While picking up some mooncake gift boxes at the grocery store for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, I snapped a quick photo of three different flavors and sent it to our group chat. [Which ones do you guys want? I’ll grab them all together.] My best friend, Chloe, replied: [Whatever, I’m good with anything.] My boyfriend, Ethan, replied: [Then I’ll just have whatever she’s having.] I ended up grabbing three boxes of the classic lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk. But when I actually walked through the door carrying three identical gift boxes. He shot me an exhausted, helpless look, then exchanged a knowing smile with Chloe. “When Chloe says ‘anything,’ she doesn’t actually mean anything.” “Her dad loves the salted egg yolk, her mom is obsessed with the red bean paste, and she specifically loves the durian snow-skin ones.” “You were supposed to buy one of each.” I stared down at the three boxes resting on the kitchen counter, saying absolutely nothing. I had been with Ethan for five years, yet he was always, flawlessly fluent in reading between the lines of Chloe’s casual remarks. When we went out to eat and he asked if she wanted a booth or a table by the window, she always said, “Whatever.” But Ethan would silently, instinctively make sure to save her the most comfortable seat tucked away in the booth. I was always stuck on the outside edge, by the aisle. When we were planning our post-grad trip and I asked if we should go to Hawaii or Miami, she also said, “Whatever.” Before I even had a chance to narrow down my choices, Ethan had already booked the flights and built an entire itinerary for Hawaii—because that was the exact aesthetic Chloe had been saving to her Pinterest boards. Yet, when I was hospitalized with a perforated ulcer and he texted to ask if I needed him to come sit with me. I was miserable and petty, so I typed out “Whatever.” And he took it completely literally. Every single time Chloe said “Whatever,” he instantly decoded the absolute perfect, unspoken answer. But when I dropped hints, he never managed to hear a single one. So, I guess I don’t need to specifically announce the breakup either. … Ethan let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll just go back to the store and get the right ones.” Chloe immediately shook her head, looking incredibly guilty and embarrassed. “Ethan, you don’t have to go through all that trouble! Any flavor is totally fine, seriously!” But Ethan was already grabbing his keys from the bowl by the door, heading out. I stood there, staring blankly at his retreating back. That specific premium supermarket was a solid forty-five-minute drive away. With the holiday traffic piling up, it was going to be an absolute nightmare. Just a few hours ago, when I asked him if he could drive me there. He complained that it was too much of a hassle and said there was absolutely no reason to drive that far for some pastry. My phone vibrated, snapping me out of my thoughts. Chloe had sent a message to the group chat, directed at him: [Hey, since you’re driving past that new boba spot on your way back, could you grab two drinks for me and Maya?] Ethan replied instantly: [Sure, what do you guys want?] [Whatever’s fine.] Ethan just sent a quick “thumbs up” emoji. It wasn’t until an entire hour had passed. That he finally realized I hadn’t answered yet. [@Maya, stop overthinking it. Just tell me what you want.] I pressed my thumb against the screen, copied Chloe’s exact text—Whatever’s fine—and pasted it into the chat. The group went dead silent. I looked over at Chloe lounging on my sofa. Two weeks ago, she told us her lease was up and she needed to crash here for a few days to shorten her commute. It had been half a month, and I hadn’t heard a single update about her supposedly finding a new apartment. When Ethan finally walked back through the door, Chloe’s high-pitched squeal of excitement almost shattered my eardrums. “Oh my god, how did you know I wanted this one?! It even has the limited-edition keychain!” I looked at the elaborate, newly released seasonal drink and the cute promotional keychain in her hands. Then I looked down. He had handed me a basic, buy-one-get-one-free iced green tea. I didn’t take it. Ethan’s brow furrowed automatically, an irritated look crossing his face. “What’s the problem now?” “Did you forget I just had stomach surgery? I literally cannot drink ice-cold beverages right now.” His expression faltered for a second. “You didn’t specify that in the text.” I opened the group chat, holding my screen up so he could see my reply stacked directly under Chloe’s. “She didn’t specify what she wanted either.” He stared at me silently for two seconds, then suddenly let out a sharp, dismissive laugh. “Are you seriously starting a fight over boba? If you want a different one, I’ll buy you whatever you want tomorrow.” “Next time, just use your words and tell me exactly what you want.” The exact same phrase. He could instantly decode it for her, perfectly