You Missed the Boat

On the 99th time we fall into a frosty standoff, my girlfriend, Christina Davenport, does something she's never done before—she caves and breaks the silence. But she only does so to give me a way out because she's about to leave on a month-long business trip with her longtime crush, Adrian Blackwell. This time, I, Jeremiah Kane, don't argue with her. Instead, I make her breakfast and see her off with a smile. Christina pinches my cheek and smiles at me as if I were a puppy. "You're being such a good boy today. When I get back, I'll say yes to your marriage proposal, okay?" What she doesn't know, however, is that the people who are truly intending to leave don't make a scene. A month later, she returns home glowing with happiness, only to find a completely empty apartment. That's when the panic sets in. Chapter 1 While I was making breakfast, my girlfriend, Christina Davenport, suddenly wrapped her arms around me from behind and rested her head on my back. "Don't forget to make my breakfast as well," she said softly. "I'm hungry." Her faint, elegant scent drifted over me, and my heart began pounding uncontrollably. This was the first time she'd ever backed down first during one of our silent standoffs. But the very next second, she spoke again, her voice muffled. "I'm leaving on a business trip today. I won't be back for a whole month." She paused, seeming to hesitate, before finally blurting out, "With Adrian." I felt like I'd fallen into an icy lake. My hand froze midair, the spatula hovering over the pan. Lately, nearly every argument we had had was because of Adrian Blackwell, the new assistant she had hired. He was a young man who kept harping about "where there's a will, there's a way", but was actually completely incompetent when it came to doing the actual work. Christina, however, insisted Adrian was cheerful, outgoing, and hardworking. She took special care of him, more than enough to make me jealous. Our most recent fight had been because I had collapsed at the office from a sudden cardiac arrest, yet she had chosen to take Adrian out for dinner instead. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. So her fleeting moment of tenderness was nothing more than a transaction. I nodded. "Take care of yourself while you're away," I said." Try not to eat too much junk food." Christina seemed surprised that I hadn't argued with her today. After all, in the past, I'd get visibly jealous just seeing her talking and laughing with Adrian. She turned my face toward her, stood on her tiptoes, and brushed a quick kiss against my cheek. "Don't worry, Jeremiah. After this trip, Adrian will be fully trained, and I can let him handle things on his own. Then I'll try to take some time off and spend it with you." After breakfast, Christina offered to do the dishes. In the past, she'd always complained that the dishes were too greasy and that the dish soap was too harsh on her hands, so she'd never been willing to do them. I'd always indulged her and never made her wash a thing. This time, I said nothing. I just stood behind her and watched as she washed the dishes, an apron tied around her waist. She seemed to sense my gaze and turned with a smile. "Haven't you looked enough?" she teased. "Once I'm back from the trip, you can look all you want. How about that?" Her smile was warm and gentle, as if we'd never argued—as if we'd always been a loving couple. But I knew better. She was only trying to make it up to me because she was feeling guilty. I grabbed her suitcase and offered to drive her to the airport. She hadn't expected me to be so attentive today, and her eyes crinkled with happiness. Just as I was about to pull out of our apartment complex, another car drove up. The driver honked once, and Christina immediately placed her hand over mine, signaling me to stop the car. Then, she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and said excitedly, "Adrian, what are you doing here?" The corner of my mouth twisted into a mocking smile. Even from this distance, she'd recognized him immediately. Deep down, she'd probably been hoping all along that Adrian would come to pick her up. Chapter 2 Adrian opened the door, stepped out of the car, and leaned against it. He lifted a hand and waved. He was young and full of energy, just like an innocent high school boy trying to impress the girl he liked. "Christina, I came to pick you up," he said. Let me show you my driving skills." Christina was immediately dazzled by him, and her grin stretched from ear to ear as she walked toward him. She probably didn't even realize it herself, but her whole being seemed to light up whenever she saw Adrian, like a flower revived by rain. I didn't say a word. I just grabbed the suitcase from the trunk and handed it to Christina. A flash of surprise crossed Adrian's eyes as he looked me up and down. "Jeremiah, were