Breakfast was ready. Zoe was browsing her phone but put it away as soon as she saw me. It seemed like she was looking at chat histories. I invited her to have breakfast. She ate as usual, giving me that conflicted and complicated look again. We made eye contact, both silent. Perhaps I should have been the one to bring it up, to spare my benefactor the guilt. But what was I fantasizing about? That she would leave her first love for me? Ridiculous.
Finally, Zoe spoke, "Do you remember our agreement?" My body relaxed involuntarily, my back bent slightly, but I straightened up again, jokingly asking, "Oh, he's back?" Zoe hummed in affirmation, looking away. I tried to smile, but my cheeks felt stiff. I raised my voice, "After ten years, you still can't forget him?" "What do you mean by that?" Zoe frowned. "I mean…" My words trailed off, realizing I didn't know what to say. Zoe's frown deepened, sensing my unrealistic fantasies, which annoyed her. She then adopted her CEO demeanor, "Lu Changhe, I have never loved you. Please stick to our agreement."
A cold morning breeze entered from the door, chilling me to the bone as I began to cough uncontrollably. "Okay."