predicting her exact cravings. But for me, he couldn’t even be bothered to ask, let alone guess. Ethan reached out to grab my hand. “Alright, calm down. I picked up the mooncakes for your parents while I was out, too.” I picked up one of the boxes. It was the lava custard flavor, my mom’s absolute favorite. When I was at the store earlier today, the shelves for that specific brand were completely empty. While I was waiting in the checkout line, I had casually complained to Ethan over text about them being sold out. I honestly didn’t expect him to remember. I took a deep breath. Just as I was about to ask him what time he wanted to hit the road to visit my parents tomorrow. Because we had previously agreed that during this trip, we were finally going to sit down and discuss setting a wedding date. Chloe excitedly bounded over, staring at the gift boxes with wide, dramatic indecision. “Oh wow, you actually bought the eight-flavor assorted box! I have no idea which one to pick!” My chest instantly tightened. Before my brain even fully registered what was happening, Ethan was already reaching out to take the box from my hands. “If you like the variety pack, just take it.” “You have a huge extended family anyway, you’ll need the extra ones.” I stared at him, utterly paralyzed. “Didn’t you literally just say you bought that for my parents?” “Your parents aren’t picky. Three boxes of the classic lotus flavor is more than enough for them.” A sudden, sharp sting hit the back of my nose. Last Thanksgiving, I spent hours picking out an expensive gift basket for my family, only to find out when I arrived home that Ethan had swapped it out to give to Chloe instead. His excuse back then was identical to the one he was giving me right now. “Stop being so petty. Your parents aren’t going to notice the difference anyway.” What he didn’t know was that the cheap, unbranded substitute basket Chloe had bought ended up giving both my parents aggressive food poisoning for three days. If my younger brother hadn’t called me out of the blue two days ago to specifically warn me not to bring “that cheap garbage” home again, I never would have even known it happened. Seeing that I was refusing to let go of the box, Ethan’s grip tightened, aggressively pulling it toward himself. His tone shifted, laced with heavy, exhausted annoyance. “It is literally a box of pastries. Is it really worth fighting over?” The woven handle of the bag dug into my palm, leaving an angry red mark. I let go. And I started to laugh. “You’re right. It’s not worth it.” Holding onto a relationship like this. It really wasn’t worth it. Chapter 2 Seeing me yield, the tension drained out of Ethan’s face. He reached over and affectionately ruffled my hair, just like he always did when he thought he had won. “Alright. We have that group dinner with the guys tonight, remember?” “Hurry up and change, we’re already running late.” Chloe acted as if she had just suddenly remembered. She quickly pulled a sleek, expensive dress out of a shopping bag and shoved it into my hands. “Oh! Ethan bought this specifically for you. Go try it on! We’ll wait for you downstairs.” It was a new release from a brand I had been obsessing over for months but couldn’t justify the price tag for. But when I checked the collar, the tag read Size S. Chloe’s size. And there were faint creases in the fabric. It had clearly been worn before. I tossed the dress onto the sofa. It felt like someone had dropped a concrete block directly onto my chest. I couldn’t catch my breath. My phone buzzed twice. It was Ethan. [Are you coming down?] I tapped the text box, about to type. Before I even hit a key, another message popped up. [Grab a jacket for Chloe before you come down. It’s getting windy out.] He wasn’t actually asking why I was taking so long. He just wanted me to act as a coat-check girl for Chloe. I paused, walking over to the window to look down at the street. Ethan’s car was idling by the curb. Chloe was sitting in the passenger seat. She was holding the custom couple’s tumbler I had bought for Ethan, tilting her head back to take a drink. It wasn’t just the cup. Over the last two weeks since Chloe moved in… She wore Ethan’s house slippers, claiming the larger size was “so much cozier.” She routinely threw on his white button-down shirts, saying men’s clothing had better fabric and the oversized fit was perfect for lounging around the house. Since they worked at the same company, it was only “logical” that they carpooled every day. And naturally, the passenger seat of his car had permanently evolved into her exclusive territory. And Ethan? He had never, not once, told her no. In the beginning, I genuinely didn’t think much of it. They had known each other for years before I even entered the picture. When Ethan was pursuing me, and through all the messy breakups and makeups over the last five years, Chloe had always played the role of the enthusiastic mediator. If they were going to hook up, they would have done it long before I was around. But