My Fiancé Always Put His Other Woman First

When I got home, the house felt as empty as ever. I sat on the couch, absentmindedly scrolling through my phone when I noticed Kaia Black had posted another update. It was a picture of her having Thanksgiving dinner with Samuel Peters. She captioned it, "Just like old times—the food, the company."

So, he had gone out to eat with Kaia again. I should have been accustomed to this by now—Samuel spent more time with her than with me.

Samuel and I met in college, and for me, it was love at first sight. When we graduated, I was determined not to let it end there, so I left behind friends, a promising job, and even my family to move with him to the small town in the Alps where he grew up. It was then that I learned about Kaia Black, his childhood friend who was like family to him.

Samuel and Kaia grew up in an orphanage together. Kaia had epilepsy since childhood, and the other kids avoided her—everyone except Samuel. He became her only friend, her sole "family." Whenever she had a seizure, Samuel would drop everything to be by her side. Sometimes it was during our meals, other times while we traveled, and even when I was sick in bed.

During the countless early mornings when Samuel left me behind, I would sit up and remind myself to stay calm, telling myself these were just small things. But when the small things start to add up, they can become overwhelming. I couldn't handle it anymore.

I called my parents to say I wanted to come home, to return to where I belonged. To my surprise, they were thrilled.

"We've been hoping you would come back. Your dad and I are getting older, and we need you," my mom said. "By the way, is Samuel coming back with you?"

"He's not coming. Not now, not ever."

There was a brief silence before my mom sighed. "Sweetheart, if you're hurting, just come home. Your dad and I will always support your decision."

I felt a lump in my throat as I hung up the phone and started looking for jobs in my hometown. There was nothing suitable for me in this small town. My degree was in chip manufacturing, and there was no demand for that kind of work in a place that shut down by nine in the evening.

Fortunately, back in my bustling hometown, chip manufacturing was thriving. It didn't take long before I found a company that aligned with my expertise and submitted my application.

Just as I hit send on the résumé, Samuel came home carrying a box of pulled pork.

"Here, I brought this for you."

I responded with a half-hearted "thanks."

He frowned, letting out an impatient sigh as he placed the pulled pork on the dining table. "Still upset?"

"No."

"I know you're upset, but Kaia and I grew up together, taking care of each other..."

"I said I'm not upset; I'm just tired."

When the warmth is gone, all that's left is exhaustion and indifference. I didn't want to hear another word about how he and Kaia were like siblings. I cut him off mid-sentence and stood up, ready to retreat to the bedroom for some rest.

Samuel suddenly called out to me, his voice a mixture of irritation and pleading. "Indy, you have to understand, Kaia isn't like you. She doesn't have parents who love her, no sisters or friends. She's not surrounded by love like you are."

"She... she's only got me!"

I turned around, looking at him with a wry smile, and nodded. "I know. I understand. I've let you go to her, haven't I? What else have I done wrong?"

Samuel looked taken aback, stepping forward as if to explain further. But I had no patience left to listen. I walked straight into the bedroom and closed the door behind me.