Company dinner. My fiancée’s junior assistant, Leo, threw a half-eaten eggplant he didn’t like into her bowl right in front of everyone. Without a second thought, Chloe picked it up with her forks and ate it. That night, when we got home, I told her I wanted to call off our arranged engagement. She irritably pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just because I ate the eggplant he gave me?” “It was *his* half-eaten eggplant, one he didn’t like,” I corrected her. “Lucas, you’re seriously so petty. You always have to make such a scene over the smallest things.” “Fine then. You want to break up? I’m okay with that. Just don’t come crawling back begging me to get back together later.” She just *knew* I’d never leave her, that I loved her too much to let go. But what she didn’t realize was that even the deepest love can erode away with constant pain and disappointment. This time, I was truly done. That same day, I talked to my parents about finding a different fiancée. They were a little surprised but respected my decision. After that, Chloe went into her usual silent treatment mode. My phone number, all my social media accounts, even our shared gaming friends list – she deleted and blocked me from everything. It was her go-to move whenever we argued. She was so sure I couldn’t live without her, that I’d be the one to swallow my pride and win her back. But this time, I stared at that ‘send friend request’ button, and for once, I didn’t hit it. A week later, a notification popped up in the company’s WhatsApp group chat. “It’s Chloe’s birthday today! She’s treating everyone, so full attendance is mandatory. No excuses, no days off!” To avoid making things awkward, I went. As I entered the private room, I immediately spotted Chloe sitting at the head of the table, with Leo right beside her. Leo’s lips were pressed close to Chloe’s ear, as if he was sharing some secret. It was like they were inside an invisible bubble; no one else could enter their world. Moments later, they both chuckled, their faces so close they were almost kissing. I couldn’t stand to watch anymore and found a corner to sit in. Everyone started giving Chloe their gifts, but I ignored it all. I just kept drinking my wine, only to find a shadow falling over me a moment later. I looked up to see Chloe’s excessively beautiful face. But her expression was still etched with that familiar impatience. “Lucas, why didn’t you get me a gift?” In the past, for an important occasion like Chloe’s birthday, I would have started preparing weeks in advance. One time, I spent over six months meticulously building her a life-sized replica of the flying house from her favorite animated movie, “Up.” The moment the hot air balloon lifted off, she told me we’d grow old together, just like the characters in the film. I believed her then, never imagining her promise wouldn’t even last three years. Faced with her persistent questioning, I simply replied, “I forgot.” My attitude clearly infuriated Chloe. She completely lost her patience. “Lucas, are you done with your little tantrum?” “Is this tiny thing really worth you sulking for an entire week?” I looked at the lipstick smudge on her ear, caused by Leo, and my stomach churned with disgust. “I’m not sulking. And I was serious about calling off the engagement.” At my words, Chloe’s expression stiffened for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure when Leo reached out and held her hand. “Lucas, please don’t misunderstand. I just didn’t want to waste food, that’s why I gave Chloe my leftovers. If you hate me that much, Lucas, I’ll just sit at a different table next time, or wait and eat whatever’s left over after everyone else finishes.” Leo’s words immediately tugged at Chloe’s heart. “Leo, don’t say things like that! You deserve the best things in the world. Lucas is the one who shouldn’t be here. Who does he think he is? Does everyone have to cater to his preferences?” “Chloe, don’t talk like that. Lucas might be a bit dramatic, but he’s still your fiancé. You should try to smooth things over with him. I really don’t want you two to argue because of me.” “Smooth things over with him? Who does he think he is? If my parents hadn’t begged me to get engaged to him, I wouldn’t be with him. He gets mad over every little thing; he’s so petty, not like a mature guy at all.” Leo walked over to me, patted my shoulder, and spoke in a seemingly earnest tone. “Honestly, Lucas, from one guy to another, you’re being a bit over the top this time. Chloe hasn’t been able to sleep because of you these past few days. Even though I also think your personalities don’t match, you two are engaged, so maybe just meet each other halfway.” I slapped his hand away and sneered. “Leo, you know what I admire most about you?” “It’s your blatant lies, and the way you shamelessly try to steal someone’s girlfriend while spouting all that sickening crap without an ounce of shame.” Leo’s triumphant expression instantly froze. Chloe completely flipped out. “Lucas, who gave you permission to slander Leo like that?” “Slander? Then tell me, why does he own a duplicate of every gift you’ve ever bought me, and then flaunts them at work? Why does he specifically spread rumors in the company break room every time we argue? And why does he know where your mole is?” “Enough!” *Slap!* Chloe, right in front of everyone, slapped me hard across the face. My ears rang, and everything went hazy, but my vision was disturbingly clear. I saw everyone in the private room staring at me with expressions ranging from pity to mockery and disgust.
