Literally Die in His Tenderness

Chapter 2

What hurt the most was that Troy chose to do it on my birthday, the day he had confessed his love to me four years ago, blushing like a nervous teenager. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. The man I had loved for eight years, the man I had trusted with everything, could turn so cold, so ruthless.

The anger, the betrayal, every ounce of resentment boiled within me. I was reborn in that moment, back to the day when Troy, broken and desperate, had begged me to take him back.

Then my phone rang. The familiar sound sliced through the silence like a knife. It was him. The sting of the past hit me hard, the weight of it all crashing in. I couldn't bring myself to answer, but I couldn't bring myself to hang up, either. I just set the phone down slowly, hitting the silent button with trembling hands.

After a moment of stillness, I forced myself to open my laptop. I logged into the video site as a guest, typing in the keywords I couldn't shake from my mind. And there it was, Troy's live stream. My hands clenched and unclenched a few times before I clicked on it.

Inside the live room, Troy was telling his side of our story, just like he did in my past life. He didn't mention Terra once. Instead, he said, "I just want to see her one last time. Our relationship started on her birthday. If we really have to part, I want to make sure it's with closure, so that I can spend her last birthday with her."

His words hit the viewers hard. The comments flooded in.

"I don't know what happened, but if you love someone, you should fight for them."

"The odds of two people falling in love are lower than winning the lottery. I support you for trying to save the relationship."

"If you're seeking peace, you should show it. Let me send you a gift to see how sincere you are."

Just like in my past life, the comment appeared, and at the exact same moment, I received a payment notification.

Troy displayed a $7,000 transfer on the screen. "I'd give every gift I get here to her. Anything, until she agrees to see me again," he said, looking desperate. "But she won't pick up my calls. Any suggestions? I'm willing to try anything."

In my past life, it wasn't the money that made me go downstairs. It was seeing this side of Troy, the side I never knew existed. The man who was usually so cold and aloof, now willing to humble himself in front of strangers just to get me back. It was a side of him I had never seen, and it made me think maybe, just maybe, I should hear him out, get some answers.

So, I answered the phone and went downstairs. What followed was far worse than I could have ever imagined.

But this time, I knew exactly how it would end. When I saw Troy's face again, I didn't feel a shred of pity. Still, there was a voice inside me urging me to see him, wondering if there was something more to his story, some reason behind his actions in my past life.

I was horrified by my own thoughts. I gasped and rushed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to shake myself out of it. Staring at my reflection, I thought, Why am I still this weak? I know how this ends, but I still want to see him?

When I came back to the laptop, Troy had lowered his head, looking every bit as defeated as I felt. A comment caught my eye.

"Maybe she's not answering because she's asleep. It would be more sincere if you went to her house directly."

But then another comment stopped me in my tracks:

"I'd advise everyone to stay out of other people's drama. The streamer might look sad, but there's something off about his eyes. He could be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Ever heard of those dismemberment cases? Sometimes, a person can hold a grudge after being abandoned. When their love fades, they just want to destroy the one who left them."

I hadn't seen this comment in my past life because I had already gone downstairs by then. But the ending? Exactly what this commenter warned about. And I was torn apart.

Just as I was trying to process it all, Troy suddenly lifted his head.