When He Desired Another, I Walked Away! Now He Regrets It!

Once we were together, I learned that Xandros was fond of puzzles, so I carefully selected a few that matched the style of his home and presented them to him as gifts.

One weekend, I noticed the puzzles I had given him resting in a pile in the corner of the living room, still unopened. I suggested we could enjoy assembling them as a team.

Sitting on the sofa, Xandros showed the slightest furrow of his brows, an expression of impatience that I had never seen before. I stood there, holding the puzzle box, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over me.

Xandros lifted his gaze to meet mine, and for a fleeting moment, his expression softened. “All my puzzles are custom-made,” he explained, his tone surprisingly gentle. “I’m not really into those kinds.”

He gestured with a subtle nod toward the box in my hands as if it were an afterthought.

Feeling a flush of embarrassment, I set the box back in its place. As I turned around, I caught Xandros lost in contemplation, his eyes fixed on a puzzle adorning the living room wall. His expression radiated a gentle warmth I had never encountered, wrapping around me like a soft blanket.

I stumbled upon Kinsley by chance. That day, I had wrapped up my fieldwork earlier than expected and chose to wait for Xandros downstairs at his office, eager to surprise him.

When I caught sight of Xandros, he was accompanied by a man of similar age. I positioned myself off to the side, out of Xandros’s line of sight.

Just as I was about to walk up behind him and give his shoulder a playful tap, the man with him abruptly stopped, his gaze fixed on his phone.

"Xandros, Kinsley will be there too! I just checked. You have to go, right? Trust me, if you stay proactive, opportunities will knock at your door. After all, you two shared so much time together..."

The man’s succinct statements left me utterly dumbfounded, standing there like a statue, unable to process the enormity of what I had just heard. I didn’t follow them; I merely watched as Xandros's familiar form slipped away from my view.

Xandros had never opened up about his past, and I never found the courage to pry. His gentleness toward me always felt tinged with a certain distance, as if one wrong move could send everything crashing down.

I journeyed home alone. During the drive, a message from Xandros flashed on my phone, saying he was caught up in a work dinner and would return late. For once, I let the message sit unanswered.

The man’s words lingered in my thoughts, repeating like an unwelcome melody. I regretted not chasing after them, not seeking more of their meaning. An inexplicable fear began to wrap around me, threatening to overwhelm me if I didn’t find a way to confront it.

I came across Xandros’s Facebook account, a place I had seen before but never had the courage to follow. I sensed it might irritate him. I had browsed through his profile a few times previously, noting how infrequently he updated it. This time, I ventured into his following list, clicking through each name until I spotted the man who had been with Xandros that day; they appeared to be old university classmates.

As I continued scrolling, I stumbled upon the first person Xandros had ever followed: Kinsley.