Till the 100th "No"

I had heard the same excuses so many times, I had lost count.

Whenever Isabelle and I were out on a date, all it took was one call from Ronald and she would drop everything to run to him, claiming he was having an "episode" and needed her there.

Did Ronald not have other friends? Did he not have a family? Was Isabelle supposed to be some kind of miracle cure whose presence magically healed him?

To me, it was obvious. He was just using it as an excuse to pull her away from me.

What was even more ridiculous was that Isabelle never thought anything was wrong. Time after time, she chose him and left me behind.

Even today, on my hundredth proposal, she walked away without hesitation.

I sat in the living room and opened every bottle of wine I had bought to celebrate our engagement. One by one, I emptied them all. Looking at the mess of empty bottles on the table, I snapped a photo and posted it.

"So it turns out… I've always been alone."

All my friends knew she had rejected me again today, and they started checking in.

"Luke, you've still got your buddies."

"There's plenty of fish in the sea."

Another notification sounded on my phone. I opened it and found that it was from Isabelle.

"Why are you being so dramatic?"

I looked at her cold, indifferent words and couldn't help but laugh bitterly at myself, then grabbed another bottle and downed it. The alcohol burned my stomach like fire, and before I knew it, a few tears slipped from the corners of my eyes.

Whenever Ronald needed her, no matter where Isabelle was or what she was doing, she would drop everything and rush to him. But with me, all I got was her calling me dramatic.

Seven years together, and I still didn't understand where I stood in her heart.

That night, for the first time ever, I didn't sit in the living room and wait for her to come home.

In the past, I used to worry that she'd be scared coming home to a dark house at night, so I'd always leave a light on and wait for her on the couch. Even if I ended up waiting until dawn, I never minded. Over time, it gave me chronic headaches.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but I slept deeply that night.

I woke up early the next morning, and as expected, Isabelle hadn't come home all night. Unlike before, I didn't call her to yell or demand answers. Instead, I made myself breakfast, ate quickly, and got ready for work.

Just as I was about to leave, Isabelle walked through the door.

She glanced at the empty dining table, surprised. "Where's my breakfast?"

She'd always had a sensitive stomach. No matter whether she had come home the night before, I'd always make sure breakfast was ready for her as I was worried that skipping it might make her sick.

But today, I just continued putting on my shoes and said casually, "I already ate. Maybe you should order delivery."

She seemed to pick up on my annoyance and gave my arm a gentle shake, her voice much softer than yesterday.

"Lucas, I know it's my fault for rejecting your proposals, but Ron doesn't have anyone else with him. I just can't relax if no one's there for him. You don't want me marrying you with that burden on my heart, right?

"Once he finds someone he can spend the rest of his life with, I won't have to worry about him having episodes alone. And then I can give myself to you completely and be yours without any hesitation. Wouldn't that be better?

"There's really nothing between Ron and me. Please don't stay mad at me, okay?"

Previously, anytime she patiently explained something, I would let it go right away. But this time, all I felt was irritation. I was tired of hearing the same excuses over and over.

"Got it. I'll be late for work. I'm heading out."