Chapter 4

Today, Sloane went out again to meet Aiden.

I sat at the dining table, scrolling through my phone while eating.

Aiden had posted on Instagram: "Whenever I feel lonely, you're always there for me. I'm so grateful!"

The photo showed Sloane and Aiden with their heads together, making peace signs at the camera.

Sloane's girlfriends were all commenting, admiring their relationship.

They had always thought Sloane should be with Aiden, and that I was the third wheel interfering in their relationship.

Looking at that Instagram post, I suddenly felt that Sloane's friends weren't wrong - they did look more like a couple.

In the past, after enduring silently for a long time, I would gently remind Sloane to keep some distance from Aiden to avoid misunderstandings.

Her friends would then mock me for being too controlling, saying I was suffocating Sloane and not giving her any freedom to have friends.

Sloane never defended me. Instead, she joined them in criticizing me, telling me not to restrict her and to give her more freedom.

Sloane had commented: "You're always there for me too!"

I exited Instagram without a ripple in my heart and got up to clear the table.

Thunder rumbled outside. It was about to rain.

I went to the balcony to bring in the laundry, and large raindrops began hitting the windows.

In the past, whenever it rained, I would anxiously call Sloane to ask where she was and rush out with an umbrella to pick her up, afraid she might get even slightly wet.

She and her friends would then laugh at me for being like an old woman, worrying too much and ruining their fun.

I showered early and lay in bed scrolling through short videos, eventually falling asleep without realizing it.

The sound of Sloane forcefully pushing open my bedroom door woke me up. Seeing that I was sleeping, she angrily questioned me.

"Grant, it's pouring outside, and your girlfriend isn't home yet. Aren't you worried at all? If it were my friends' boyfriends, they'd be calling non-stop asking where they are and rushing out with umbrellas to pick them up! What about you?!"