you going to drive Christina to the airport?" he asked. "Then I guess I shouldn't steal your thunder…" He lowered his gaze, looking disappointed. Only then did Christina think to explain, saying casually, "Jeremiah, you must be tired from getting up early to make breakfast. Just let Adrian drive me." I nodded. She pinched my cheek, coaxing me as if I were a puppy. "You've been so good today, Jeremiah. When I get back, I'll agree to marry you, okay?" My heart stirred. Christina and I had been together for seven years, and I'd proposed to her countless times. But no matter how romantically I had decorated the venue or how sincerely I had poured my heart out, she'd either say the timing wasn't right, brush me off, or flat-out reject me. It seemed like she must have really been in a good mood today to use marriage as a way to placate me. The corners of my mouth curled up, but the smile didn't reach my eyes. "Okay." I sighed inwardly. What she didn't know was that she would never get another proposal from me. After seeing Christina off, I walked home slowly. I looked at the plane ticket on my phone that I'd booked days ago. My thoughts churned as memories surfaced one after another in my mind. In the end, they all blurred into a single image; Christina gazing at Adrian, her eyes sparkling brightly. I took one last look at the apartment I had shared with her for the last seven years. Then I turned and walked away without looking back. I had come to the big city to work because of Christina. Unlike me, she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her, I had worked day and night, pulling endless overtime, even pushing myself to the point of cardiac arrest and collapsing at my desk. I still remember how I had hit the floor hard. Everyone had rushed over. No one would sit by and turn a blind eye, even those who didn't like me. Yet, Christina stepped right past me, anxiously rushing off with her car keys in hand. After I was resuscitated, I saw a post on Adrian's social media. In the photo, he was sitting in the passenger seat, flashing a peace sign, while Christina smiled gently in the driver's seat. The caption read, "It's dinner time! I was starving, so the boss is taking me out for a feast! She's so beautiful and kind!" Lying in that hospital bed, I felt utterly chilled to the bone. I immediately called Christina and asked where she was. There was a brief silence on the other end before she calmly said that she was out having dinner with a client and was exhausted. Her voice grew increasingly impatient as she warned me not to keep tabs on her while she was in the middle of discussing important matters. She didn't want to waste precious time dealing with my paranoia. That night, Christina and I had a huge fight. From then on, we fell into a silent standoff. Christina treated me like I didn't exist. We lived under the same roof, yet it felt like we were complete strangers. She wouldn't even touch the breakfast I made. That was her way of punishing me. She knew I worried about her gastritis, and that when I saw her pale and unwell, it would force me to give in. This cycle happened again and again. But this time, my heart had shattered completely. Chapter 3 Christina going on a business trip with Adrian was the final straw that broke the camel's back. Perhaps from the moment she had praised him with a smile on her face, our relationship had already reached its end. She was not a woman I could bring myself to want anymore. Our seven-year relationship would end here. I packed my belongings and loaded them into the car. The only thing left to do was to go into the office and submit my resignation. What I didn't expect, however, was running into Christina and Adrian. They were supposed to be at the airport. Inside the office, Adrian was holding Christina's hand. He said, pouting slightly, "This is all my fault. I got so excited thinking about going on a trip with you that I couldn't sleep last night, and I forgot to print the contract. I'm sorry for holding you up, Christina." Christina didn't pull away from his touch at all and laughed off his apology. "It's no big deal. Do I really look like such an unreasonable boss?" I lowered my gaze, knocked on the door, and pushed it open. Christina's expression stiffened when she saw me. She glanced at her watch, and her brow furrowed slightly. "Jeremiah, you're half an hour late today. You're not taking your work seriously enough. No wonder your team has complaints about you." I felt like icy shards were circulating through my bloodstream, as if someone had shoved a handful of snow into my chest. Christina had always been strict and ruthless at work, never showing me any favoritism. If anything, she was even harsher toward me than she was with others. We had never made our relationship public because she said office romances were bad for optics. My coworkers all