As my ears slowly cleared, I heard Chloe’s loud declaration. “Starting today, everyone, feel free to like my photos with Leo! If we get a thousand likes, I’m breaking up with Lucas and getting married to Leo!” With that, she grabbed Leo’s hand and walked out without looking back. Before they left the room, Leo shot me a smug, defiant glance. After they left, people in the room started filing out. Some gloated, “He shouldn’t have made such a fuss without knowing if he could afford the consequences. Now he’s gone too far, and he regrets it, doesn’t he?” Others kindly advised me, “Pride isn’t important. Just apologize quickly, or Chloe will really marry Leo.” I knew this was Chloe’s way of forcing me to apologize. But this time, I just wouldn’t back down. Not even if it killed me. The once bustling room quickly emptied, leaving just me. I picked up the remaining hard liquor and drained it. The burning alcohol seared its way down my throat and into my stomach, making my eyes water. A lifetime of shared history was truly over, and yet, it felt… strangely anticlimactic. I just hoped she wouldn’t bother me anymore once I moved to a city a thousand miles away. But I found my face wet with tears again, though I didn’t know why. Back home, I started packing, ready to leave. Chloe and I had grown up together; for more than half of our young lives, we’d been inseparable. The impact was so profound that I had an overwhelming amount of things to sort through. This little paper flower was the first prize Chloe won in kindergarten. She waddled over on her short legs and gave it to me. I vaguely remembered her saying then, “I’m going to give my best things to you, Lucas.” This photo was one I secretly took of her blushing face the first time she got her period. She’d skipped health class and thought she had a terminal illness. She ran to me, tears streaming down her face, telling me to take good care of myself in the future, to find a girlfriend but not one prettier than her. I was completely baffled. Only after pressing her did I realize what was happening. I rushed to the corner store to buy her pads and even looked up how to use them online with her. I teased her for not paying attention in class, and she bit my arm fiercely, her face crimson. But I didn’t feel any pain; instead, a strange flutter bloomed in my chest. Later, we became a couple, but different colleges forced us into a long-distance relationship. Our memories became a stack of train tickets. For four whole years, 193,700 kilometers was the distance we traveled to be with each other. Back then, her world revolved around me. She never complained, no matter how long the journey. My fingers brushed against a small, hard box containing the matching rings we’d made together. For her, I moved back to this city right after college. The day I returned, she dragged me to get these rings crafted. I still remember her slipping the ring onto my finger and saying, “Lucas, with this ring, you’re stuck with me for life. You’ll never leave me.” We never imagined that in the end, it wouldn’t be me letting go, but her.
The day Leo came for his company interview, he performed terribly. Chloe openly disliked him. I didn’t pay much attention to the underqualified candidate either. But somehow, he was still hired, despite his poor performance. And slowly, he transformed from an unnoticed junior employee into Chloe’s special assistant. The moment I truly started to suspect something was when the matching ring, meant only for Chloe and me, appeared on Leo’s finger. Initially, when I confronted her, Chloe would patiently explain things and try to make me happy. But as time went on, all I got was her impatience. My repeated reluctance to let go, my tolerance, my constant attempts to please her – They only made her favoritism towards Leo more blatant. Company dinners only featured dishes Leo liked. Leo only worked half-days a week; the rest of the time, he spent with Chloe, going out and having fun. And Chloe, in turn, dumped all of Leo’s assistant duties onto me. Chloe started mentioning him more and more frequently in front of me. At first, it was unconscious praise and admiration. But later, it became comparisons, and she’d start complaining that I wasn’t as romantic or sweet-talking as he was. Then, during a company afternoon break, Chloe mentioned her bubble tea tasted good. Leo said he wanted to try it, and without a word, Chloe handed her drink to him. He didn’t even bother to change the straw and took a big sip, his lips pressing over Chloe’s lipstick mark. What’s more, Chloe took the bubble tea back and continued to drink from the same straw. In that moment, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, a painful, bitter ache. From then on, Leo’s transgressions as her “male best friend” became more and more frequent. He went with Chloe for her skincare appointments, helped her apply lotion. When Chloe twisted her ankle, he carried her straight to the infirmary, even though I, her boyfriend, was standing right there. Even the birthday celebration Chloe had promised me was canceled because Leo caught a cold. But every time I expressed my displeasure about these things, Chloe would impatiently say, “Lucas, you’re so twisted, always seeing the worst in everything. Leo and I just have a pure friendship. Don’t project your sleazy thoughts onto him.” However, as time went on, her voice lacked conviction when she said it. What truly chilled me was a major industry event. The organizers required attendees to bring their partners, but Chloe never told me. She simply took Leo. I only found out later, after several people asked if Chloe and I had broken up. When I confronted her, Chloe was even angrier than I was. “I was just helping Leo expand his network, and also training talent for the company. Why are you, a grown man, so petty about this?” That time, we gave each other the silent treatment for a long time. So long that I genuinely thought we would break up for good. Until she sent me a text late one night: “Hubby, my stomach hurts so bad.” My carefully constructed facade of indifference crumbled in an instant. And so, the terrible cycle of me questioning, her getting angry, me trying to win her back, and her forgiving me, started all over again. I closed the ring box and tossed it into the trash. Deep in my drawer, there was also a crumpled apology letter Chloe had written to me when she was 18, because she’d forgotten to reply to one of my messages. Back then, she really cared about me. But now, she only cared about Leo. I took out the apology letter, tore it into pieces, and threw them into the trash. After clearing out decades of shared history, the apartment felt so much emptier. My heart felt as though it had been emptied along with it. The company WhatsApp group chat was still buzzing with photos of Leo celebrating Chloe’s birthday and making her laugh. Knowing Chloe’s favoritism towards Leo, colleagues were eagerly sweet-talking them. “OMG, Chloe and Leo are so perfect for each other!” “You should find a boyfriend like Leo, not like Lucas, who’s so petty and always grumpy.” “Lucas only got where he is because of his family. Unlike Leo, who made it on his own. There’s no comparison between them.” I couldn’t be bothered to look anymore. I called my lawyer directly and asked him to withdraw all my investments in the Liu Group.
