His "Sister" Flirted, I Dumped Him

Chapter 3

Darren did not show even the smallest hint of embarrassment at being caught red-handed.

His tone stayed perfectly casual. "They were just joking around."

Lucky for me, I did not even care anymore.

"Come outside with me for a minute. I have something I need to say to you."

"Is it really that important?"

"Very important," I replied.

Darren clicked his tongue in annoyance and pushed himself up from his seat.

Seeing this, Gretta shifted deliberately closer against his side. She pressed one hand weakly to her forehead and spoke in a soft, pleading voice. "Darren, I don't feel very well..."

I just stared at her for a moment, completely lost for words.

Ugh! Spare me the act.

She is more fake than a three-dollar bill. If you stacked up all the garbage she says, you could fertilize a whole farm.

Darren, though, did not see through a single bit of it. He even soothed her gently, brushing her hair back.

"Just drink some warm water. I will be right back," he said.

We stepped outside and walked over to the quiet terrace area.

Before I could even open my mouth, Darren beat me to it. "Sandra, you came here because you want to make up, right?"

I blinked at him, confused. "Make-up? Why on earth would I do that?"

Darren let out a sharp, cold huff. "This is all because I took that girl under my wing like a little sister, isn't it? You threw a fit, stopped talking to me, and we have been giving each other the silent treatment for a whole week. Now you finally can't stand being apart anymore, can you? So go on then, apologize."

He leaned lazily against the railing, looking down at me like he was already waiting for me to admit I was in the wrong.

I was so angry I almost laughed right in his face.

"I am not here to apologize. I am here to end this. We are breaking up."

His face darkened instantly, turning as stormy and cold as rain clouds. "What did you just say?"

'Did he not hear me clearly?'

I said it again, slow and plain.

Darren pushed himself upright, a sharp, dangerous glint appearing in his narrowed eyes. "Sandra... you are pulling that same old trick again, aren't you? You think if you threaten to leave, I will run after you and beg you to stay?"

Hardly.

I did not waste another word. I pulled out the photos I had saved and held them up for him to see.

"All my things are already moved out of the apartment. Everything you ever gave me is packed up neatly in boxes and left in the living room. I do not want anything you gave me back, and you can throw away whatever I gave you if you want."

Then I pulled up our linked accounts on every app we used. "I have already changed our matching profile pictures and unlinked every single couple feature we had set up."

Finally, I showed him the post sitting ready in my social media drafts. "The announcement is already written. All you have to do is nod right now, and I will post it immediately."

Darren stared at me, fixed and unblinking. The way his hands clenched tight into fists told him this was no joke.

For a moment, the air felt completely still.

I took his silence as agreement and lifted my thumb to press send.

But he snatched the phone right out of my hand before I could, and I watched as he deleted the draft entirely.

Darren spoke through gritted teeth, his voice rough with anger. "Why? Is this all because of what happened last night?"

I did not answer him.

He took my silence as confirmation and started making excuses all on his own, not even waiting to be asked.

"Gretta messaged me saying she fainted from low blood sugar in the dorm showers. It was the middle of the night, and she was all alone there. What was I supposed to do? Just leave her? And I kept my eyes closed the whole time! I did not see anything. There is absolutely nothing going on between us!

"I have not told you about it before because I already told you, I see her as nothing more than a little sister. The whole rest of the world can doubt me, but you? You of all people should trust me, Sandra!"

He sounded flustered and furious all at once, acting like he was the one who had been terribly wronged.

But was that really how it was?

I spoke calmly, steady and clear. "There was no one else in the showers, but was there really no one else in her whole dormitory? Are there no other girls she could have called? Why did it have to be you rushing in to play the hero?"

"She was so weak and sick yesterday, and today she is dancing around full of energy. Did you never stop to wonder if that low blood sugar was even real? You say you treat her like family, but does she look at you like a brother? Are you really blind to the way she looks at you? Or do you just like having someone follow you around and worship you like that?"

Darren stood there, and he could not answer even one single question.

All at once, I felt completely, utterly tired of all of this.

I rewrote the breakup announcement quickly, and posted it without hesitating for even a second.

"Darren... it is over. We are done."

I had already walked some distance away when a loud crash rang out behind me, followed by his voice, sharp with humiliation and rage.

"Sandra! You are going to regret this!"