He Left Our Relationship on Read

I have been in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend, Eugene Walsh, for three years. I finally have enough leave time to visit him after working overtime for an entire month. But when I arrive, I can't reach him. I wait alone in an unfamiliar city for ten full hours before he finally replies. When the call connects, my best friend, Haley Woodward, greets me with a cheerful laugh. "Surprise! I explored Oakhaven for you in advance. It's so much fun! Eugene is an amazing tour guide!" She chatters nonstop about all the fun they've had, as if she never notices the 30 missed calls displayed on Eugene's phone. I listen quietly. Only when she says she's cold does Eugene finally take the phone from her and say to me, "I'll take her back to the hotel first. Wait for me a little while more." The moment he is done speaking, I ask, "Do you know how long I've been waiting?" Eugene pauses for a second before saying icily, "She's your best friend. Do you really have to compete with her over this?" The unmistakable accusation drains away any desire I have to keep talking. I hung up. Just then, the cab that will take me back to Centuria arrives. The driver takes one look at me and can't help but comment, "Miss, it's already past midnight. This area isn't very safe. How can your family leave you here all alone?" I look down at my shoes that are soaked through by snow and slush. In a soft voice, I say, "Yeah." Then, I smile and add, "They won't. Not anymore." Chapter 1 Jennie's POV Eugene Walsh realized I was missing two hours later. His ringtone was a foreign rock song I never really liked. Once, I playfully asked him to change it to the light music I preferred, but he was deeply annoyed by the request. Even now, I could vividly remember his cold, harsh tone. "Do I have to do everything you say?" I had been so embarrassed that I immediately apologized. But just moments ago, my best friend, Haley Woodward, suddenly posted a new update on Instagram. "Unbelievable. I'm so sick of the song I recommended to this one idiot three months ago, but he's still using it." Eugene had replied three minutes ago, "Who are you calling an idiot?" "You!" Haley instantly shot back. My phone kept ringing with incoming calls. I suddenly felt like laughing. How many hearts did Eugene have to be able to juggle two women at once? When he saw that I wasn't answering his calls, his bombardment switched to a flood of text messages. "Where the hell did you go? Stop throwing a tantrum, okay? It's late, and I'm exhausted," he complained nonstop. As if still shaken by the memory, the cab driver added, "Miss, you probably have no idea, but a sexual assault happened at that station just two days ago. The victim didn't even make it, and the whole city's been on edge ever since. "That's why I was so shocked to pick you up tonight. If I were your parents, I'd be worried sick and wouldn't get a minute of sleep." My fingers twitched, and my eyes fell back on the screen. "Why are you being so unreasonable? I was just a little late picking you up. "Besides, Haley is a guest and your best friend. What's wrong with letting her have her way for once?" My hands began to tremble as I held the phone. It hurt sharply like a knife sliced through my heart. The driver panicked and quickly comforted me. "Hey, don't cry. I'll stop talking." My eyes were red-rimmed as I shook my head and felt strangely relieved. "No… I should be the one thanking you." Shortly after the last massage, Eugene added, "Forget it. I'm done trying to appease you, Jennie Baldwin. Calm down and think about it yourself." Out of 28 messages, 27 were accusations, and they ended with him claiming he was done trying to soothe me. Exhaustion washed over me like a tidal wave. I turned off the phone, closed my eyes, and fell asleep. … When I woke up, we were home. The driver saw how exhausted I was and waited for me for three hours, so I paid him an extra 50 dollars. He was overjoyed and made sure to leave me with a last piece of advice before driving off. "Hurry inside and change your shoes, miss. They're soaked through." Deeply moved, I nodded and said goodbye. Chapter 2 Jennie's POV While I waited for water to heat up in the shower, Haley posted another update. "Trying out the viral smoothie place. My best buddy waited in line for an hour to get it for me, but the taste is average. I took a sip and packed up the rest for a certain someone." That "certain someone" was obviously Eugene, who gave the camera a faint smile. I never knew that Eugene, my boyfriend