The CEO Used AI To Reply While He Loved Her Chapter 04
After five years together, even ending things deserved an in-person conversation.
At the very least, this relationship deserved a clean ending instead of slowly rotting to death.
But when I woke up the next morning, Callan was already gone.
There was, however, a text waiting for me.
[Brie wants to check out that new mountain resort. I’m taking her for the day. I’ll be back this afternoon.]
I stared at the message for a long time before replying.
Me: [Didn’t I tell you last night that I needed to talk to you?]
The response came almost instantly.
[Don’t do this right now.]
I knew immediately.
It wasn’t Callan texting me.
It was the AI again.
I didn’t reply.
I got out of bed and started packing.
There honestly wasn’t much to take.
After living there for five years, everything that truly belonged to me fit into a single suitcase.
I waited from afternoon until nightfall.
Callan never came home.
A little after eight, I opened Instagram and saw Brielle’s newest post.
The photo showed the resort glowing beneath strings of warm lights while she smiled brightly at the camera, throwing up a peace sign beside the outdoor hot springs.
Caption: [Having way too much fun up here. Good thing Cal came with me.]
Someone commented below:
[Isn’t this place insanely expensive per night?]
Brielle replied with a shy emoji.
[Well, happiness is priceless. Besides, Cal’s paying.]
I stared at the screen for several seconds before something finally clicked.
Callan must’ve told her I wanted to talk, which was why she specifically chose today to drag him away.
She probably assumed I was about to bother him about the wedding again.
Because that was how it had always gone.
The day we were supposed to do the catering tasting, she suddenly had stomach pains.
The day we picked invitations, her laptop “stopped working.”
The day we toured venues, she called crying because her apartment lost power and she was scared to stay alone.
Little by little, Callan stopped participating in the wedding entirely.
This time, I really did want to talk about the wedding. Just not in the way they thought.
This time, I was going to tell him there wouldn’t be one anymore.
The next day, Callan still didn’t come home.
I texted him.
[Are you coming back tonight?]
Callan: [Mm.]
[I need to talk to you. It’s important.]
Callan: [Got it.]
[If you don’t come back tonight, don’t blame me for what happens next.]
Callan: [Don’t do this right now.]
All three messages—every single one written by AI.
After midnight, his chat window finally went silent.
At this hour, I should’ve been sitting in front of a mirror while a stylist pinned my hair into place.
There should’ve been luxury cars downstairs. Music outside the building. Friends and family laughing in the hallway.
Instead, the apartment sat completely silent.
Only one suitcase waited beside the door.
Then my phone lit up.
Callan finally texted me himself.
[I’ll be at the ceremony tomorrow on time.]
[I don’t have time in the morning. I’m doing a run with Brie first. Keep everything simple. No unnecessary wedding traditions. Just make sure you get there on time too.]
On our wedding day, he still planned to spend the morning with another woman.
Honestly, only Callan Mercer could make something that ridiculous sound completely normal.
This time, I was the one who stopped replying.
I opened his profile, blocked the number, deleted the chat history, then picked up the suitcase I’d packed days ago and headed straight for the airport.
I’d booked the ticket the same day I canceled the wedding.
And during those five days, if Callan had chosen me even once—
Maybe I wouldn’t have left.
But he never did.
To be more accurate, he had never chosen me once in five entire years.
After my flight landed, I checked into a hotel and slept better than I had in months.
Meanwhile, back in Westbridge—
By the time Callan arrived at the hotel with Brielle and the Mercer family, it was already close to ten.
There were no floral arches outside.
No welcome signs.
No giant wedding display with our names across it.
Callan frowned and stopped one of the hotel staff.
“Which ballroom is the wedding in? We’re with the groom’s side.”
The employee looked confused and checked the reservation list.
“Uh… there isn’t a wedding scheduled here today.”
Then suddenly, recognition crossed her face.
“Oh. Wait. There was one.”
She tapped the screen again.
“But it was canceled five days ago.”
