The expensive wristwatch she had spent months saving up for, working part-time jobs to buy him a meaningful gift for his 20th birthday, only to have him dismiss it because Iris had already given him something better—trashed.
Each item tossed into the box felt like ripping a piece of herself away, but Amber didn't stop. By the time she was finished, the room looked emptier, cleaner, as though her presence had already begun to fade.
Amber pulled open the bottom drawer of her nightstand, retrieving a worn leather folder. Inside were neatly arranged documents: her finalized contract with a company in Hong Kong, a work visa and her one-way plane ticket.
She was finally letting him go.
In the days that followed, Amber hastened the process of packing her belongings. The mansion's trash bins filled quickly with old clothes, discarded trinkets and unused items. Every corner of the house bore the evidence of her quiet departure.
One evening, after a long day of work, Calvin returned home only to trip over a stack of neatly packed cardboard boxes near the door. Curious, he opened one, pulling out a few of Amber's personal items: crocheted carrots, potted succulents and Pikachu figurines.
"What's all this?" he asked, his voice casual but laced with an underlying tension.
Amber froze, her hand still poised mid-motion as she set the table. The briefest pause followed before she quickly came up with an explanation.
"I'm getting the studio ready for its opening. I thought some of my stuff would make it feel more like home," she said, trying to sound casual.
"Your stuff? How's that going to feel like home?" Calvin mused, crouching down to inspect one of the succulents. An involuntary smile tugged at his lips, though he was likely unaware of it.
Amber, eager to divert his attention, responded quickly, "Let's eat first. Florence made your favorite, sweet-and-sour ribs."
Calvin nodded, his attention momentarily diverted by the change in topic. He didn't press the matter further.
"Are you free tomorrow?" Amber asked, her voice calm and steady. "I was thinking we could visit our old high school. Together."
It was a simple request, but to Amber, it was important. She believed in endings with grace, that even the close of a chapter deserved its proper closure. Their relationship had begun in high school and it seemed fitting that it should end there, too.