with such a severe germaphobia that he refused to share a glass with me, would drink from another woman's drink. I sighed softly, tapped on the like button on the post, and called my boss, Christophe Miller. "I've changed my mind, Mr. Miller. Is that project still available for me?" He sounded surprised, but mostly relieved. "You've finally come to your senses, haven't you? "If you do well on this project, you'll get a double promotion after you come back, and it's just a year abroad. Trust me; a year is nothing if it's true love." I smiled and didn't argue. In truth, my relationship was over the moment I decided to take on this job. … I took my time enjoying the hot shower. By the time I came out, Haley's post was deleted. I was surprised. It seemed like she wasn't as unbothered as she pretended to be. Suddenly, Eugene called. A bad feeling settled in my stomach, but I answered anyway. "Who exactly are you trying to provoke?" he snapped. "You didn't pick up my calls, you didn't reply to my texts, and then you went crazy under Haley's post." His words came fast and sharp, and his tone carried a protective defensiveness he had never shown toward me. I suddenly felt exhausted. I had worked overtime for an entire month just to make time to visit him, and this was what I received in return. "Whose boyfriend are you, Eugene?" Eugene froze. The silence stretched for several seconds before he disappointedly said, "Do you really have to make such a big deal out of nothing?" "Eugene, maybe… I should talk to her." Haley's hesitant voice came through from the other end of the line. I glanced at the clock. It was 11:00 pm, which meant they had been together from 8:00 am until now. "No need," Eugene said. "The more you indulge her, the more spoiled she gets." "But she's my best friend, after all…" They started whispering, their voices dropping so low I couldn't hear what they were saying before the call was abruptly hung up. There was a routine comfort in their familiar interaction, and that was when it hit me—they might have crossed the boundaries much earlier than I had imagined. … After I caught up on some sleep, my frostbitten foot grew increasingly swollen. I found a cane, flagged a cab, and went straight to the hospital. While the doctor cleaned and dressed the wound, I gritted my teeth to fight through the pain. Then, I took my prescription and headed home. The moment I opened the door, I bumped into a pair of arms. A familiar, refreshing scent hit me, and as I stared blankly at Eugene, he gave me a pleasant smile. "You wouldn't respond to me, so I had to come to you." My eyes stung. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he casually took my medicine away and asked, "What happened to you?" "My foot is frostbitten." "Oh," he muttered and carelessly tossed the medicine onto the desk. He didn't ask how it happened, nor did he ask how severe it was. Suddenly, his phone rang, blaring that same rock music that gave me a headache. I couldn't hear what Haley said, but Eugene suddenly laughed out loud and teased, "If you tell me to come over, how would I dare refuse?" My heart sank heavily. The tiny spark of warmth I had felt just moments ago instantly vanished. I limped toward the desk, dug out a few pills, and swallowed them with water. After hanging up, Eugene walked over and wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Stop being mad, Jennie. My phone was on silent that day, and I felt terrible all night after you left." I smirked. The grin on his face the next morning didn't look like someone who had spent the night suffering. "Besides, Haley has visited a bunch of times already," he added. "I just wanted to get it over with quickly so I could focus on spending the rest of my time with you…" I paused mid-sip. He chuckled. "Are you jealous? Don't worry. She acts just like one of the guys, and I'd never be interested in her. We're just occasional travel buddies since you're always so busy." Seemingly unwilling to dwell on the topic, he turned and said he was going to take a shower. Before walking into the bathroom, he made sure to grab his phone. Chapter 3 Jennie's POV Moments later, Eugene called out for me to bring him his pajamas. I grabbed a set and pushed the bathroom door open, only to catch him hastily flipping his phone face down. He wiped the water on his face away and grinned at me. "Thanks." With a whoosh, he shut the door again. I didn't walk away. Within seconds, voices started drifting out from the inside. It was Haley who was laughing out loud. "Why do you have to make it seem like