looking down at the street right now, the reality finally snapped into crystal-clear focus. The boundaries hadn’t just been crossed. They had been completely obliterated. My phone vibrated with a notification from the local police precinct. [Ms. Quinn, regarding the assault report you filed two days ago, we need you to come down to the station to provide supplementary details.] I took a deep breath, grabbed my purse, and walked downstairs. As I approached the car, Chloe made a dramatic show of reaching for her seatbelt. “Oh, I’m so sorry Maya, I just got so used to sitting here lately. You can have your seat back.” Ethan looked at me standing on the sidewalk. When he noticed I hadn’t changed into the dress, and I wasn’t carrying a jacket, a flash of visible irritation crossed his face. He reached out and physically pulled Chloe back into the passenger seat. “Don’t bother moving. We don’t have time for musical chairs.” I didn’t argue. I just kept walking down the sidewalk, past the car. Ethan froze. He aggressively threw the car into drive, aggressively swerving to cut me off and blocking my path. He threw the door open and grabbed my arm. “Maya, what the hell kind of tantrum is this now?” “I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’m just not going in the same direction.” He let out a sharp, frustrated laugh. “What does that even mean?” “You guys are going to a party. I’m going to the police precinct. We don’t have the same destination.” He stared at me for two seconds, realizing I wasn’t joking. A flicker of genuine anxiety finally surfaced in his eyes. “Why are you going to the police station?” I glanced past him, looking directly at Chloe in the passenger seat. Two nights ago, I was working late at the office. My direct manager corners me and aggressively sexually harassed me. I barely managed to fight him off and escape. Sobbing uncontrollably, I called Ethan, begging him to come pick me up. Before I could even get the words out, he cut me off. “Chloe got way too drunk at a networking dinner. I have to go grab her, then I’ll swing by and get you.” But from the moment the police arrived, processed the crime scene, and took my official statement… Ethan never showed up. The psychological trauma from that night was still buried deep in my chest like a cluster of needles. I had absolutely no desire to explain it to him now. “It’s nothing.” Ethan frowned, opening his mouth to press the issue. But Chloe suddenly leaned over from the passenger seat, putting on a highly distressed, anxious face. “Ethan, Mike has texted me like three times already.” “If we’re late again tonight, they’re definitely going to force me to do penalty shots.” The hesitation in Ethan’s eyes instantly evaporated. He gave me a quick, dismissive nod. “I’ll drop her off at the restaurant, and then I’ll come find you.” The car tore off down the street, the engine roaring. I stood under the dull orange glow of the streetlight, letting out a soft, completely unsurprised laugh. On the Uber ride to the precinct, I pulled out my phone and drafted an official resignation letter to my company’s HR department. [I refuse to withdraw my police report.] [I am not the one who committed a crime.] Chapter 3 By the time I walked out of the police precinct, an hour had passed. Even though I didn’t have to look my attacker in the face, every time I had to walk into that building, the horrific, suffocating memories of that night came rushing back. If a stranger walked too close to me on the sidewalk, I instinctively flinched. My legs felt weak. Purely out of habit, I opened my messaging app. There wasn’t a single text from Ethan. Instead, I saw three new stories posted on Chloe’s Instagram. I clicked through each video. The camera was shaky and chaotic, but Ethan’s tall, distinctive silhouette was glaringly obvious in every single clip. He was standing protectively in front of her, physically blocking people from handing her drinks, and methodically peeling shrimp for her plate. When Chloe lost a drinking game, Ethan seamlessly stepped in to take the penalty shot for her. Watching them interact, they looked infinitely more like a deeply in-love couple than Ethan and I ever did. I was about to swipe out of the app when I noticed something gleaming on Chloe’s wrist in the video. My stomach violently dropped. It was my grandmother’s vintage jade bangle. I immediately hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of the restaurant where they were partying. When I pushed the door of the private dining room open, Ethan looked genuinely surprised to see me. “You’re done already? I was just about to leave to come get you.” I completely ignored him. I walked straight up to Chloe and held my hand out. “Give me my bracelet back.” Chloe instinctively shrank backward, hiding behind Ethan’s shoulder. She plastered a painfully awkward, guilty expression onto her face. “I’m so sorry, Maya. I completely forgot to ask you.” “I just thought the jade matched the dress I’m wearing so perfectly…” Ethan’s brow