Third Engagement Canceled, Goodbye Scum

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The day before my engagement to Chad, I saw him and his secretary making out through the window.

I didn't cry or make a scene; I just tossed the ring I was holding.

He walked in and the first thing he said was, Tomorrow's engagement is off.

I know.

This time, I didn't ask him why.

He seemed surprised, unusually explaining, "Something came up at work. I have to go overseas."

He took my hand. "Katie, I'll make it up to you."

His assistant chimed in, "Ms. Summer, where's Mr. Collins' luggage? I'll take it down. I won't disturb you."

She glanced at Chad, her eyes practically glued to him.

"It's in the bedroom. Take your time; I'm going home to get a few things."

Chad didn't try to stop me, only asking me to come back soon.

He left the next day, and I booked a flight overseas.

...

Chad thought I'd wait for him unconditionally, like always.

This was the third time he'd told me our engagement was postponed.

Chad and I had been together for eight years, since college.

He promised to marry me after graduation, but always used work as an excuse.

"Katie, I'll only marry you. You can't escape me."

The first time, a company emergency came upDsomeone stole our product patentDright as I was putting on my dress in the dressing room.

"The engagement is postponed," he'd said.

The second time, he claimed a worker had an accident, and he had to go handle it to save the company's reputation.

Work was always his excuse.

This time, the night before the engagement, he said, "The engagement is off."

Chad, I really wanted to marry you, but I'm not desperate.

This morning, Chad and I were supposed to go try on wedding outfits.

I put on the dress, but he wasn't on the couch.

I found him on the balcony, on the phone.

"You're really going to marry her?"

I leaned against the wall; the voice on the phone was crystal clear, and incredibly harsh.

Chad rubbed his temples. "Who? Katie? Of course not."

The voice on the other end of the line chuckled. "You were crazy about her in school, saying you'd only marry her. Now you're hesitating? Were you faking it all along?"

Chad sighed. "Who knows? I thought she was beautiful, a bright girl back then. But" he paused, "now I'm bored. Even the thought of it makes me sick."

My excited heartbeat stopped instantly, like a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter, freezing my blood.

All my love became a joke.

The person on the other end laughed, their voice rising, "Then dump her already. Your assistant is young, pretty, and delicate. Don't tell me you haven't tried it."

Chad paused, looking into the distance. "It's nice having her around to keep me entertained."

"Don't blame me for this, it's the third time. What excuse will you use this time?"

"The excuse doesn't matter. She'll believe whatever I say."

The person joked for a few seconds before someone called them, ending the call with a jest.

Chad hung up and was about to leave when I ran to the bathroom.

I leaned on the sink. In the mirror, my makeup was perfect, but my eyes were dull, like a flower smashed by hail.

Everyone knew Chad's proposal was fake, the excuses were made up, and the assistant was his mistress.

Yet they greeted me warmly, calling me "sister-in-law."

I thought it was acceptance, but it was endless ridicule.

I was like a monkey they played with, a spectacle for their amusement.

I applied for a transfer abroad; my flight was in three days.

The next day, Anya's Instagram was full of intimate photos of her and Chad.

They were kissing on the beach, on a Ferris wheel, shopping for luxury goods

Chad's Instagram, however, was filled with work photos, just like his excuses.

Anya commented with a dissatisfied emoji.

People only thought the CEO was working hard with his assistant.

They didn't know a young girl was unhappy that her boyfriend wasn't showing her off on social media.

Anya, a pure, fresh college graduate, wanted her relationship to be public.

That's why she added me as a friend.

She never hid her posts from me. In fact, she seemed to be showing off.

Many people commented, including Chad's close friends, teasing him.

"Mr. Collins and his little girlfriend are having a lot of fun."

"Youth is great!"

I typed a comment, "Perfect couple, beautiful scenery, beautiful people. Tell Mr. Collins to take it easy."

The comments instantly stopped, like water extinguishing a fire.

After a while, Chad commented, "The little girl hasn't traveled abroad before; she was excited and took too many pictures."

Chad called, but I didn't answer.

He texted, "Anya was just being polite, learning foreign etiquette. Your comment was excessive. The little girl was worried you'd be angry. Delete your comment and apologize to her; otherwise, she'll be upset all night."

I couldn't help but scoff.

"The assistant is angry? Nothing works better than the boss comforting her. Mr. Collins' sweetheart should be fine now."

If I guessed right, Anya was probably in Chad's arms, pouting and crying.

Just like the night before I left, when she was in his arms, hugging his waist, crying, "Did I do something wrong? Did I upset Ms. Summer?"

Chad carefully wiped her tears, held her, and in the clear security footage, that night, they spent the night together in the wedding apartment I'd prepared.

This seemed to annoy Chad; he called again.

I answered, and he started scolding me.

"Katie Summer, being spiteful only makes a woman ugly and unpleasant."

More so? He used a good word, letting me know his underlying disgust.

But Chad, you're the one who disgusts me.

"Anya is a simple girl, unlike you, who's older and more manipulative."

I asked him, "Mr. Collins, what did I say?"

Chad fell silent.

His words were ambiguous; telling the assistant to take care of the boss's health is normal, only guilty people would overthink it.

Only then can they gain the upper hand, confidently.

I said calmly, "Or are you guilty of something, hence such a big reaction?"

Before Chad could speak, a soft, tearful voice came from the phone, "I'm sorry, boss. It's my fault. Don't argue with Ms. Summer. I'll delete my post now and won't do it again."