we're having an affair?" Eugene lazily replied, "You know how petty your best friend is." Haley snorted, and her tone turned suggestive. "Hurry up and show me your abs. I didn't get a good look earlier!" "You pervert!" he snapped, feigning annoyance. … I didn't stay to listen to the rest of their conversation. By the time Eugene came out, an hour had passed. His face was flushed, and his eyes were bright as if a fire had lit up inside him. It was obvious that his desire was stoked. Without even turning off the lights, he lunged at me. But I reached out, blocked him, and said in a flat voice, "We don't have condoms at home." Eugene froze and instinctively blurted out, "Haley said it's fine during the safe period." I snapped my head toward him, disgust flashing in my eyes. "Did you seriously tell her about our sex life?" "No." He immediately denied and sheepishly ran his fingers through his hair. Seeing the look in my eyes, he realized he couldn't lie his way out of it and continued in an awkward voice, "It's not like she's an outsider." My eyes slowly fell on his face. All his voice, expression, and actions made it clear where his loyalty lay. I felt like I was the true outsider here. At this point, I couldn't bear the thought of sharing a bed with him for another second. "Go sleep in the guest room." Eugene froze and asked in disbelief, "Just because of that? I came all this way to see you, and you're making me sleep in the guest room?" "So, you came here just to use me for sex?" I snapped. He stared at me in silence, clearly furious now. Suddenly, it felt like the perfect chance to break up. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could say a word, he slammed the door and stormed out. I shut my mouth, turned off the lights, and went to sleep. … I slept soundly that night. When I woke up, Christophe had texted me my flight ticket. "Tomorrow at noon. Don't be late." I replied with a quick text, then got out of bed to wash up. But the moment I opened the bathroom door, a sharp shriek came from the inside. While I froze and instinctively reached out to close the door, a figure bolted past from behind me and slammed the door shut. "Why didn't you knock before walking in?" Eugene barked at me in an aggressive voice. For a time, I felt like a stranger in my home. "What is Haley doing here?" "She said she missed you," he replied dismissively. During the past two years I spent renting this apartment, Haley had never visited once. Yet now that Eugene was here, she suddenly missed me. I didn't say anything else. When Haley finally came out of the bathroom, she gave me a brief nod and plopped herself down at the dining table. Eugene placed a fried egg in front of her first. She took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up. "You really do know me best. You even made it runny for me." He raised an eyebrow, clearly in an excellent mood, and pushed another plate toward me. "Don't say I'm playing favorites. I made one for you, too." But holding the fork, I couldn't bring myself to dig in. I never ate runny eggs. Eugene and I had been together for six years, and to this day, he still couldn't remember. "Eugene, carry me in a match later," Haley demanded, kicking him under the table. "You're terrible at the game. No way." "We're best buddies, aren't we? Why won't you even help me with this?" As Haley spoke, she grew increasingly agitated and scooted over to him until their thighs were pressed tight against each other. Because of how big her movements were, her top shifted and exposed her chest. My mind buzzed when I realized that she wasn't wearing a bra. Eugene's face seemed to flush slightly, and he subtly leaned back a bit. A wave of nausea hit the back of my throat. With a sharp clink, I slammed my fork on the table, then turned to look at Haley, who was still flirting shamelessly. "Did I ever mention to you that we're no longer friends?" Chapter 4 Jennie's POV Haley froze on the spot and looked slightly embarrassed. She clearly hadn't expected me to confront her so directly. Eugene frowned. "Did the two of you fight? When?" I looked at him and replied in a loud, clear voice, "Just four days ago, when she wanted to tag along to visit you, I refused." So, Haley got upset. To get back at me, she had found Eugene before I could. "Just because of that?" Eugene still wore that same look of disbelief. In reality, it wasn't just this one thing. Haley had constantly found ways to disrupt my quality time with Eugene over the past year. Every time I planned to visit him, she would cling to me, either