furrowed aggressively at her excuse. But as usual, his immediate reflex was to act as her human shield. “Maya, whatever the problem is, we can talk about it when we get home. Don’t cause a massive scene and ruin the night for everyone.” I stared at him in absolute, horrifying disbelief. “You know that bracelet is a priceless family heirloom. I am terrified of breaking it, so I leave it safely in my jewelry box. She wanted it, so she literally snuck into my room and took it without asking. And you’re defending her?!” “I didn’t steal it!” Chloe’s eyes instantly flooded with dramatic tears. “Fine! Let’s just drop it. You don’t need to scream at me over a piece of jewelry. I’ll give it back.” As she fumbled with the clasp to take it off, she couldn’t resist twisting the knife. “I know you’re not usually this insanely petty. You’re just taking it out on me because you’re still pissed that Ethan abandoned you two nights ago to come pick me up, right?” “If it bothers you that much, fine. From now on, I will completely remove myself from your relationship…” I froze, completely bewildered. “What the hell are you talking about?” Chloe widened her eyes, feigning absolute, innocent shock. “Wait, on Tuesday night? When you called him crying? He was literally parked outside your office building waiting for you.” “But when he heard that guys were trying to force me to take shots, he decided to…” She stopped abruptly, covering her mouth as if she had just accidentally spilled a horrific secret. I stood completely paralyzed. The blood in my veins turned to ice. So, when I was trapped in a dark supply closet, shaking so violently I couldn’t even hold my phone steady… When the police were interrogating me while my attacker was screaming through the door that he was going to ruin my career… When my own HR department was threatening to fire me if I didn’t withdraw the charges, and I was spending the entire night staring at the ceiling in absolute terror… In the exact moment when I was begging for my life, Ethan was parked directly outside my building. But he consciously chose to hang up on me, and drove away to rescue Chloe from a drinking game. I reached out, my hands trembling violently, intending to take the jade bracelet back. The second my fingertips brushed against the stone. Chloe intentionally relaxed her grip and let the bracelet slip. As the heavy jade fell toward the hardwood floor, I panicked. I didn’t even have time to swat Chloe’s hand out of the way; I just dove to catch it. But Chloe let out a piercing shriek and dramatically threw her entire body weight sideways, collapsing toward the floor. Ethan reacted with lightning speed, catching her perfectly in his arms. His face morphed into a mask of pure, homicidal rage. “Maya, what the fuck is wrong with you?!” “Over a stupid bracelet, you’re going to physically assault her?!” I stared blankly at the furious, hateful glare he was directing at me. Tears finally spilled over my lashes, completely out of my control. I thought about that night in the supply closet. I thought about the sheer, agonizing isolation of sitting in that police station alone. My voice shook violently as I asked: “In your mind, is Chloe the only person whose problems actually matter?” Ethan opened his mouth to bark a response, but Chloe immediately cut him off, sobbing into his chest. “Maya, I know you have severe insecurity issues, but Ethan and I honestly have nothing going on between us…” Ethan looked down at Chloe sobbing against his shirt. The fleeting hesitation in his eyes instantly evaporated. “Maya, if Chloe and I were actually hooking up, do you honestly think you would still be standing here as my girlfriend?” The second the words left his mouth. The entire room of his frat brothers and coworkers aggressively chimed in to back him up. “Seriously. They’ve known each other way longer than you’ve been around. They’re basically siblings. There’s zero reason to be this toxically paranoid.” “Honestly, if Chloe hadn’t actively stepped aside, you never would have had a chance with Ethan anyway.” “…” The room was flooded with judgmental, disgusted stares. Every single person in the room looked at me like I was a psychotic, jealous killjoy. Ethan maintained his protective stance over Chloe, glaring at me in absolute, stony silence. A harsh, self-deprecating smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. I gripped my grandmother’s jade tightly in my fist, turned my back on the room, and walked out. Chloe nervously tugged on Ethan’s sleeve. “Maybe… maybe you should go after her and calm her down?” Ethan’s voice was like freezing metal behind me. “You don’t understand how she works. You have to ice her out for a day. Otherwise, her ego gets completely out of control.” A wave of mocking laughter erupted from the table. But Ethan was wrong. This time, I didn’t need him to calm me down. Chapter 4 After walking out of the restaurant, I didn’t go back to the apartment. I booked a room at a nearby hotel for the night. I couldn’t stand the