I was the textbook definition of a "velcro girlfriend." If I could have spent twenty-four hours a day physically fused to my boyfriend’s side, I would have. I was in the middle of my nightly routine—clinging to his neck and begging for one more goodnight kiss—when a flicker of strange, translucent text drifted across my vision like a live stream comment section. [Is this side-character actually brain-dead? Can’t she see the Lead is doing a tactical lean-back?] [For real. He doesn’t even want to touch her.] [He only dated her to keep the "crazy fans" away. She really thinks she’s the love of his life? Delusional.] [Almost there, guys! The real Heroine is about to make her entrance. Our little stage-five clinger is getting the boot any minute now!] I stared at the floating words, my heart dropping into the pit of my stomach. My fingers, which had been laced tightly behind Cade’s neck, slowly began to lose their grip. In the next second, Cade lifted his head. His eyes were dark, shadowed with a touch of the irritation that comes from being interrupted. His voice was a low, honeyed rasp. "Why’d you stop?" ... 1 My heart gave a violent squeeze. My eyes darted around the room, unable to meet Cade’s gaze. Under his piercing look—the kind that felt like he was peeling back layers of my skin—I reached down and gripped the silk sheets, whispering, "I’m just... tired." Cade didn’t say anything. He just watched me for a long beat, probably trying to figure out if I was glitching. After a moment, he rolled over, his back to me. His voice was flat, impossible to read. "Then sleep." Staring at the broad, cold expanse of his back, I felt like I’d just swallowed a mouthful of ash. It was bitter and suffocating. I sat up and clicked off the lamp. As I lay back down in the dark, the words from that "comment" kept looping in my brain. I shifted toward the very edge of the mattress, leaving a vast, empty canyon of space between us. I did my absolute best to stay as far away from Cade as possible. I didn’t dare press against him like a heat-seeking missile the way I usually did. Maybe if I stop being so much, I thought, he’ll hate me a little less. In the silence, I heard his steady, rhythmic breathing, but my mind was miles away. To be honest, it wasn’t like I hadn’t noticed. I wasn’t that blind. Cade had always been lukewarm. Whenever I tried to get close, I felt that split-second of tension in his frame, a subtle rigidity. But I loved him so much it made me stupid. I wanted to be his shadow, his accessory, his constant. Cade never complained out loud. But looking back, those tiny furrows between his brows, the way his jaw tightened—they were all flashing red lights. He didn't want this. I’d just been playing dumb. I’d lied and told him I was scared to live alone just so I could move into his place. Then, I’d pushed for more, invading his bedroom until I was a permanent fixture, wrapping my limbs around him every night like an octopus. He hadn’t kicked me out, sure. But his first instinct was always to resist. I’d just been so desperate to be with him that I’d filtered out the truth. Now it seemed the comment was right. The air in the room felt heavy. I tossed and turned until the early hours of the morning, finally drifting into a fitful sleep. 2 When I woke up, I realized I was curled into Cade’s chest, my right arm locked firmly around his waist. His chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm. After a few seconds of frozen realization, my soul nearly left my body. My body had gone into autopilot during the night, seeking him out like a habit I couldn't break. If he woke up and saw me like this, the annoyance would be written all over his face. Holding my breath, I moved with the agonizing slowness of a glacier, trying to retract my arm. I was inches away from a clean break, almost back to my side of the bed, when a hand clamped firmly around my wrist. I looked up, slamming right into Cade’s deep, bottomless eyes. He’d clearly just woken up; his voice was thick with sleep. "What are you doing?" Panicked, I yanked my hand back and shoved against his chest with both palms, trying to create distance. I stammered out the first excuse I could find. "N-nothing. It’s late. I have to get to work." Cade didn’t respond. He just watched me with that expressionless mask. Even though I was avoiding his gaze, I could feel the atmospheric pressure in the room dropping. [The Lead is definitely in a bad mood now. Imagine waking up to a human leech every morning.] [God, who wants to be suffocated in their sleep? So annoying.] [She’s a literal adult. Doesn't she understand boundaries?] [I’d dump her so fast. She’s like sentient Scotch tape.] My eyes dropped to my lap, my lashes trembling. The comments made my face burn with a shame so hot I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. Just as I was about to scramble out of bed, Cade’s low voice rumbled above me. It was impossible to tell if he was amused or angry. "That goodnight kiss you skipped last night. You want to make it up now?" Usually, if he missed a kiss because of a business trip or a late night, I’d be relentless. I’d make him pay it back with interest—ten kisses for every one missed. I was like a loan shark for affection. The first time I’d pulled that, Cade had almost laughed, though it sounded more like a sigh. "Daisy, don't you think you’re being a bit of a tyrant?" I’d just blinked innocently at him, cupping his face and kissing him until I was satisfied. Maybe because it happened so often, he’d just grown used to it. He’d stopped fighting it. But remembering how he’d flinched away last night, I knew he was just humoring me. He didn’t want this. "No, that’s okay," I said quickly, waving my hands. I lowered my head, adding in a small, shaky voice, "Actually, we can skip the morning and evening kisses from now on." Cade stared at me. His gaze turned heavy, almost frighteningly dark. After what felt like an eternity, he spoke coldly, a sharp edge of spite in his tone. "Fine. Suit yourself." I let out a quiet breath of relief. But at the same time, a dull ache started to throb in my chest. He really did see it as a chore, didn't he? 3 By the time I finished getting ready, Cade had breakfast on the table. He was faster than me, already finished, sitting across the table and watching me with an unblinking