Farewell to Five Years Love

In the fifth year of being with Nicolas Reed, I planned a surprise for him. I had arranged to meet my best friend, Violet, at a café to discuss proposing to him. But then, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"I've been single for so many years, and I finally met someone on my first blind date that I really like."

I turned to see the back of the man, still wearing the shirt I had ironed for him that morning before he left. In that moment, I laughed at myself, feeling utterly desolate inside. Yet, after I decided to leave him, he seemed desperate to find me.

When Nicolas came back with a honey-spice cake, I was sitting on the couch, lost in thought. He placed the cake on the coffee table and, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, gently asked, "Lilah, what’s on your mind?"

I tried hard to suppress the emotions threatening to overflow. "Weren’t you working late today?"

Nicolas paused for a few seconds, his voice steady. "I left early to get this for you. I know how much you love it."

The store was twelve miles from Nicolas's office, yet right next to the café where I saw him earlier. That afternoon, as I sat in the café with Violet to plan my anniversary proposal, his voice echoed behind me.

Nicolas was on a date with another woman.

Violet, furious, pulled me up, ready to confront him, but I hesitated. I was terrified to hear his response. Hearing him say he’d never met someone he liked before sent a piercing pain through my heart. I wanted to run up to him, shake him by the collar and ask, "What about me? What about these five years?" But even as Nicolas left with the girl to see a movie, I couldn’t bring myself to confront him.

I thought about how yesterday, he cuddled with me in bed, sweetly asking me to iron his most expensive shirt because he had an important client meeting today. So, this was his "important client."

Nicolas was wearing the birthday gift I gave him to meet someone else. Violet kept cursing in my ear, as if the man on the date was her boyfriend. Until Nicolas came home, I managed to keep my emotions in check. I even thought that if he confessed to me today, I might forgive him.

But when he effortlessly lied to my face, I knew he planned to keep it from me forever. I lowered my head, hiding the sadness in my eyes, and forced a smile. "You've had a long day. Why don't you take a shower?"

Just like every other night, Nicolas kissed my forehead and headed for the bathroom. I looked at the honey-spice cake—a favorite of mine—and was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea. I stood abruptly, took the cake, and tossed it in the trash.

As I opened the door, I heard Nicolas's phone buzz. I glanced at the screen and couldn’t help but unlock it. It was from someone with a cat emoji as an avatar, named Shadow.

"Thanks for recommending the honey-spice cake. It was delicious."

I stared at the unread message in a daze when another message appeared:

"Are you free tomorrow? I know a great place for fondue. Want to check it out together?"

Just then, I heard the bathroom door open. I hurriedly placed his phone back where it was.

Nicolas came out, towel-drying his hair, and noticed the cake had disappeared from the table. He teased, "You little foodie, you devoured that cake already?"

I mumbled a response, and he didn’t press the issue. As he picked up his phone, I quickly said, "I want fondue. Let’s go tomorrow?"