Don't Cherish My Love, I Decided To Leave

After meeting Tommy, I shifted my focus to him and our future, putting my career on the back burner. I'd been stuck in the position of deputy director for years. My dedication to Tommy and taking care of my grandmother meant I never took on the challenging projects that could have advanced my career. My supervisor, who had once seen potential in me, was growing increasingly disappointed. He suggested that I go overseas for training. He assured me that if I spent three years abroad, I would return to a major breakthrough and promotion.

I hesitated. The idea of leaving my grandmother and Tommy behind had always held me back. But now... everything was different. Grandma was gone and Tommy—well, Tommy had chosen someone else over me. There was nothing left for me here.

As I packed my suitcase, Tommy came home. He didn’t even notice the open bags on the floor, my clothes neatly folded and stacked, ready to be shipped to another continent. He tossed a teddy bear onto the bed.

“A gift for our eighth anniversary,” he said, his tone devoid of enthusiasm.

My eyes fell on the teddy bear. It was identical to the one in Lolly's social media post. I had seen the photo earlier that day—Lolly holding a giant teddy bear, her smile wide and radiant, her eyes sparkling. The caption read: "As long as it's something I want, he will always give it to me with both hands."

I stared at the bear. In eight years, Tommy had never taken me to play those silly arcade games where you win stuffed animals. He never did anything just because it would make me happy. He always held back, giving only the bare minimum, never with both hands, never fully.

“Don’t like it?” Tommy asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Lolly is so much simpler. She’s not materialistic. Women your age, who’ve been around, naturally value interests more.”

His words stung, each one laced with the same old accusation: that I wasn’t a virgin when we met. That I’d experienced the world before him, unlike Lolly, who was still “pure” in his eyes. He’d never let me forget that, constantly reminding me that no matter what I did, I could never be as innocent as she was.

Tommy saw the look on my face and smirked, like he was enjoying my discomfort. “You can’t find fault with this gift, right?” he said, reaching into a bag and pulling out a shoebox. My heart skipped a beat. It was from my favorite brand.

Not long ago, I’d mentioned to Tommy that there was a new pair of shoes I liked. They were a limited edition, only one pair available nationwide. I knew it would be impossible to get them, but it was a casual complaint, something I shared, not expecting anything. I hadn’t even thought he was listening.

For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe this was Tommy’s way of making up for everything. I carefully opened the shoebox, excitement and curiosity bubbling inside me.

Before I could get a good look inside, something cold and slithery wrapped around my arm. I gasped as a small snake slithered out and sank its fangs into my palm.

“Ah!” I screamed, shaking my hand desperately, trying to fling the snake away. It took a few tries, but finally, it fell to the floor and slithered under the bed. My whole body was trembling, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Pain shot up my arm and I felt lightheaded.