thought of spending another second in the apartment I had shared with Ethan for five years. And for the entire night, my phone remained completely silent. Not a single text from him. The next morning, after checking out of the hotel, I was mentally preparing to go back to the apartment, pack my bags, and drive to my parents’ house. Just as I was hailing a cab, my younger brother called me. “Maya… Mom’s heart condition flared up again… you need to get home right now…” My lungs stopped working. I sprinted to a cab and gave the driver my address. When I burst through the front door of the apartment, Ethan was standing in the entryway, holding Chloe’s designer suitcase, preparing to walk out. Seeing me rush in, Ethan actually looked relieved. Assuming that my brief disappearing act was already over, he casually slipped back into his authoritative, logistical tone: “Maya, perfect timing.” “Chloe wasn’t able to secure a train ticket back to her hometown for the holiday weekend, so I’m going to drive her. I won’t be coming with you to your parents’ house.” My brain was entirely focused on the emergency. I rushed forward and grabbed his arm. My voice was shaking uncontrollably. “My mom is in the hospital… can you please, please just drive me home right now?” The fastest commercial flight available didn’t board for another three hours. The absolute fastest way to get there was to hop on the interstate and drive. “Didn’t she just get a clean bill of health at her physical last month?” I shook my head violently, preparing to explain the severity of the situation. But Chloe let out a heavy, exaggerated sigh. “Maya, I know you’re still pissed about last night, but you really don’t need to manufacture a family emergency just to manipulate the situation.” She looked at Ethan, putting on a masterclass in martyrdom. “Whatever, just drive her. I’ll just sit at the station and pray I can snag a standby ticket…” Chloe grabbed her suitcase handle, pretending to walk away. Ethan immediately grabbed her arm, pulling her back. The brief flash of concern that had crossed his face instantly vanished, replaced by an exhausted, cynical glare. “You have way too much luggage, and the transfers to your hometown are a nightmare.” He turned his head and looked at me. “Maya, act like an adult.” “I already bought your ticket. If you leave for the station right now, you’ll make it.” I stood frozen, staring at the screenshot of the ticket confirmation he forwarded to my phone. It was a coach train ticket. A ten-hour ride. The purchase timestamp was from yesterday morning. They had planned this entire road trip together, days in advance. And I was the only person kept completely in the dark. I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood, violently fighting back the tears. “So you never actually intended to come home with me?” Seeing my pale, bloodless face, Ethan softened his tone slightly. “Plans changed. Besides, it’s not like I’m disappearing forever. We can discuss the wedding logistics when we go back for Christmas. It’s exactly the same.” He reached his hand out, trying to grab mine. I let out a weak, bitter laugh and aggressively dodged his touch. “Don’t bother.” I turned around and marched into the bedroom to grab my ID and a duffel bag. Behind me, Chloe’s sickly-sweet, fake-apologetic voice drifted down the hall: “Don’t fight because of me… maybe I should just…” Ethan’s voice was completely flat and indifferent. “Just ignore her.” The back of my nose burned like acid. I forced myself not to look back. When I walked out of the bedroom a minute later, the entryway was completely empty. I didn’t waste another second. I ran out of the building, flagged down a taxi, and paid the driver an exorbitant amount of cash to drive me three states away, directly to my hometown. … Five days later, the holiday weekend ended. Ethan returned to our apartment. When he unlocked the door, the apartment was dark. I wasn’t there. Assuming I was just giving him the silent treatment, Ethan pulled out his phone and typed out a text. [Are you not back yet?] But the exact second he hit send, a bright red exclamation point popped up on the screen. Message Not Delivered. He froze, completely bewildered. He tried to call me. My number had been disconnected. Panic slowly setting in, he drove to my corporate office building, only for the front desk receptionist to inform him that I had officially resigned days ago. While standing in the lobby, the lobby televisions were playing a local news broadcast. It was a viral video regarding a massive workplace sexual harassment lawsuit at a local tech firm. The man whose face was plastered across the screen… was my direct manager. “Regarding the allegations levied by Ms. Quinn, I categorically deny all charges. My legal team is preparing a vicious defamation lawsuit against her.” “Furthermore, she was not terminated; she voluntarily abandoned her position…” All the blood violently drained from Ethan’s face.
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