begging me to go on a trip with her or claiming she was sick and needed my help. Even when I bought a matching couple's ring with Eugene, she would buy a similar one to wear on her finger. I wasn't an idiot, which was why I had cut ties with her as decently as I could. But I never thought she could be so shameless. Tears glistened in Haley's eyes as she slowly stood up and softly whispered, "I'm sorry. I'll leave then." With a loud clatter, Eugene bolted to his feet. The sheer force of his movement knocked his chair over. He stepped firmly in front of Haley and announced in a deep voice, "If you're kicking her out, then I'm leaving too." "Then leave," I instantly replied. My expression was so calm that it was almost cold. Eugene's expression went blank for a split second. He was stunned because I had never kicked him out. Even when we fought, I was always the first to bow my head and apologize. But I was just too exhausted now. Eugene didn't budge an inch and stubbornly stared at me with his jaw clenched tight. Haley snorted, grabbed his hand, and dragged him out the door. "Let's go! What right does she have to be so mean to us? The more you take this from her, the worse she's going to treat you down the road!" In the end, Eugene let himself get dragged away. I finally let out a breath of relief. Getting up, I picked up the fried egg from the plate and dumped it into the trash can. Then, I returned to my room to pack my bags. … Later that night, just as I was getting ready for bed, a close friend, Nancy Dell, sent me a series of messages. "Holy crap, Jennie! Look at what I just caught on camera!" I clicked on the attached photo. It was Eugene and Haley, casually strolling through a famous shopping street in Centuria. She had her arm wrapped around his, and her body was pressed tightly against his like any other young couple deeply in love. Perhaps they had been acting like this behind my back, long before I ever found out. Nancy was livid. "They're so shameless! They're literally cheating on you out in the open! You've been so kind to both of them, and I seriously can't swallow this humiliation on your behalf." My heart skipped a beat. Just as I was about to stop her, a video call popped up on my screen. I immediately answered, only to see Nancy looking like an enraged lioness. She turned her camera and immediately lashed out at the two. "You cheating, disgusting pieces of trash! Have you no shame? How could you do this to Jennie? "When you were broke, who saved up her allowance just to support you? "And you, Haley! You're absolutely heartless! Jennie was the one who got you your job. Without her, do you think you'd ever set foot in such a prestigious company?" Haley's expression turned icy cold, but she didn't sound remorseful at all when she snapped back, "Did I force her to find me that job?" "Enough! Both of you, shut up!" Eugene suddenly roared at them for no reason. He looked into the camera and calmly said, "We need to talk, Jennie. You've completely misunderstood. "I'll come over tomorrow morning and explain everything to you clearly." Nancy cursed at him and abruptly ended the call. I let out a soft sigh, spent a few minutes comforting her, then lay back down to sleep. I had a six-hour flight ahead of me the next day, after all. … When I woke up, it was already 9:00 am. I had breakfast and waited to see if Eugene would actually show up to clear things up. But he never arrived, even after 11:00 am. Completely unbothered, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out. Just then, Eugene called. His voice sounded frantic and rushed through the phone as he said, "I'll have to come see you in the afternoon instead, Jennie. Haley suddenly had food poisoning, and I had to rush her to the hospital." "Okay." Maybe he had broken his word too many times, because he paused briefly, then apologetically continued, "Wait for me. I'll make it up to you." I didn't say another word and immediately hung up the call before going through my accounts to block all his contact information. … After a long sleep on the plane, I finally landed in Faelore. After grabbing my suitcase and walking out of the airport, I received a call from my landlady. She sounded panicked. "Jennie! A man is standing right outside your door and refuses to leave, no matter how much I try to drive him away! Should I call the police?" I hummed and replied as I flagged down a cab, "Yes. Go ahead." I had no idea how long Eugene had been waiting, but the moment he heard my voice, he went completely feral and snatched the phone away from her.