Our Anniversary Ends with an End

Chapter 5

There was nothing left to explain. His texts were getting more and more annoying, so I finally blocked his number and deleted everything tied to him. It was time to cut out the last bit of noise.

Just as I zipped up the last pocket of my suitcase, my brother pulled up. He stepped out of the car, looked at the single large suitcase beside me, and raised an eyebrow.

"This is all you brought?"

I nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, that's it."

I had deliberately left behind every single thing Yohann ever gave me. If I really wanted a clean break, I couldn't hold on to anything that reminded me of him.

Marlaux helped me load the suitcase into the trunk. As we drove off, he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"You've always dodged coming back home before. What changed your mind this time?"

I leaned my head against the window, watching the familiar streets blur past. "Because you were right," I said quietly. "Love's supposed to be mutual. If there's no respect or care on both sides, then what's the point?"

He didn't say anything for a beat, then reached over and ruffled my hair like he used to when we were kids. "Maybe it's for the best. At least now Mom and Dad will stop nagging me about bringing you home."

I chuckled, grateful for his easy understanding.

When we pulled up to the house, my parents rushed out to hug me. They didn't ask questions, but I could tell they knew. Maybe not the details, but enough. I was thankful for their silence. I just wanted peace.

I threw myself into studying for the civil service exam, trying to drown out the past. But peace didn't last long, calls started coming in from an unknown number. I ignored them at first, but they kept coming. Eventually, I picked up, frustrated.

Before I could say a word, Yohann's voice exploded through the speaker, loud and angry.

"Ysha, where the hell have you been? You're an adult! Start acting like it! I'm giving you one last chance. Come back now, or we're done!"

I didn't hesitate. "Alright."

He went quiet. I could almost hear his confusion through the line.

"What… what did you just say?"

"I said alright," I repeated, calm as ever. "I agree to break up."

"Ysha! You better think this through!" His voice was shaky, trying hard to hold it together. "I don't go back to my exes. Once it's over, it's over!"

I sighed. "I didn't take anything you bought me. You can check. If anything's missing, let me know and I'll return it. But we're done. I'm responsible for my decisions, and I won't bother you again."

He was quiet for a moment. Then I heard him coughing, clearly pissed. "We should at least talk about this in person. A phone call doesn't count!"

I paused. "Where are you? I'm not giving you my address, but if you want to talk, I'll meet you somewhere."

Then I hung up.

I figured that would be the end of it. But somehow, he found my parents' place and showed up at the door.

When I opened it and saw him standing there, I kept my face blank.

"What are you doing here?"

Wasn't this what he wanted? Freedom? Time for Zandria? I didn't get why he'd even come.

He scowled. "If I hadn't come, would you have ever come back home?"

"This is my home," I said coolly. "And the place I was staying before? Rent's paid."

His jaw clenched. "What's that supposed to mean? Do you really want to break up?"

He was shouting now, loud enough for the neighbors to start peeking out their windows.

"Let's take this outside," I muttered, stepping past him toward the elevator. I didn't want to be the next hot gossip on the neighborhood group chat.

He followed, breathing hard.

Once we got outside the building, I waited for him to say something. But when I stayed quiet, he suddenly grabbed my arm, hard.

"I'm not here to fight," he snapped. "I'm here to fix things. So just say what you need to say instead of making me guess."

His grip hurt. I yanked my arm away and took a step back.

"I already said what I needed to say," I said, voice flat. "I want to break up. How much clearer can I be?"

"Why?" he barked. "You need a reason to end things, right?" He hesitated, then added, "Is this still about the bungee jumping thing?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

He took my silence as permission to keep going. "I told you, I was just trying to help you conquer your fear. Nothing happened to you, so why make a big deal out of it?"

A big deal?

My fists clenched. He called it "the bungee jumping thing" when in reality, he shoved me off a bridge without warning, knowing I was terrified of heights. He thought it was some twisted way to make me brave. I was humiliated, panicked, traumatized.

"It's not about the jump, Yohann," I said quietly. "It's about respect. And you've shown me again and again that you don't have any."

For the first time, he looked like my words actually sank in. But I could still see it in his eyes, he didn't really get it. Not the full weight of it. To him, everything was just "little stuff."

"It's over. We're done."

If the emergency crew hadn't been there, I could've died that day. And since then, I hadn't slept a single night without jolting awake from nightmares.

I looked him straight in the eye. "What exactly is a big deal to you, Yohann? Do I need to die in front of you for it to matter?"

He rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Bungee jumping isn't jumping off a cliff, Ysha. There were safety ropes and staff all over the place. You're just overreacting."

His words hit me like a slap. He still didn't get it. Still thought I was being dramatic. And that hurt more than anything.

I let out a cold laugh. "See? That right there, that's the problem. You always think your perspective is the only one that counts. Who gave you the right to decide how I should feel?"

He didn't have a response. Just stared at me, lips pressed tight, unsure of what to say.

Finally, he sighed. "Fine. I was wrong. I'm sorry, okay? Can we just go home now?"

"No," I said firmly. "We've broken up. I'm not going back."

I was done. Done trying to make things work that were never meant to. "We're just not right for each other, Yohann. You and Zandria are a better fit. It's obvious you can't live without her."

His face twisted. "Zandria and I are just friends! Where is all this coming from?"