The Summer Heat Was Thirty Degrees And His Lie Was A Hundred Chapter 01

The Summer Heat Was Thirty Degrees And His Lie Was A Hundred Chapter 01

I complained when Julian Brooks rejected my request to stay over—for the fourth time.

“Julian, you’re so rigid.”

My apartment’s AC had died in the middle of a hundred-degree heatwave. Yet he insisted on being old-fashioned about it.

Throughout our four years together, no matter how late it got, he always insisted on driving me home.

Julian sighed and tried to soothe me.

“Be sweet, Chloe. We aren’t married yet, and I want us to respect each other’s space. I don’t want anyone at the office gossiping about us living together.”

My heart warmed at his words, so I fell right back into our usual routine, venting to him about the recent drama at my office just like I always did.

But he kept checking his watch, clearly distracted, and urged me to head back.

Fortunately, the HVAC technician found a sudden opening and rushed over to my place.

While waiting for him to finish the repairs, I happened to scroll through my Instagram feed and saw a post from our company’s new marketing intern, Savannah Cross.

[My landlord suddenly canceled my lease, but thank god someone stepped up to help. Otherwise, I’d be sleeping on the streets.]

I recognized the background of her photo immediately.

It was Julian’s apartment.

I stared at my phone screen, completely frozen.

I stood there so long the technician finished fixing the unit and carefully lowered the thermostat.

“Too hot for you, kiddo?”

He looked at me with a sympathetic sigh. “Tell you what, I’ll knock twenty bucks off the bill. Take it from an old man—there’s no rough patch in life you can’t get through.”

Only then did I realize tears were streaming down my face.

I forced a smile. “Thank you. You’re absolutely right.”

Julian was a rough patch I was finally moving past.

******

Savannah’s photo only showed her legs and her luggage.

She was wearing my slippers, standing right inside Julian’s living room.

The moment I stepped out of his apartment, she stepped right in.

Before leaving, I had playfully begged Julian to let me stay.

He refused without a second thought.

“Chloe, you need to go home. I have urgent work to finish in a bit.”

As it turned out, there was no urgent work.

The only urgency was Savannah.

She was the new intern in my department, and we hadn’t been getting along.

I mentioned this to Julian before.

But he never seemed to care, let alone listen.

I had no idea Julian even knew Savannah. He’d never mentioned her.

Yet it was glaringly obvious that she was spending the night at his place.

Another red notification popped up on my screen as Savannah updated her feed again.

[Meeting a soft-hearted god at my absolute worst. Blessed.]

This time, Julian was in the photo.

He was looking down at her with a helpless, fond smile.

Two bowls of instant ramen with Spam sat on the table.

On weekends, when Julian and I curled up together, that was the exact late-night snack he always made for me.

Now, he was making it for Savannah.

Savannah’s comment sat right beneath the post, smug and flaunting.

[Rent is two hundred, utilities are free, and no deposit. Best landlord ever.]

Landlord.

He had let Savannah move in.

A sharp, suffocating pain flared in my chest, stealing my breath.

To make his commute easier, Julian had rented a two-bedroom apartment near the office.

It was a great place—twenty-five hundred a month.

It used to be a shared rental, but his old roommate had moved out, and they hadn’t found a suitable replacement.

Worried the rent would be too much, I suggested moving in to split the cost.

He flatly refused.

“Chloe, I won’t take your money, and I don’t think it’s right to move in together before marriage.”

It wasn’t right for me, but it was perfectly fine for Savannah.

I remembered those boundaries so clearly.

The first time I asked to stay over was during our honeymoon phase, and Julian strictly turned me down.

The second time, I came down with a sudden high fever. Julian still drove me back to my place, watched me take my medicine, and left the moment I fell asleep.

The third time was the worst—someone had left a strange mark on my apartment door.

I was losing my mind with fear, but Julian still wouldn’t let me stay at his place.

Instead, he booked me a hotel room.

He spent the next day contacting landlords, agents, and movers, ensuring I relocated to a new apartment within twenty-four hours.

Four years, and I couldn’t get into Julian’s place. Savannah managed it without lifting a finger.

I had to admit his “traditional” boundaries were reserved exclusively for me.

My phone buzzed with a text from Julian.

[Goodnight.]

No explanation. No mention of her.

[By the way, I found a new roommate. She’s moving in tomorrow under an emergency circumstance.]

[Chloe, make sure to let me know in advance before you come over from now on.]

Staring at the text, I wanted to laugh.

But my tears hit the screen first.

I wiped my eyes and didn’t reply.

Savannah posted a third update.

One photo showed her clinking wine glasses with Julian, and the other was a selfie where their cheeks were practically pressed together.

[Celebrating the new place. Here’s to the future, Mr. Brooks.]

Late at night. An unmarried man and woman. Living together.

Julian never touched a drop of alcohol.

Yet he was drinking with her tonight.

In an instant, all the determination holding my heart together vanished.

It was all so pathetic.