What Megan couldn’t have guessed was that Eric never cared for hot water. Not even room temperature. But Hadley did. Hadley liked it just a little warm.

It didn’t take long before Megan came back.

Carefully holding the glass between both hands, she offered it to Eric. “Here. It’s a bit hot, so take it slow.”

Eric stiffened, and the tension in his face made it clear he didn’t want this. Instead of meeting Megan’s eyes, he leaned back a little and reached for the glass. “I’ll just drink it myself.”

“Alright then.” Megan handed it over without giving it too much thought.

But the moment their fingers touched, Eric flinched. The reaction was subtle, but it spoke volumes. He yanked his hand back, almost too fast, and said, “I’m sorry!”

That caught Megan off guard. She wasn’t clueless. Something about the way he kept dodging her gaze made it obvious—Eric didn’t want to be near her.

In a way, it made sense. He had never gone out of his way to be kind to her. Warmth had never really been part of how he treated her.

Even so, the rejection still stung.

Eric noticed her silence and guessed what it meant. She must have taken it the wrong way. A shadow passed over his face as he muttered, “I’m sorry…”

Right after saying it, something about his tone seemed wrong, even to him. “I mean… I apologize.”

Caught in his confusion, he paused for a second before going on. “I know you’re supposed to be my girlfriend, but I can’t remember anything. Not even a little.”

From where he stood, Megan felt like nothing more than a stranger. Trying to feel close to someone he didn’t recognize? That was asking too much.

Barely above a whisper, Eric said it again. “I’m sorry.”

“You really don’t have to be.” Megan gave a small smile and shook her head. “It’s alright. Don’t worry so much about it.”

Oddly enough, something about his apology made her feel lighter. Back then, Eric had been nothing but distant. Kindness was never part of how he treated her.

Ltτ ?hρτ?rs ιn glov?l.оm

Yet here he was, offering her an apology.

A faint grin made its way onto Megan’s face, one she didn’t bother hiding. She held the glass out and gave him a gentle nudge. “Didn’t you say you were thirsty? Go on. Take a sip.”

There was a brief pause before Eric reached out and accepted it. “Alright.” While drinking, he shot her a quick sideways glance. From her expression, nothing seemed off.

Over the last two days, one thing had become clear—his so-called “girlfriend” had the patience of a saint. No matter what he said or how awkward things got, she rolled with it. That kind of easygoing nature made him wonder how strong their bond used to be.

After a few gulps, Eric put down the glass but kept it in his hands. “Have we been together for more than a decade?”

Megan stopped moving the second she heard his question. No words came to mind—she had no idea how to respond. A heavy thump echoed in her chest as her pulse sped up.

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