After My Boyfriend Fell In Love With His Secretary

This year brought an unprecedented heatwave. My boyfriend's mother, Maggie James, living in the countryside, suffered a heart attack from the heat and urgently needed hospital care.

My boyfriend promised to come back as soon as possible, but we waited at home for a whole day and didn't see him.

Instead, we saw an update from his secretary on Instagram.

The photo showed them cooling off in a room with air conditioning. Her hand intimately entwined with his arm, captioned: [No matter how long it's been, I'm always your first choice. Meeting you is my greatest happiness.]

The background of the photo was our newly purchased, yet unfinished home.

Later, Maggie saw the social media post, and her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to her untimely death.

After confirming Maggie's death, I braved the scorching sun, running around to inform their relatives in the village.

My fair arms got sunburned, and my whole body felt feverish.

Yet, my boyfriend, John White, seemed to have vanished. No replies to messages, and his phone was unreachable.

Despite their improved financial situation, Maggie would spend every summer in the countryside to escape the heat.

This year's severe heatwave, however, was unbearable even in the rural areas, making everyone anxious.

John was busy with work and asked me to stay with his mother. I never imagined such a tragic event would occur.

I sat blankly at the entrance of the house, watching unfamiliar faces come and go, offering their condolences, my heart sinking into despair.

Maggie had always treated me like her own daughter.

How could I just stand by and do nothing?

With trembling hands, I took out my phone and reluctantly called John again.

But the cold, automated response echoed in my ear.

"Still haven't reached John? It's hot these days, and if you leave it at home for too long, it's..."John's uncle, Jack, said to me.

He didn't finish the sentence.

I knew what he wanted to say.

I choked and shook my head.

Trembling, I said, "Jack, can you give him a call?"

I thought he was just avoiding my calls, afraid I'd know who he was with.

But Jack also failed to reach him.

He shook his head in disappointment. "Such a good kid normally, how could he fail at such a critical moment?"

My eyes welled up with tears.

Yes, he wasn't like this normally.

Why did he change whenever it involved his secretary?

"I'm sorry. I'll try to reach him again."

I forced myself to calm down and started contacting John's friends.

But either by coincidence or intention, they all claimed they didn't know where he was and couldn't reach him.

In desperation, I contacted his secretary, Emma Summers.

As soon as she answered, I yelled, "Tell your man that John's mother is dead! She's decomposing at home!"

A familiar, cold voice interrupted. "Lily Green, even jokes have their limits."

That one sentence was enough for me to recognize John's voice.

They were together all along.

No wonder his friends evaded my questions.

I trembled with anger, feeling the injustice for Maggie.

Before she died, she was excited about his return, wanting to make him pizza to cheer him up.

She told me, "He has been busy with work recently and has neglected you. Don't take it personally. Once you get married, he will naturally focus on the family."

I believed her words.

I always understood John.

But what about him?

What did he do?

He ignored his mother's safety and my feelings and went to be with another woman.

My voice shook as I asked, "John, do you find disappearing fun?"