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I'm Done Being Ignored

I'm Done Being Ignored

Short Story · Romance
By:  Bowl of RiceCompleted
Language: English
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9Chapters
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Synopsis

Tragic Love

Melodramatic

Bias

Mistress

Male POV

Winning Back the Husband

Cheating

There were only three of us in the group chat, yet somehow, I was always the one left out. At first, I didn't think much of it. Life was busy at times, right? Besides, Kendra Thatcher had been my girlfriend for seven years, and Josiah Lehmann had been my best friend for eighteen. The thought of either of them deliberately ignoring me had never even crossed my mind. Or at least, that was what I kept telling myself. That morning, I messaged our group chat. "Hey, how about we take a trip to Cedarvale?" Neither of them replied. Hours passed, and my message just sat there, unanswered. … That evening, Josiah suddenly shared a video of some delicious-looking food in Cedarvale. "Gosh, it looks divine!" he wrote. Kendra replied almost immediately. Just like that, they started chatting away as though my earlier message never existed. Before long, they'd exchanged over ninety-nine messages. Seeing them so excited, I figured I'd try asking again. "So, are we going to Cedarvale or what?" The chat went quiet, and neither of them replied. Something about that bothered me more than usual, so I started scrolling through our old messages. The further back I went, the more I realized this wasn't anything new. Just yesterday, I'd mentioned that I was thinking about quitting my job because I was completely burned out. Neither of them had said a word. But the day before that, Josiah had posted a shirtless gym selfie, complaining that all his hard work wasn't paying off. "Oh, shut up. Those abs are ridiculously hot," Kendra had replied. They went back and forth until midnight, yet the moment I suggested we all grab dinner the next day, the conversation stopped. The funny thing was, I actually ran into them at a restaurant the following evening. They were having dinner together. Then, there was the movie Kendra had mentioned last week. She'd shared the trailer in the group, and Josiah immediately said he wanted to watch it. I chimed in, telling them I'd love to go too. Again, neither of them responded. … A few days later, I casually asked Kendra about the movie. "Oh, Josiah and I already watched it," she replied, acting like it was no big deal. Looking back through our conversations, I couldn't believe how many times I'd made excuses for them. I'd told myself they were busy, that they'd forgotten to reply, and that I was probably overthinking things. But now, it was painfully obvious. They weren't too busy to reply. They just didn't want to respond to my texts. I stared at the screen for a long moment before muting the group chat. I didn't leave, confront them, or send a long message demanding to know what I'd done wrong. I was simply exhausted from always being the one trying to hold everything together. … A few days later, I finally quit my job. That same day, my phone lit up with a notification from the group chat. For once, someone was actually talking to me. It was Kendra. "Xavier, my mom keeps asking when we're getting married. Josiah's worried about you, too. Why aren't you answering?" By the time I saw her message, my plane had already landed in Dunridge. I opened the group chat and typed, "You two seem to have plenty to talk about. I shan't interrupt." Then, I sent another text. "Cheers to being single!"

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1 The Trip I Wasn't Invited On

I had barely muted the group chat when Kendra's notification flashed across my screen.

"I can't take you to see the new house this weekend. Something else came up."

I frowned, fingers hovering over the keyboard before I typed, "Is it really that urgent? I moved my entire work schedule just to get this weekend off. There's something important I want to discuss, too."

However, Kendra never replied.

…

When I checked the group chat, she was still happily chatting away with Josiah. Apparently, she had plenty of time to talk to him, just not to me.

I wasn't going to embarrass myself by chasing her for an answer. So I put my phone aside, opened my laptop, and started writing my resignation letter.

I'd been feeling burned out for a while, and everything that had happened lately only made it worse. I was tired of my job and the constant disappointment, and honestly, I just wanted to get away from it all for a while.

The next morning, I went to HR to submit my resignation. The vice president spent quite a while trying to persuade me to stay, but once he realized I'd made up my mind, he reluctantly agreed to my resignation in two weeks.

I'd planned to share the news with Kendra and Josiah in our group chat, but Josiah's latest Instagram post stopped me in my tracks.

"Someone thinks I've been working too hard, so they're treating me to a short vacation!"

His location showed he was at the airport, and he attached a photo of two plane tickets bound for Cedarvale.

Curious, I zoomed in. One ticket had his name, and the other Kendra's.

I gaped at the screen, barely believing what I saw.

I thought, 'So, this was Kendra's urgent excuse? She ditched our plans to run off with Josiah? And to Cedarvale, the very place I'd suggested in the group chat? What the heck!'

I jumped into the chat and tagged them both.

