On Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend Ethan Walker gave me a pair of plastic earrings he’d bought from a thrift shop, claiming they were from Tiffany’s. I knew right away. Another one of his tests. A while back, Ethan had put me through 99 tests. “Hazel, once you pass all the tests, we’ll get married.” I thought it was just his quirky way of showing affection, so I agreed. But then his tests kept getting more and more outrageous. This time, I really couldn’t take it anymore. “These earrings are obviously fake. You seriously want to give me this for Valentine’s Day?” As soon as I finished speaking, a woman suddenly appeared behind him. “See? I told you she doesn’t really love you. She can’t even take a little disappointment!” The woman who suddenly appeared was named Kira. She was Ethan’s best friend. Also the person I hated most. Because she was always texting Ethan late at night, asking him to go out gaming or drinking, completely oblivious to basic boundaries. I’d brought it up with Ethan many times, asking him to keep some distance from Kira. But he always brushed me off impatiently. “We’re just friends. Stop being so petty.” So I kept putting up with it. Again and again. Now Kira slid right between us, casually hooking her arm around Ethan’s neck and pressing herself against him, completely ignoring me-his actual girlfriend. “You should really thank me. If it weren’t for the tests I came up with, how would you ever see what a gold-digger she really is!” Her words left me frozen, my mind completely blank. Only one sentence kept echoing in my head. She came up with the tests? So this wasn’t Ethan’s quirky romantic gesture. It was Kira’s idea? I stared at Ethan, finally squeezing out a complete sentence. “Is what she said true? All those tests were her idea?” Ethan looked completely indifferent, answering casually. “Yeah. I thought Kira had a point. I need to test you more, see if you really love me. You did pretty well on the earlier ones. Why can’t you pass this one? It’s just a pair of fake earrings. You can’t even accept that? Guess you don’t love me as much as I thought.” His words were light, but each one cut straight through me. Kira beside him laughed wildly, reaching out to playfully poke his face. “I told you before, but you didn’t believe me. Takes a woman to know a woman. She acts all sweet and understanding, but she doesn’t really love you at all.” Ethan’s gaze unconsciously drifted to Kira, sweeping over her chest. “You call yourself a woman? I honestly couldn’t tell.” Kira pretended to be offended and lightly hit him. “What’s that look for? I’ve got a way better figure than Hazel. Don’t believe me? Go ahead, touch.” As she spoke, Kira leaned into Ethan’s arms. And Ethan actually raised his hand, reaching for her. At that moment, I really couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough!” Ethan’s hand froze mid-air. He and Kira both turned around, looking at me with surprise. Looking at the two people being so intimate before me, my emotions finally exploded. “Ethan, is love something you’re supposed to test?” “I always thought you were joking. I compromised again and again, tolerated again and again. I never imagined you were actually serious! Don’t you think this is insulting and trampling on my genuine feelings?” Ethan frowned with displeasure. “Is it really that serious, Hazel? We’ve barely gotten anywhere with testing you. Kira and I planned even tougher tests. You’re already upset? Come on.” Even tougher tests? I instinctively stepped forward, pressing him. “What tougher tests?”
