The Love She Never Earned

That morning, she was still whining about me going to business dinners and smelling like whiskey when I got home. A few hours later, she strolled in here flaunting herself.

I swallowed the heat rising in my chest, forced a smile. "You've got the wrong person. My girlfriend went back home. Excuse me, I need the restroom."

God, I wished it wasn't her. But from outside that private room, I heard everything.

"Daphne, aren't you scared Ethan's gonna find out and flip?"

"Tch, who cares?" Her voice was full-on mockery. "Even if he does, what's he gonna do? Yell at me? Please. Can you chill? What's wrong with wanting a little freedom?"

"But you've been together, like, ten years. You're not worried that might crash and burn?"

She snorted. "He's not going anywhere. A guy that boring—who'd even want him? He was talking marriage, and I shut that down fast."

"So you're just gonna keep stringing him along?"

She took a slow sip, laughed. "Marriage? Please. I'm still young. Spending forever with him? Total waste."

"I think you're pushing it."

Daphne didn't flinch. She leaned into that guy and whispered in his ear, "Ryan, you didn't hear a thing, got it? Let's actually have some fun tonight."

Watching from the doorway, my head spun. My chest felt like it was getting crushed. The bitterness? It nearly choked me.

From high school to college to chasing our careers—I stuck with Daphne through it all.

Now that my life was finally steady, I was ready to give her a real home. But every time, she dodged the idea of marriage.

I thought she just needed time. I didn't get that she saw me as dead weight, something that'd kill her fun.

I shoved the emotion down, kicked open the private room door, and met her wide-eyed panic head-on.

"Daphne Jent, congrats. We're done."

As I walked off, the chaos behind me kept going.

"Daphne, you messed up! Go talk to Ethan, now!"

Through gritted teeth, she snapped, "He's bluffing! Like he could ever leave me. He'll come crawling back, just watch!"

That night, I packed my stuff and walked out. No calls. No texts.

She didn't reach out either. Her friends tried when she was drunk. I let it go to voicemail.

This reunion? First time we'd seen each other in six months.

Everyone looked stunned, so I said it again.

"Daphne and I broke up. Six months ago. I don't want my fiancée getting the wrong idea, so let's quit dragging up the past."

Daphne's eyes flew wide. "You've got to be kidding me."

"You know I'm not."

She stared, chest rising, then forced it out. "Ethan Everett, that's enough."

Typical Daphne—always thinking I was bluffing, just trying to piss her off.

I didn't bother responding. I was about to make an excuse to dip when my phone started buzzing.