Chapter 3My Fiancée Always Criticizes Me

Alex was my best friend from college and the only one who supported my breakup.

Once in college, Evelyn asked me to study with her at the library.

Getting up at 7 AM on a weekend was no easy feat. Even though I rushed as fast as I could, I was still two minutes late.

Evelyn stood there, arms crossed, a frown on her face. "Leo, why do you have no sense of time at all?"

"Are you going to be late meeting clients when you start working? What if it's a multi-million dollar deal?"

My first instinct was to apologize, but Alex pulled me behind him.

"Getting up early on a weekend to study with you is against human nature, Evelyn. Leo's already doing great just showing up."

"And he was only two minutes late. Do you really need to make such a big deal out of it?"

From then on, Evelyn and Alex's relationship went downhill.

Alex loved praising me, offering a kind of validation I'd never received in over twenty years of my life.

That's why I loved spending time with him.

Evelyn just scoffed. "He praises you only to make you arrogant, so you can't see your flaws."

"Humility leads to self-reflection. Telling you your shortcomings directly, *that's* what's really good for you!"

Talking about Alex always made Evelyn frown.

It was her sign of irritation. Every time she made that face, I knew I was in for a lecture.

I wanted to tell her Alex wasn't like that. But an unbidden fear spread through me, freezing me in place.

I was afraid of Evelyn's anger, afraid of her criticism.

When Alex heard about it, he just clapped me hard on the shoulder. "Leo, someone used to being put down finds it really hard to break free."

"Just take your time."

So today, when he heard I'd finally decided to break up with Evelyn, Alex was especially happy.

He threw an arm around my shoulders, grinning. "Congrats, Leo, free from misery!"

Alex took me to his place and let me stay in his guest room for a while.

He led me into the room. "Leo, do you like the room? I decorated it just for you!"

Looking at all sorts of sneakers and basketball-themed pillows, I felt a little dazed.

How long had it been since I'd seen things like this, ever since I moved in with Evelyn?

Evelyn was a minimalist.

When it came to my sneaker collection, she'd just scoff, mocking, "Leo, your taste is so childish and ridiculous."

Thinking about it, my eyes started to burn again, and I couldn't speak for a long time.

If Evelyn was an insidious nightmare in my life,

then Alex was probably heaven's way of making it up to me.