Ethan’s eyes shifted. He avoided my gaze, casually changing the subject. “Nothing important. Anyway, since you don’t like this gift, you failed this test. I’m telling you-you only have two chances left.” “Two chances? What do you mean?” Kira crossed her arms, smugly taking over. “Oh right, I forgot to tell you. For the 99 tests Ethan set up, if you fail 3 of them, the whole thing is considered a failure. When that happens, Ethan will break up with you.” These words shocked me again. His tests involved breaking up with me? I was shaking with anger. Just as I was about to confront Ethan, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see a group of people approaching-all childhood friends of Ethan and Kira. Seeing Kira’s arm hooked around Ethan’s neck, the group started teasing. “Get a room, you two! Hugging that tight right in front of Hazel, pretty bold move!!” “Hazel, don’t take it too seriously. Kira’s just naturally flirty. She’s like this with everyone. No hidden meaning.” “Yeah, seriously. Come on, let go already. Can’t you see how upset Hazel looks? Don’t make her mad.” Only then did Ethan slowly remove Kira’s arm from his neck and look at me. “We’re going out drinking tonight. You should head home first. Don’t bother coming along, you’ll just get jealous watching me and Kira hang out. Such a hassle.” After saying this, he didn’t even glance at me again before turning and walking away. Only I remained standing there, still holding those cheap secondhand earrings. I couldn’t help lowering my head and laughing bitterly at myself. Ethan was my first boyfriend. Before meeting him, I’d never been in a relationship. I thought if I gave my whole heart, I’d receive equal love and cherishing in return. But I never imagined my first love would be such a scumbag. I shook my head and walked home in a daze. After getting home, I didn’t hesitate for a second and started packing my things. I didn’t need to wait for Ethan to break up with me. I wasn’t playing his testing games anymore. Love was never meant to be tested. Real love is trust and respect. Their so-called tests were a defilement of genuine feelings. Just as I finished packing and was about to leave, I heard noise at the front door. I walked over and opened it to find the smell of alcohol hitting me in the face. Standing at the door was Ethan, completely drunk. His face was flushed red, barely able to stand. Seeing me open the door, he went limp and collapsed into my arms. His weight made me stumble backward, nearly falling. Looking at him completely wasted in my arms, I could only help him inside. This was his house, after all. I couldn’t just leave him at the doorway. Gritting my teeth, I helped him to the bedroom and dumped him on the bed. Ethan lay sprawled on the bed and noticed the suitcase by the bed. He looked at me groggily. “Hazel, what are you doing? Are you leaving?” I didn’t answer, turning to leave. But the instant I turned around, Ethan suddenly reached out and grabbed me. “Hazel, don’t go.” “Today was my fault. I shouldn’t have lied to you. Don’t be angry, okay? Stay here with me.” His words softened my heart, and my determination to leave wavered slightly. “Don’t go, Hazel. Don’t leave me…” He kept mumbling these words, holding my hand tightly. I sighed and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, quietly watching him. Before long, after saying these words, Ethan tilted his head and fell into a deep sleep.
I temporarily abandoned my plan to leave tonight, thinking I’d talk things through with him properly tomorrow once he sobered up. If he could genuinely apologize and cut ties with Kira. Maybe I’d be willing to give him one last chance. After all, I truly had loved him. In my drowsiness, I also fell asleep. Early the next morning, I slowly opened my eyes, my consciousness not yet fully clear. But the next second, the scene before me made my pupils shrink instantly, and I couldn’t help letting out a scream. “Ah!” On the bed I shared with Ethan lay a third person. Kira! She was sprawled out carelessly, one leg draped over Ethan’s body, her head pressed tightly against his chest. And Ethan, who had held my hand so tightly last night-that hand was now resting on Kira’s waist, holding her. My scream woke the two sleeping people. Ethan rubbed his eyes, his voice full of irritation at being woken. “Why are you screaming so early in the morning? You scared me!” I pointed at Kira on the bed, my hand trembling uncontrollably. “What is she doing here? When did she come in?” Kira looked completely unconcerned. She threw off the covers and started getting dressed, her movements as natural as if she were in her own home. “Last night I remembered Ethan’s lighter was still in my bag, so I wanted to bring it back to him. I’ve known his door code forever, so I just let myself in. What’s the big deal? Look how scared you are.” “Then why did you sleep in our bed?” Kira’s eyes shifted, deliberately looking at Ethan with a provocative smile curling her lips. “To test you, of course. To test how jealous you get, whether you can accept me sleeping in the same bed as Ethan.” Was she even speaking English? Why couldn’t I understand her? Ethan actually nodded in agreement, looking at me approvingly. “Right. Kira and I grew up together. Even after we get married, I’ll still hang out with her every day. You need to learn to accept it.” Hearing these words, I was actually laughing from anger. What had I done to deserve meeting these two people? I thought this was outrageous enough, but Ethan’s next words completely shattered my understanding. “You can’t accept this test either, can you? Then you only have one last chance. If you can’t pass that final chance, we’re breaking up.” Actually, I already wanted to break up with him right now. But I wanted to know what other outrageous tests they had planned, so I asked. “What else are you planning to test me on?” Ethan heard my question and glanced at Kira, signaling her to answer. Kira finished dressing and spoke slowly. “The next test is simple: prove that Ethan is the most important person in your life. For example, if your mom and Ethan both fell into the water, who would you save? Or would you be willing to transfer all your family’s assets to him? Only then can you prove you truly love him.” I couldn’t believe my ears. My relationship with Ethan was between the two of us-why did they need to drag my family into it? Ethan beside her also nodded in agreement. “Kira’s right. Only if you’re willing to give up everything for me can you prove your love.” Looking at his arrogant face, the last trace of softness in my heart completely vanished. I looked at him and questioned him word by word. “Why do I have to prove my love? What about you, Ethan? How do you prove you love me?” Ethan sneered, looking at me arrogantly. “Why should I have to prove it? Hazel, get this straight. In this relationship, you’re the one who can’t leave me. You’re the one who’s been clinging to me, insisting it has to be me. So naturally, you’re the one who needs to prove your love. Otherwise, why would I give up my free lifestyle for you?”