"Are you guys in Cedarvale? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Neither of them replied, which by now was no surprise. Still, I sent Kendra a private message. "Why are you going on a trip alone with Josiah?"

That went unanswered too.

It wasn't until I was about to leave work that Kendra finally responded in the group chat.

"Just landed. It was a last-minute thing. You've been so busy with work lately, so we figured we wouldn't bother you."

She said it so casually, as though that alone was explanation enough and I was simply expected to accept it.

Josiah chimed in with a smug little laughing emoji, and I just stared at their messages in disbelief. They could chat for hours, but letting me know about a trip I suggested was apparently too much to ask for.

When I finally got home, my landlord was already parading prospective tenants through my apartment. He spotted me and broke into a wide grin.

"Hey, Xavier! Congratulations!" he said with a chuckle. "I heard you're moving into a new house with your girlfriend! Getting ready to tie the knot, huh?"

Before I could respond, he leaned in and added with an amused grin, "Oh, and that buddy of yours who came by last time? He didn't look too happy when I mentioned marriage. What's his deal? Afraid you'll forget about him once you're a married man?"

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

He was talking about Josiah, of course.

I pressed my lips together, too drained to explain how tangled my life had become.

"Actually, I quit my job," I said after a pause. "And Kendra and Josiah have other plans. So, there isn't going to be a wedding."
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9 Chapters
Chapter 1 The Trip I Wasn't Invited On
I had barely muted the group chat when Kendra's notification flashed across my screen."I can't take you to see the new house this weekend. Something else came up."I frowned, fingers hovering over the keyboard before I typed, "Is it really that urgent? I moved my entire work schedule just to get this weekend off. There's something important I want to discuss, too."However, Kendra never replied.…When I checked the group chat, she was still happily chatting away with Josiah. Apparently, she had plenty of time to talk to him, just not to me.I wasn't going to embarrass myself by chasing her for an answer. So I put my phone aside, opened my laptop, and started writing my resignation letter.I'd been feeling burned out for a while, and everything that had happened lately only made it worse. I was tired of my job and the constant disappointment, and honestly, I just wanted to get away from it all for a while.The next morning, I went to HR to submit my resignation. The vice presi
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Chapter 2 Always the Third Wheel
My landlord and the prospective tenant exchanged awkward glances. After a few uncomfortable pleasantries, they quickly excused themselves and left.I sank onto the couch and pulled out my phone, scrolling through Kendra and Josiah's latest Instagram posts. They'd gone straight to the restaurant Josiah had shared in our group chat as soon as they landed. They laughed and smiled in every photo, clearly having the time of their lives.What bothered me even more was the guesthouse they'd stayed at. It was the exact same place I'd recommended in the group chat.It turned out they'd seen my messages all along—they simply chose to ignore me.I swallowed the lump in my throat and muted both their accounts. There was no point putting myself through any more of it. I put my phone down, got up, and started packing my things. It was time to move out....Four days later, Kendra finally called."Hey, Xavier! Are you done with work yet?" she asked cheerfully. "Josiah and I just got back. We b
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Chapter 3 A Stranger in My Own Home
Kendra fell silent.As soon as we stepped out of the car, she rushed to my side and reached for my hand. I slipped away, hands deep in my jacket pockets.Before she could say anything, Josiah slipped between us and linked his arm through hers. Kendra didn't pull away. Instead, she instinctively reached out to keep him from bumping into the car door.I saw it all, but I said nothing. I just turned and headed toward the house.The instant we stepped inside, Josiah's stomachache vanished. He grabbed Kendra's arm and whisked her from room to room, pointing things out and commenting on the decor as if the place were his."Kendra, remember those curtains in the guest room I told you I hated? Why haven't you changed them yet?""Because I told the contractors to leave them alone," I answered before she could speak. "The color you picked was hideous."I looked straight at him. "Besides, this is supposed to be my home with Kendra. Since when do you get a say in how we decorate it?"Jos
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Chapter 4 This Time, I'm Walking Away
My chest ached as I looked at them.With a bitter laugh, I tossed the gift box into the trash right in front of them."I don't want the gift, and I don't want the key either." I glanced from Kendra to Josiah. "As for you two, I'm done with both of you."I turned and headed for the door, but she came rushing after me."Xavier! What the hell do you want from us?" she shouted. "We've practically begged you to forgive us! What more do you expect us to do?"I stopped and looked back at her. Once upon a time, seeing her this upset would've made me stay and try to work things out. But now, I was so tired of everything that I couldn't even bring myself to argue.I gave her one last look, then turned around and walked away.After that day, neither Kendra nor Josiah contacted me again. No calls, no private messages—nothing. They still chatted in our group as if nothing had happened, except they never mentioned me. I didn't reach out either, and just like that, we went on pretending the ot
