was taken aback by how much she had changed. Gone was the desperate girl I'd seen at the ATM; now she was full of energy and enthusiasm.

She excitedly recounted how, when she opened the bag and saw the diamonds, especially the breathtaking red one, she'd been in disbelief. At first, she wondered if they were fake, but the certificates that came with them confirmed they were authentic. Determined to save her mother's life, she took the diamonds and platinum to a pawnshop with a glimmer of hope. To her surprise, they fetched her 200,000 yuan. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she had wanted to find me and bow in thanks right then.

With tears in her eyes, she explained how she used the money to pay for her mother's medical expenses. After the surgery, she hired a nurse to care for her and returned to the troupe. Performing on stage had always been her dream, but now she had an even greater purpose: to show me that the little girl I helped hadn't let me down.

At the end of her story, Brittany sighed, "The fate in this world is truly marvelous, like the lines in a storybook. There's a hidden will of heaven at work!" I couldn't help but agree with her.

On the day of the theater's opening, I was amazed at how popular Brittany's troupe had become. People had traveled from all over just to see their performance in our small town. Eugene winked at me playfully and said, "Do you think I invited this troupe just for fun? I wanted to use their star power to boost business!"

I gave him a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed by his business savvy. Just as we were laughing, I felt a sudden tug from behind. I tripped over something and tipped backward, only to find myself falling into a familiar embrace.

"Oli, what do you think you're doing?" Landon's angry voice met my ears, and I couldn't help but frown.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Landon opened his mouth to speak but then fell silent. Just then, Brittany appeared from behind him, holding a fluffy cotton candy. "Landon brought me to see the musical! Oli, what about you?" she asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. I could tell she was up to something.

I chuckled, wriggling out of Landon's arms and walking back to Eugene's side. With a confident smile, I said, "I'm here to spend time with my boyfriend."

Brittany gasped in mock surprise, "Oli, how could you? Landon's been waiting for you, hoping you'd come back once you weren't mad anymore. I can't believe that in just half a month, you've already..."

"Shut up!" Landon snapped, cutting her off, his voice tinged with irritation.

"Landon, are you really yelling at me?" Brittany feigned innocence, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at him. Her expression was a mix of hurt and patience.

Landon had always been vulnerable to her charms, and this act usually had him scrambling to comfort her. But today, something was different. He didn't even glance at her. Instead, he took a few steps toward me.

"Okay, Oli, enough. I know you're trying to provoke me, and I'm sorry," he began, his voice more measured than I expected. "I messed up by forgetting your birthday. I got caught up with work and didn't mean to leave you at the mall. We got separated in the crowd, and I had no choice." His tone softened, but there was still a sense of urgency in it. "It's my fault, and I own it. I'll accept any consequence you give me, except breaking up. I just want you back."

He paused, running a hand through his hair. "We're supposed to get married, and we shouldn't let our six years of love be overshadowed by these little misunderstandings, right?"

I couldn't help but chuckle dryly. "Six years of love? That's rich, Landon. Those years have been worn down by your constant misunderstandings, favoritism, and accusations. Why do you think you can still cling to that love now?"

"Love is like tending to a garden," I continued, my voice steady. "You nurture it with your heart, and in return, it flourishes and blooms beautifully. But if you neglect it, plucking petals along the way, withering becomes its inevitable fate."

Landon's eyes glistened with unshed tears, but he shook his head in disbelief. "Oli, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Come on, let's go home, okay?" he pleaded, taking a step closer.

I stayed rooted to the spot, unmoving, and before he could reach for me, Eugene stepped in, blocking him with a fierce glare.

"She said she doesn't want to go with you. Can't you grasp that?" Eugene said, his voice firm, not allowing any more room for argument.