The Comments Said He Loved Me But He Never Did Chapter 03
The live comments were still going crazy over it.
[Stick with it, sweetheart. This is his final test. As long as you can just hold on, he’s going to go public with you any minute now. He’s even going to propose. And as for Bianca? He actually can’t stand that little manipulative sweetheart.]
[Exactly! Sure, he celebrated her birthday, took her to an amusement park and hung out with her, acted all lovey-dovey with her on TV, and let the gossip fly everywhere. But he only did all of that to make you jealous. To make you care more. To dig himself deeper into your heart.]
[Sweetheart, he already had the jeweler finish the custom-designed engagement ring. He keeps it close to his chest and looks at it a thousand times a day. He’s been smiling like an idiot just thinking about proposing. He’s a stubborn puppy, sure, but he’s still loyal.]
They still thought Zane was using Bianca the same way he’d used every other actress before her. Just another tool to confirm my feelings.
But only I knew the truth. Bianca was different.
When I went to visit him on set one day, I saw it happen. One of the crew accidentally bumped into Bianca and gave her a scratch. Zane—who everyone knew as gentle and forgiving—exploded with rage.
He stepped in front of her, shielding her, his fingers trembling with rage.
But I wasn’t even there that day. The set was closed. No paparazzi to take photos and leak them. No way for me to ever find out.
I could see it clearly. The way he protected her wasn’t for show. It wasn’t calculated. It came from the heart. It was instinct. It had nothing to do with me. And everything to do with love.
Tears rolled down my cheeks without a sound. Zane’s eyes narrowed. He reached out to wipe my face, a reflex, pure instinct. I turned my head away. Then I stood up, grabbed my bag, and dashed out the door. It was the first time in eight years that I missed his birthday.
The posts kept begging me to stay.
[How come you’re not coddling him anymore? Oh my god, look at him. He looks so hurt. His eyes are actually red.]
[Turn around, sweetheart! He never let that manipulative sweetheart take your seat. He couldn’t bear to see you hurt.]
[His birthday wish every year is to blow out the candles with you. Now that you’re gone, he refuses to blow them out.]
[You don’t stay with someone for eight years if you don’t love them. Turn around, sweetheart. He’s about to fall apart.]
For the first time, I didn’t give in because of what the posts said.
They were right about one thing. You don’t stay with someone for eight years if you don’t love them.
But even the deepest love gets worn down. Endless compromise with no limits grinds it to nothing. And I couldn’t do it anymore.
I was tired of watching him tear me down with his words. Tired of watching him fuss over someone else like she mattered. I was only human. It hurt. I was allowed to feel that.
I went home, exhausted. There was only one message from Zane on my phone.
“You just walk out without a word? What’s that supposed to mean, Eden? Are you breaking up with me?”
My finger hovered over the screen. I typed out “Yes.” But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t send it.
In the end, I didn’t answer. I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes again, it was the next day.
New rumors were swirling again about Zane and Bianca. This time, there were photos of them checking into a hotel together. The sheets beside the bed were perfectly smooth. He really hadn’t come home last night.
[Ahhhhhhh! Sweetheart, you have to believe him! She wouldn’t stop clinging to him and begging him to take her to the hotel. He actually slept on the couch. He didn’t even touch a single hair on her head.]
I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn’t want to see the posts anymore.
I went to work like nothing had happened. I logged into Zane’s work account. And I posted a statement.
It wasn’t a denial. It was a public relationship announcement. Confirming him and Bianca.
Then I handed in my resignation letter. I looked at Harrison Vance, who was still furious, and smiled.
“Don’t get so worked up. Zane’s fans are all career-focused at this point. A relationship is just a relationship. It won’t hurt him that much. If anything, it’s good press for his new show.”
I hesitated. Then I answered the question he’d asked me days ago, my voice soft.
“And for the record? I’m not crazy. I’m just tired.”
With that, I turned and walked out of Vertex Entertainment.
I pulled out my phone and sent the message I hadn’t been able to send the night before.
“Yes, Zane. We’re done.”
The next second, my phone exploded with his calls, one after another, nonstop.