thought she disliked me and would make things difficult for me depending on her mood. When I told Christina how unfair it felt, she'd only scoffed. She told me to reflect on why I was so unpopular, and that if I wanted respect, I should earn it with my own ability. If my team were the top-performing team, naturally, no one would dare say a word against me. But the next day, she sent a company-wide announcement via email, reminding everyone to mind their words and maintain a positive work environment. Even though the announcement hadn't actually changed my situation, I remember being overjoyed at the time. I believed that she truly cared about me, and I even thought that she was stricter with me because I was special to her. Looking back at it now, she was just using the old carrot-and-stick approach to keep me firmly under her control. Snapping out of my thoughts, I took a deep breath and pulled out my resignation letter. "Ms. Davenport," I said flatly, "I'm here to resign." Christina froze, her eyes snapping up to meet mine. Adrian spoke up. "Christina, Jeremiah must not trust you. He was already jealous the last time we went out for dinner together." He smiled at me, his eyes full of provocation. "Jeremiah," he said slowly, "nothing is going on between Christina and me. It's strictly professional." Christina's expression darkened instantly. "Jeremiah, you're a grown man. Why are you still acting like a child, getting jealous over nothing? Haven't I already told you? I'll only be gone for a month. When I get back, I'll agree to your marriage proposal." "It's not because of that," I replied calmly. "I just don't think this job is right for me." Adrian cut in again. "Jeremiah, stop saying things out of spite. I know your application for promotion was rejected again last month. I'll talk to Christina, and we'll definitely promote you next time, okay?" Christina's brow relaxed as she brushed off the matter. "So that's what it's about. Fine, when I get back, I'll give you a promotion and a raise. Happy now?" The two of them carried on between themselves, like a perfectly coordinated routine. A cold scoff escaped my lips. Chapter 4 With my capabilities and the years I'd devoted to this company, I should have been promoted a long time ago. However, Christina had kept passing me over for promotions. She would either give them to the new hires, claiming she wanted to retain talent, or to the senior employees, saying she didn't want them to be disappointed in the company. That was why, after so many years, I was still nothing more than a lowly team lead. But I was done buying her empty promises. I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, Christina shot up to her feet, irritation clear on her face. "Enough!" she shouted. "Haven't I already given you everything you wanted? What more do you want? I'm very busy." She glanced disdainfully at the resignation letter in my hand. "Put that away. I'll tell HR not to deduct your attendance bonus. Now, go back to work." With that, she grabbed the freshly printed contract and walked out, pulling Adrian along with her. I stood rooted to the spot for a long time. Finally, I shook my head. That was probably the last conversation Christina and I would ever have. I never imagined it would end on such bitter terms. After telling myself to let it go, I placed the resignation letter on her desk. Then, I cleared out my desk and boarded a flight back to my hometown. I found a job there soon after. The pay wasn't great, but the work was easy. I even had time to go fishing on the weekends, just staring at the water all day. Occasionally, I scrolled through my social media feed. Adrian would post something nearly every day—photos of him eating, drinking, and having fun with Christina. It didn't look like a business trip at all, but more like a honeymoon. Christina clearly looked like she was enjoying herself, her eyes brimming with happiness in each picture. She even eagerly went along with Adrian to check out all kinds of trendy, internet-famous spots. Adrian even complained in the caption. "There are too many places to see. My legs are about to fall off. Good thing my boss is with me, or I'd be too lazy to go out. Next time, shall we pick a city that's easier to walk around in?" He tagged Christina at the end, and she quickly replied with an "Okay". I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Going on a vacation with Christina—something Adrian achieved so effortlessly—had always been a distant dream for me. All these years, I'd wanted nothing more than to go out on a trip with her like a normal couple. But she'd always said I lacked perspective, and that all I cared about was having fun. She couldn't stand how unambitious I was. Yet now, she was happily wasting time with Adrian, grinning from ear to ear. In the comments, our coworkers teased that there was something clearly