So from the very beginning, it was all my one-sided wishful thinking. He didn’t care about or cherish my love at all. He even needed to test me before being with me. I shook my head and sighed. I didn’t want to hear another word from them. I stood up directly. “I’m not participating in your tests anymore. I’ll never accept them. Ethan, let’s break up.” Hearing me suggest breaking up, Kira immediately jumped down from the bed. “You can’t accept this? You’re being way too petty! We didn’t do anything-we just slept in the same bed. Does it really need to escalate to breaking up? After you marry Ethan, does he have to belong only to you? Hazel, you’re way too selfish!” And Ethan frowned as if I were being completely unreasonable. “Weren’t you pretty easygoing before? No matter what Kira and I did, you never got angry. Why have you become so petty now?” Before? Before, they’d never blatantly lain in the same bed together! I was too lazy to waste another breath on them. Every additional word felt like it was dirtying my mouth. I stepped around them and grabbed my suitcase, preparing to leave. Ethan stood there without even making a move to stop me. As if I were just throwing a tantrum and would soon come back obediently to apologize. “Stop making a scene. Really, nothing happened. What are you even angry about? If you keep this up, I really won’t care anymore. Don’t come begging me later.” Even at this point, he still thought I was speaking in anger. Well, it made sense. The old me had been too foolish, too attached to this first love. So no matter how many times he and Kira crossed boundaries, I always endured it. But this time, I truly wouldn’t endure it anymore. I walked to the door and opened it, preparing to leave. Just then, Kira suddenly rushed forward, grabbing my arm and whispering in my ear. “Hazel, if you’ve got any backbone, don’t come back. Let me tell you-as long as I’m by Ethan’s side, he’ll always have eyes for me. You’ll never compare to me.” I shook off her hand and turned to look at her. “Is that so? If he really had eyes for you, why haven’t you two gotten together already? I’d say it’s because Ethan thinks you’re free and useful-he doesn’t have to invest any genuine feelings or give you any status, so he just keeps you around.” My words hit Kira’s sore spot. Her expression instantly turned ugly, and she started frantically defending herself. “What are you so smug about? Ethan and I got together when we turned eighteen! We’ve already slept together! As long as I want, we can be together anytime. You’re just a joke between us!” Got together when they turned eighteen? These words drilled into my ears, making me physically sick. I’d always thought they were just childhood friends. I never imagined they already had this messy relationship, yet they acted innocent in front of me every day, playing me for a fool. I turned back to look at Ethan in the bedroom. He was irritably rubbing his head, looking completely indifferent. “Then I’ll wait and see. Without me getting in the way, let’s see if you two can actually get together.” After saying this, I didn’t stay another second. I left. Walking out of Ethan’s place, I pulled out my phone and called my mom. The moment the call connected, Mom’s voice came through. “Hazel, what’s wrong? Did you fight with Ethan again?” I took a deep breath, forcing down the lump in my throat. “Mom, remember that arranged marriage you mentioned? I’ll do it.”
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