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Chapter 5 No More Excuses
The moment my flight landed in Dunridge, I switched off airplane mode. My phone immediately lit up with notifications, mostly from Kendra."You moved out? Why didn't you tell me? Where are you?""What the hell was that Instagram post supposed to mean? My parents are calling me about it!""Xavier, answer your damn phone!"There were plenty more, but I couldn't be bothered to read them all.For once, Kendra even addressed me directly in our group chat."Xavier, my mom keeps asking when we're getting married. Josiah's worried about you, too. Why aren't you answering?"Below her message were two voice notes from Josiah. I had no desire to sit through another one of his crying fits, so I used the tranion feature instead.Sure enough, he was still playing the victim."Maybe I should call Xavier again and apologize.""This is all my fault. You two are supposed to be getting married, and now you're fighting because of me. It's just a job. If I lose it, I'll find another one."I shoo
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Chapter 6 He Never Wanted Her
The last people I expected to see at my guesthouse were Kendra and Josiah.I had no idea how they'd found me, though I suspected my parents had told them where I was staying.When I opened the gate and saw them standing there, I sighed.I'd traveled all this way to get away from them, and somehow they'd still managed to show up at my door.Part of me wanted to send them away, but I figured I might as well hear what they had to say. I let them in and led them to a wooden table on the porch.Kendra spoke first."Xavier, I'm sorry. I know I've hurt you, and I've had a lot of time to think about what happened. I realize now how wrong I was."She took a key from her pocket and slid it across the table. "I got the house key back from Josiah. It's yours now. I promise I'll keep my distance from him. I know I crossed a line, and I won't let it happen again."She looked at me hopefully. "Please, Xavier. Just take the key. When your trip is over, we can go home, get married, and put all
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Chapter 7 Eighteen Years of Resentment
"I've spent eighteen years living in your shadow!" Josiah shouted. "Eighteen years! Can't I fight for something I want for once?"He pointed at me, his face red with anger. "You've always had everything! Money, looks, connections. No matter what I did, you were always better off than me. But look at me now! I've got a good job. "I'm a manager! I work out, I take care of myself, and I know just as much about those expensive designer brands as you do! So, why the hell does everyone still like you more than me?"I couldn't believe that after everything I'd just said, he still didn't get it."You really want to know why?" I asked. "Because you're an ungrateful piece of shit, Josiah. That's why."He fell silent, but I wasn't about to let him off that easily."You've spent years taking whatever you could get from me. I helped you when you had nothing, got you opportunities you never would've had otherwise, and stood by you when no one else would. And how did you repay me? By spending
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Chapter 8 A Promise From Long Ago
I didn't tell anyone where I was going next.This time, I headed out to Yarrowstone, far from everything familiar. I spent my days hiking quiet mountain trails, watching the sunrise over snow-capped peaks, and sitting beside a campfire under a sky full of stars. With no one bothering me and nowhere I needed to be, I finally had time to slow down and think.Somewhere along the way, I found a sense of peace I hadn't felt in years.The anger, the resentment, the pain of being betrayed—it all started to fade. Standing beneath those enormous mountains, I realized how much time and energy I'd wasted on people who no longer belonged in my life. There was so much more to the world than what I'd left behind, and I didn't want to spend the rest of my life dwelling on it.…By the time I was ready to head back, I had decided what came next.My parents had hoped I'd move back to my hometown and find a nice, stable job, but I didn't want that anymore. Instead, I updated my resume and starte
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Chapter 9 The People Who Come Back for You
Josiah held the wedding card tightly, then suddenly pulled me into a hug and burst into tears.It wasn't the kind of crying I'd grown used to from him—the kind that always seemed meant to win someone's sympathy. This time, he was truly falling apart, shoulders shaking as he struggled to get the words out."I'm sorry, Xavier. I'm so sorry. After everything that's happened, I finally realize how good you were to me."He kept apologizing, his voice breaking with sobs, until he finally managed to ask, "Do you think we could ever...""There's no 'we' anymore, Josiah," I interrupted. "There's you, and there's me. That's how it has to be."I gently pulled away from him.The arrogance and resentment I'd once known were gone, and I almost felt sorry for him. However, pity didn't mean I wanted him back in my life."I wish you a happy marriage. I really do. But that's all I can give you."Josiah lowered his eyes to the card, unable to look at me."I'm not staying for the reception," I ad
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