going on between them. One of them even asked, "Where's Jeremiah? Why hasn't he popped up to say something sarcastic?" No one knew I was Christina's actual boyfriend. Back then, whenever I heard them gossiping about Christina and Adrian in the break room, I'd raise my voice and tell them to stop spreading rumors. And when I saw Adrian posting stuff about Christina on his social media, I'd leave snarky comments. Over time, our coworkers just assumed that I was a bitter, single, loser who was cynical and resentful of other people's happiness. I once told Christina how wronged I felt and asked to make our relationship public. But she only warned me to stop commenting on Adrian's posts and said she'd ask him to block me from seeing his posts. I laughed bitterly. Looking back now, my past behavior had really been childish. A sudden spasm of pain pierced my heart. The truth was, I'd always known that every one of Adrian's posts was directed at me. They were meant to provoke and show off. But without Christina's indulgence, he never would've had the chance. Adrian was the only person in the company who knew of my relationship with Christina. That was the part that I couldn't accept either. Chapter 5 I didn't know when it started, but at some point, Christina had allowed Adrian to invade every corner of her life and learn everything about her. The seven years I had spent with her were nothing more than reflections in the water—mere illusions. After that, I watched as Christina and Adrian visited all the scenic spots, sampled all the delicacies, and took photos like a couple. Gradually, my heart became numb. There was barely any pollution in my hometown, and the water's surface reflected the clear blue sky. I took a photo without thinking, but I didn't open the chat window with Christina right away. In the past, I couldn't wait to share every interesting little moment in my life with her. Now, I no longer felt like doing that. While I was still lost in thought, a message from Christina popped up. "Jeremiah, don't forget to water my two golden pothos plants. I want to bring them to the new house after we get married." Her tone was matter-of-fact, just like the way she sounded every other time she'd ordered me around. I was slightly taken aback. She didn't even know that I had moved out? I had sent her an email. HR should've told her about my resignation by now too. But she probably ignored them the second she saw my name. As for the "new house", it was just another one of Christina's empty promises. When she didn't receive a reply from me, she "graciously" sent another message. "Thank you for the trouble! If you have time, look into some wedding dates. Love you!" There was only a chill in my heart. So this was what she meant when she said she'd agree to my proposal when she came back. Every mention of wedding plans, every casual "Love you", felt like a knife stabbing straight into my heart. What kind of bride was so indifferent to her own wedding, treating it like just some kind of formality? It was ridiculous. All along, I'd only been her backup plan. I was the safe choice she kept around for appearances. I shook my head and, for the first time, ignored all her messages. Before I knew it, a month had passed. One afternoon, while I was fishing, watching small ripples spread across the water, my phone started buzzing at the worst possible moment. I glanced at it and saw it was a message from Christina, asking me to pick her up at the airport. "Landing in ten minutes. Hurry." I could practically hear her high-handed tone through the screen. Speechless, I rolled my eyes. Did she think she was the queen and that I was her most loyal servant? In one swift motion, I blocked and deleted her contact. Just when I thought no one would disturb my fishing anymore, I suddenly received a message from Adrian. A voice message, no less. Frowning, I played it, and Christina's voice came through the speaker. She was seething with fury after being ignored and humiliated. "Really, Jeremiah? Don't come then. And if you've got the balls, don't bother ever coming back home either!" I almost laughed. That was the one thing I wasn't planning to ever do. Expressionless, I promptly blocked and deleted Adrian's number as well. My mood improved instantly, and I even caught a couple more big fish. Everything seemed to be working out perfectly. Just as I was about to head home, my phone rang again. I frowned. It was Christina calling from her work number. What did she want now? Had she been stewing in anger for the past few hours and now decided to call just to yell at me? I meant to hang up, but muscle memory kicked in, and I swiped to answer. At the other end of the line, the usually cold and aloof Christina sounded choked up. Her voice trembled as she said, "Jeremiah, didn't you say you'd stay by my side forever? Why'd you suddenly disappear?"