Breaking up Over One Cup of Yogurt

When the car arrived at the apartment, the two people in the front were still chatting about a movie that had been out less than a week.

One of them was my girlfriend, Katherine Hale. She had promised me that we would watch it together, but she had to work overtime that day, so she couldn't make it.

The two talked about everything, from the tragic fate of the protagonists to the theme of female solidarity.

I had lost count of the times I found myself unable to join in their conversation.

Even now, I was still sitting in the back seat like an outsider.

The chatting and laughter gradually died down.

Glancing at the rearview mirror, Katherine asked in surprise, "Why are you still in the car?"

Looking up, I replied calmly, "I'm still waiting for you to unlock the door."

Katherine fell silent for a moment.

My childhood friend, Mark Langley, immediately tried to smooth things over. "Oh, sorry, I'm rambling again."

He reached over to the driver's seat and unlocked the back door with total familiarity.

Katherine had bought this car when she made her first fortune.

Back then, she was smiling as she told me I wouldn't have to cram into the subway anymore.

Later on, Mark came running to me in Ardenbrook, looking for a place to crash.

From then on, our commute to and from work turned into a three-person affair.

Later on, because Mark had motion sickness, I had to give up my spot on the passenger seat and move to the back seat instead.

Having been seated in the back for three years, I no longer remembered what the buttons on the dashboard were for.

But Mark knew everything like the back of his hand, and he acted like he owned the place. "Don't worry, Victor. I'll be sure to give Katherine a scolding before she drops me off later."

When Katherine heard that, she just chuckled. She didn't argue.

I had spent so much time with her that I could easily tell she was indulging him.

Once, I told her I didn't like the smell of cigarettes, but she immediately gave me a cold look and complained that I was being selfish for not allowing her space to relax.

She hated being criticized, but now, she was already used to Mark nitpicking things she did.

The rain outside drifted in through the car window. The chill ran straight from my arm to my core.

I opened the door and hurried out as if I were running away from something.

Just then, the rain came down even heavier.

I scrambled to the building for shelter.

It was at that moment that I saw Katherine reaching up to wipe away the raindrops that had fallen on Mark's face.

I swiped blindly at the moisture on my face, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it all off.

After getting back to my apartment, I took a hot shower.

When I exited the bathroom, I received a call from my manager, Jade Pearce. "Beckett, are you sure you want to resign? You know, you just secured a major contract, and I was even thinking of bringing up your raise and promotion to Ms. Hale soon."

In my six years in that company, I had applied for a raise and a promotion 12 times.

But Katherine had rejected every single one of my applications.

My colleagues praised my well-written proposals, but she said it was just my job. My team leader recommended me for an overseas training program, but she said I lacked competency. Even when the entire department petitioned for me to get promoted, she rejected it.

I was upset, but I never complained about it.

But Mark, whom I had personally referred for the job, was promoted three times over the span of three years.

His salary also went from 2,500 dollars to 7,500 dollars a month.

In the end, I couldn't stand it anymore. I asked Katherine why she had made that decision.

She said that because of our relationship, she had to set clear boundaries at work. She told me to be sensible and just be the bigger person.

On the other hand, according to her, Mark didn't have much experience, so we had to tolerate and look out for him.

But this time, I had had enough. I was done backing down.

I took a deep breath. "Forget it. I've already made up my mind."