Part 2She Swallowed His Eel, Now Regrets Losing Me

The once-bustling private room emptied quickly, leaving only me behind.

I grabbed the remaining liquor on the table and downed it in one gulp. The burning liquid scorched my throat and stomach, making my eyes sting.

Nearly twenty years of history between us. Turns out, severing it wasn't so hard after all.

Fine. I'd accept my family's arrangement, fly thousands of miles to Manhattan, get married, and advance the new partnership.

The distance would be far enough. She wouldn't be able to bother me anymore.

Strange though—my face felt cold and wet again.

Back home, I started packing.

Claire and I grew up together. Most of my life had been tangled up with hers.

There were too many things left behind. Every single one pulled at a memory.

This faded paper flower was the first little prize she ever won in kindergarten.

She ran up to me on her tiny legs and carefully placed it in my palm:

"Adrian, the best things are for you!"

This yellowed photo captured her flushed face the first time she got her period.

She hadn't paid attention in health class and thought she was dying. She ran to me to discuss her "final wishes," telling me to find a girlfriend less pretty than her after she was gone.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Once I figured out what was happening, I rushed to the convenience store to buy pads.

We sat there together, reading the instructions, trying to figure out how to use them.

I teased her for not paying attention in class. She bit my arm in frustration.

Strangely, it didn't hurt at all. Instead, my heart filled with a secret sweetness.

Later, we officially got together.

Different universities meant four years of long distance.

I'd saved a thick stack of plane tickets over those years, documenting over 120,000 miles of devotion.

Back then, her heart and eyes were full of me. She crossed mountains and seas without ever complaining.

My fingers brushed against a small hard box. Inside lay a pair of simple matching rings we'd made together.

For her, I didn't hesitate to return to this city after graduation.

The day I came back, she dragged me to a jeweler to make these rings.

She solemnly slid the ring onto my finger and said with a smile:

"Adrian, once you put this on, you're mine for life. Don't ever think about running away."

Back then, we both believed that the sincerity in our vows would last forever.

Neither of us imagined she'd be the first one to let go.

The day Tyler came in for his interview, he performed terribly. Claire made no effort to hide her disdain.

I didn't take the underqualified candidate seriously either.

But somehow, he ended up getting hired anyway, joining the company as an intern.

I started getting suspicious when I noticed the ring that was supposed to be ours alone appeared on Tyler's finger.

At first, when I confronted her, Claire would patiently explain and sweet-talk me.

Gradually, though, her responses turned impatient.

My repeated compromises, reluctance to let go, and attempts to please her only made her favoritism toward Tyler grow bolder.

Company dinners were planned around Tyler's preferences alone.

He only showed up half a day each week, spending the rest of his time touring around with Claire.

Meanwhile, all his menial intern tasks were dumped on me by Claire herself.

She mentioned him more and more often in front of me.

What started as unconscious admiration turned into direct comparisons, criticizing me for being unromantic and not sweet enough.

Then came that company coffee break. Claire praised the latte she ordered, and Tyler leaned over saying he wanted to try it.

She casually handed him her cup without even changing the straw.

Tyler drank from it, his lips touching her lipstick mark.

What made my chest tighten even more was how naturally she took it back and continued drinking from the same straw.

How was that any different from kissing?

In that moment, my heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, leaving me breathless with bitterness.

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