The next day, I went to the office to pack my things. But in my private lounge, I saw Leo, wearing baggy shorts, his feet propped up on my desk. His belongings were spread all over my lounge, while all my things had been tossed outside the door. Chloe had specially designed this lounge for me; it was *my* private space. Everyone in the company knew it, and no one dared to step foot in that room. Leo was blatantly walking all over me, disrespecting me right to my face. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and just called the police. At the police station, Leo panicked. “I was just helping Chloe get some materials. Did you really have to call the police?” “That’s my private space. Did I give you permission to enter it without asking?” “Taking something without asking? Isn’t that stealing?” Leo had no rebuttal to my words. He suddenly started to cry, and I immediately knew something was off. Sure enough, when I turned around, it was Chloe, her face thunderous. “Chloe!” The moment he saw Chloe, Leo practically launched himself into her arms. “I really just wanted to help you get some documents. But Lucas doesn’t seem to like me. He insists I was stealing. I have a villa with dozens of square feet full of things you’ve given me, why would I need his measly stuff?” This small room was Chloe’s “gift” to me. It was her return gift for the small cabin I had built for her. We had so many sweet memories in this room. I always thought at least this sanctuary wouldn’t be defiled; it was like the last shred of dignity for our love. But Chloe insisted on tearing apart my last bit of fantasy with her own hands. Chloe comforted Leo while explaining to the officers, “It’s all a misunderstanding. We know each other. Sorry to bother you.” Then she turned to me, her voice dripping with disgust. “Lucas, what’s gotten into you? Why are you acting like a crazy person all the time? Do you feel great using your power to hurt innocent subordinates like Leo? You really disappoint me.” Her accusations rained down on me, but before I could retort, Leo started his act again. “Chloe, don’t blame Lucas. It’s my fault for being careless.” “Worst case, I’ll go to jail for a few days, and people can laugh at me. It’s fine. Don’t let this cause trouble between you and Lucas.” Chloe held Leo’s hand, her face full of heartache. “Leo, you’re just too soft-hearted, that’s why people always pick on you.” “Lucas, let me tell you, this isn’t going to blow over easily. You need to apologize to Leo right now.” “Chloe, he entered my private space without my permission. And you want me to apologize to him? Do you still think *he’s* the victim?” The moment I spoke, Leo started sniffling again, looking utterly wronged. Chloe sneered, “Your private space? That lounge belongs to the Liu Group. Don’t forget, the entire Liu Group is under *my* name. You only had temporary access. If you keep this attitude, I won’t hesitate to have you charged with false accusation.” With that, she pulled Leo away to sort out the paperwork. Her words were like a sharp dagger piercing my heart. The heart I thought was long dead throbbed with a dull ache. For so many years, I poured my heart and soul into propping up the Liu Group, believing I was fighting for our shared future. Turns out, all I got in return was “you only had permission to use it.” Before Chloe left the police station with Leo, she gave me a warning. “Just so you know, the likes have already hit 990. If you keep this attitude, I’m really going to marry Leo.” I looked at Leo’s sneering gaze behind her and suddenly realized how pathetic I was. Leo’s tactics had always been clumsy; the intelligent Chloe couldn’t possibly have missed it. She just chose to ignore it. The scales of her affection had already tipped. All of this was just her way of dumping me, her boyfriend. Only I was foolish enough to try and reconcile again and again. Once I saw through it, the last bit of love I had for Chloe completely died. In the days leading up to my departure for the West Coast, a bunch of annoying colleagues kept messaging me privately, giving me updates. “The likes are at 994! If you don’t grovel now, someone else is going to steal your girl!” “Tsk, tsk, tsk, 997 likes already. Looks like you’re destined to be single.” “Oh, wow, you’re holding out for a long time this time, aren’t you? Afraid you can’t measure up to Leo, so you ran away scared, huh? Hahahaha.” I just deleted and blocked all of them, ignoring their taunts. When the likes reached 999, and I still hadn’t caved, the tension around Chloe was palpable. No one else in the company dared to press that final ‘like’ button. As Chloe was pondering how to issue a second warning to me, Someone suddenly burst into her office, yelling, “Chloe! The 1000th like has been achieved!”
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