I froze. That night, Lucas had tied me up and taken my phone. That explained it.
It was Lucas's trap, alright, but it also meant that what I saw between him and Alice was true.
My heart felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand knives, the pain so dense it was hard to catch my breath. I could not blame Idris, and I had no right to point fingers at him. The one who was in the wrong, from the start to end, was Lucas, the instigator.
We were all victims of him.
Idris stood before me, looking thinner. As I touched his face, I managed a weak smile, "Idris, please let me go. What is done is done. You should take good care of Alice. I really love Charlie. I will step aside for you two if you do the same for us. Can we part on good terms?"
Tears filled his eyes as he looked at me, his voice rough but controlled. "Do you love him?"
I nodded, my lips dry. "Idris, I'm sorry, but we can't live in the past."
He laughed, a sad, hollow sound, and after a long pause, he looked at me with defeat and agreed, "Alright, I'll let you go." Then he filled out the form and signed his name without another word.
"Why have you decided to split up?" the clerk asked, looking over the paperwork.
I bit my lip and stole a glance at Idris next to me. He did not return my gaze, just said in a heavy tone, "I'm not in love anymore."
The staff member looked up at his words, probably struck by how handsome he was. They blinked in surprise, then turned to me with a puzzled look. Regarding me, the staff member asked, "And you, ma'am?"
I fought back the sting in my chest and said evenly, "I'm not in love anymore."
With a small sigh, the staff member stamped the paper.
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