intensity. Feeling his eyes on me, I started shoveling food into my mouth. Cade frowned. "Slow down," he said curtly. I nodded, my cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, playing the role of the obedient student. Ten minutes later, it was time for the commute. Usually, he’d drive me, but we were running a bit behind today. Those obnoxious comments popped up again, jumping with excitement. [If I remember the script correctly, today is the Big Day. The Leads meet today!] [Yep, the Heroine starts at his company today. She’s a powerhouse, high EQ, and most importantly—she knows how to give a man space!] [Exactly. The Lead actually feels comfortable around her.] [Once he sees what a real woman looks like, he’s going to drop this clingy brat without a second thought.] My eyes dimmed. So today was the day he met his soulmate. My chest felt tight, the air in the room suddenly too thin to breathe. Seeing me standing there like a statue, Cade prompted, "Get in the car." I didn't move. "You go ahead. I'll just take an Uber." Cade didn't argue; he simply opened his door, stepped out, and walked over to me. He stood close, his searching gaze making me feel completely exposed. "You're mad," he stated. His voice was certain. "Because I dodged that kiss last night, right?" I looked up, forcing a blank expression. "No." Why be mad? I’d just finally seen the truth through the comment. I was a nuisance. I was just trying to fix it. Cade clearly didn’t buy it. He stepped into my personal space. "Then why won't you let me drive you?" My eyes flickered away. I couldn't tell him the real reason, so I went with a half-baked lie. "I just think... we should give each other some space. You know, boundaries." Cade froze. It was like I’d slapped him. He clearly hadn't expected those words to come out of my mouth. He didn't push further. He just gave me one long, searching look. "...Fine. I’ll pick you up after work." Without waiting for me to agree, he turned, got back in his car, and peeled out of the driveway. I was a mess all day. I couldn't focus on a single task. The comment kept chiming in, telling me Cade was driving the Heroine home, that he’d forgotten all about me, mocking me for even hoping he'd show up. But I couldn't help it. My heart was still holding onto a shred of hope as I walked out of the office building. The spot where his car usually sat ten minutes early was empty. I stared at the vacant pavement for a long time. As I was lost in thought, a bright, cheerful voice rang out behind me. "Hey, Daisy? What are you doing standing there? Can't catch a ride?" "The subway is going to be a nightmare during rush hour. I’ve got my bike—want a lift?" I turned around. It was Nico, a trendy-looking guy who’d joined the team a few days ago. He was high-energy, like a golden retriever in human form. I was about to say no out of habit, but I looked at the darkening sky and thought about Cade driving some other woman home. I nodded. "Sure. Thanks, Nico." Nico, who was a good head taller than me, easily slid his spare helmet onto my head. "No problem at all." But the moment the buckle clicked, a sharp, prolonged honk cut through the air. Before I could even process it, Cade was out of his car. He strode over, his face like a thundercloud, and grabbed my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine in a crushing grip. Then, he reached up and plucked the helmet off my head—the helmet I’d been wearing for all of ten seconds. He handed it back to Nico, his tone casual but dripping with territorial aggression. "Hey there." "I'm Daisy's boyfriend. Cade." Nico blinked, then let out a bit of a cocky grin. "Whoa, man. You’re running a little behind for a boyfriend, aren't you? We’ve been off the clock for ages." 4 Cade’s eyes narrowed dangerously. The air between the two men was thick with sudden, sharp tension. I gently tugged at Cade’s hand—his grip was starting to hurt. "Cade, let's just go home." I waved a quick goodbye to Nico. "See you tomorrow! Drive safe!" The ride home was brutal. Cade’s expression was murderous. He walked so fast toward the car that I had to jog to keep up. Once we were inside, I opened my mouth to explain. But the words died in my throat. I noticed something on the dashboard. A small, incredibly cute plush cat. Cade hated cats. He complained about the hair, the smell, the effort. And that plushie definitely wasn't there yesterday. [Hehe, such a cute little kitten! The Heroine definitely put that there.] [Look at Daisy’s face. She knows.] [Honestly, she should just bow out now. Save herself the embarrassment of being dumped.] [And she really thinks he was jealous back there? Please. No man wants to look like a cuck in front of his peers. That’s ego, not love.] I blinked slowly, fighting back the sting in my nose. The comment wasn't lying. He really had driven her home. He even liked her enough to let her put a cat toy—the one thing he claimed to loathe—right in his line of sight. At this rate, the "we need to talk" speech was coming any day now. I sniffled quietly and pressed myself against the passenger door, putting as much distance between us as the car allowed. If we were going to break up, I wanted to leave with some dignity. I didn't want to be the girl begging for scraps. That night, after eating the dinner Cade prepared in total silence, I waited until he was buried in work in his home office. I moved quietly, like a ghost, packing my essentials and moving them into the guest room. I didn't bother him. I didn't pester him to come to bed early. I didn't ask for a hug. I just took a shower and crawled into the guest bed alone. I tucked the covers tightly around myself. My feet were like blocks of ice. I realized then that I might never have anyone to warm them for me again. Just as I was spiraling into self-pity, there was a knock at the door. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I cracked the door open just a sliver, peeking out like a stray. "Cade? Did you need something?" He didn't answer. He just stuck his foot in the door frame to keep me from closing it. His eyes were dark, simmering with something that looked like genuine fury. "Why the hell are you in here?" I avoided his eyes, focusing on the pattern of the hardwood floor. "I just... felt like sleeping alone."
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