Tainted Love? I'll Pass

I was scrolling through my social feed when I saw that my girlfriend, Rene Watson, had just been promoted. The thought of not having seen each other for nearly three months because of work hit me hard, and I booked the next flight to her city.

Without letting Rene know, I stood at her doorstep with a bouquet, ready to surprise her. However, I never imagined she would show up holding another man's hand, and I was struck dumb.

It was Joshua Zimmerman—Rene's childhood friend and first love.

Rene held a bag of snacks, and Joshua carried a basket of groceries. They walked side by side, leaning into each other with the ease and intimacy of a married couple.

Rene finally noticed me. She hurriedly released Joshua's hand and approached me stiffly. "Ian, you're here! Why didn't you send me a message first?"

I swallowed my emotions and said calmly, "I saw you got promoted. I wanted to surprise you."

By the look on Rene's face, I could tell she was only surprised—and not happy to see me.

Sure enough, Rene frowned and muttered, "This is so sudden…"

Joshua spoke up from the side. "Rene, Ian came all this way to see you. Why are we talking outside? Let's go in."

He walked toward the door, entered the code, and opened it naturally, as if he were the master of the house.

For a moment, I almost forgot that I had bought this apartment for Rene. She had said the place was nice, and I had worn myself out negotiating with the landlord to buy it at a high price, planning to give it to her as a wedding gift. Yet now, I felt like a stranger in my own home.

Once inside, Joshua plopped onto the couch, absorbed in his phone, while Rene tied on an apron and started cooking.

I hadn't realized that the lady who always stayed out of the kitchen could be so diligent.

Before long, she had whipped up three dishes and a soup, each one featuring seafood. She spooned the clam chowder into Joshua's bowl, playfully chiding him, "Eat it while it's hot. Our little seafood fanatic can't skip his favorite chowder."

Joshua affectionately ruffled her hair. "You're so good to me, honey."

They bantered back and forth for a while before remembering I was there.

Rene noticed my hesitation to start eating and asked, "Ian, have you already eaten?"

I replied lightly, "I'm allergic to seafood."

For a few seconds, the living room fell into awkward silence.

Joshua quickly spoke up. "Ian, why didn't you say something earlier? You didn't eat any of the fish or crab just now, right?"

I shook my head. "No."

He laughed and leaned his elbow casually on Rene's shoulder. "See? Rene got so caught up making my favorite seafood dishes that she forgot to make anything you could eat."

Rene laughed. "Stop teasing. I know how to take care of you. Eat while it's hot—and don't leave a bite behind, or you'll regret it!"

Joshua grinned. "Yes, ma'am!"

I had grabbed a last-minute discounted ticket and endured several sleepless nights, followed by hours cramped in a narrow seat with no room to stretch. I should have been exhausted, yet the thought of seeing Rene kept me going.

Now that I was finally in front of her, an unexpected heaviness settled over me.