Chad said harshly, "You're still unapologetic! Our engagement is indefinitely postponed. Anya is more mature than you."

He hung up without waiting for my response.

I gripped my phone tightly, my fingertips turning white.

Chad's words were arrogant. Every time we fought, I was the one to apologize.

I felt sorry for him working so hard and didn't want to bother him when he got home.

In his heart, as long as he finished his "work," came home and gave me a cold look, a single glance, I would appease him.

I'd even cook a delicious meal to coax him.

Even his friends said I couldn't live without him.

"Katie Summer and Mr. Collins fight, but she'll always apologize within three days."

"Incredible!"

"Honestly, I envied Mr. Collins at first, but she's like a monkey; she never gets mad no matter how they play with her."

"But he doesn't treat her like a person, hahaha."

I laughed sarcastically. It was all so obvious.

If Chad respected me, how could his friends dare talk to him like that?

Because he was the one who treated me like a monkey.

It was only me who was immersed in the joy of love. I was a joke.

My flight was in two days, and I was packing in the apartment.

This apartment was a gift from my parents before they emigrated.

Chad had repeatedly urged me to sell it. "You're moving in with me anyway; it's just sitting empty. I feel bad that you still have to worry about cleaning it."

I pretended to agree, but I couldn't bring myself to sell it.

It was a relief that I didn't; otherwise, I would have nowhere to go after a fight.

The apartment was full of my things; only a few were gifts from Chad.

They were all from college, not expensive, but meaningful.

After graduation, Chad never gave me gifts again.

There were no birthdays or Valentine's Days; he was always busy, working overtime, too busy to eat.

Once a crack appears in a relationship, it leads to an endless abyss.

Was he really busy, or was he busy with something else?

I checked Anya's Instagram. Every Valentine's Day and special occasion for the past two years, she posted pictures of sweet gifts and a man's shadow over her.

As if protecting her.

My nose stung, and tears fell, hitting the photo album he gave me.

It was full of photos he took while chasing me. Different times, places, and situations.

Maybe he really loved me then; the photos were so beautiful.

But now, they were proof of his betrayal.

I got a bucket, took out the pictures one by oneDprecious memories.

I lit a match and burned them.

Much later, Chad, eyes red, gave me an identical album.

I looked at it coldly and threw it away. Things had changed.

After finishing my transfer paperwork, I called a few friends.

My new job was in the country where my parents lived. I probably wouldn't be back unless something happened.

My parents wanted me to go with them, but I stayed for Chad.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't want to leave him alone. I wanted to be with him."

Mom was reluctant but sighed, "I hope you won't regret it."

"What if I do? My good girl, if he bullies you, come to Dad; I'll take care of him."

At the restaurant, my friends stared at me strangely.

"Wow, Ms. Katie Summer, actually inviting us to dinner. Where's your Mr. Collins?"

"He let you out? You're not circling him anymore?"

I laughed self-deprecatingly. Everyone knew I loved Chad, completely devoted.

He said he wanted to see me first thing when he got home; I never went to parties.

I always made excuses when friends invited me.

Gradually, they stopped inviting me, only making polite small talk.

"Do Mr. Collins and Ms. Summer have plans again today?"

I solemnly announced, "I'm going abroad. I've applied for a transfer to the overseas branch, so this dinner is a special treat for you guys."

Their expressions turned serious. "What happened between you and Chad?"

"I" I suppressed the tears, "I'm not going to revolve around him anymore."

They were stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Good! We're better than those men."

She raised her glass, "It smells better than stinky men."

They hugged me. "Katie, we'll always be here for you."

It had been a long time since I'd had so much fun drinking.

Chad didn't like it. Screw him and his preferences!

They were getting tipsy. "We'll find you the best one."

"Phoenixes are rare, but plenty of men are available!"

She scanned the restaurant. "Sisters, let's find a good man for you."

Sarah quickly found a target, pulling him over. "How is he? Much better than Chad, right?"

The other sisters looked over, their eyes sparkling.

His looks were definitely high-level, and his temper was good; he didn't get angry when Sarah dragged him over.

I was relatively sober and apologetically touched Sarah's arm.

He smiled gently at me.

Someone seemed to recognize him; they gasped, sobering up, and quickly pulled Sarah.

"Wake up! Sarah, your boss!"

Sarah was clearly drunk. "My boss? Even better. He's handsome, rich, and has a great body. Good enough for Katie."

I quickly sat Sarah down, but she stubbornly stood up again.

Pointing to her boss, "Phone! Take it out! Quick, let's exchange contacts."

Sarah took my phone and added his contact.

Would she want to stab herself later when she sobered up?

The man didn't seem impatient; he looked at me, took his phone, and added my contact.

He even sent a greeting emoji. [Long time no see.]

A friend whispered, "Katie, maybe there's something there. He kept looking at you. He kept staring at you after Sarah dragged him over."

I tried to open my eyes, looked at him, and stated firmly, "I don't know him."

But I greeted him politely.

After dinner, we met again at the restaurant entrance.

We were all drunk and couldn't drive, so we took cabs.

The wind sobered Sarah up a little.

She moaned sadly, but stopped when she saw her boss come out.

"Sister, you sacrificed so much to find this man for me; don't let him go."

She took a deep breath. "I'm taking a chance."

She called her boss over. Smiling, "Mr. Ford, are you busy?"

Mr. Ford stopped and looked at her. "Not busy."

Sarah smiled. "We're all drunk and can't drive. Katie and I aren't going the same way; could you give her a ride?"

Mr. Ford looked at me, his black eyes full of unreadable emotions.