I've been in a long-distance relationship with Xavier Harrington for four years. Every time we meet up with each other, the first thing he says to me is, "You've gotten fatter… and shorter."

When my friend finds out about it, she jokes to me, "Maybe he has another girlfriend who's taller and thinner than you."

It's supposed to be a joke, and yet I take it seriously. It explains why I've decided to travel a span of 1,800 miles just to seek Xavier out at the city he's stationed to.

But that's when I accidentally stumble upon Xavier going on a stroll with a young woman side by side. I trail behind them, only to see them going to a cafe that's filled with people. There, they line up so that they can snap commemorative photos.

However, whenever Xavier's hanging out with me, he often turns my suggestions down impatiently. To him, lining up at such places is a waste of time.

Later on, Xavier and the woman secure a table in a restaurant. There, Xavier pulls out a chair for her before he starts setting out the cutlery for her. Even when the food is served, he will subconsciously push the woman's favorite dish in her direction.

For the first time ever in our relationship of eight years, I find out that Xavier can be caring when he feels like it.

I watch as Xavier chats animatedly with the woman at the table. He shares everything with her, be it the irritating experiences at work or the funny and interesting incidents that have happened to him so far.

Then, I lower my head to look at the short text messages Xavier has sent to me in the past.

"Time for work. It's lunch time. I'm about to nap."

Suddenly, I find my relationship with Xavier extremely boring, so I dig out the invitation sent by my company regarding their outstation request and tap on it.

After all, I no longer want anything to do with this flawed relationship anymore.

Serena's POV

I walked up to Xavier. He'd been smiling when he gave the young woman a helping of the food earlier, but froze when he saw me. His hand paused in midair.

"S-Serena?"

Ignoring him, I turned to face the woman and introduced myself. "Hi, I'm Serena Wilder, Xavier's girlfriend. And you are?"

"H-Hi, I'm Tiffany Lowry. I work for Mr. Harrington." Her voice grew quieter toward the end of her introduction, laced with an imperceptible trace of guilt.

I was about to press further when Xavier interjected, "I think that's enough, Serena."

I watched the rage burning in his eyes and wondered why he was getting all worked up. My boyfriend was dining with another woman, and they seemed suspiciously close, yet I couldn't even question it?

Or was he furious that my unexpected appearance had screwed up his chances with Tiffany?

I said nothing and simply leaned back in my seat as a weariness washed over me.

Xavier saw Tiffany out of the restaurant. It wasn't until he'd seen her get into a cab that he returned and took the seat across from me.

"When did you get here? You could've told me you were coming." He spoke normally, as if nothing had happened. "I could've picked you up."

As he spoke, he made to grab my hand, but I dodged his touch.

"Tell you? If I did, I wouldn't have realized my usually-silent boyfriend could actually be quite the chatterbox!" Before Xavier could argue, I continued with a sneer, "You were always looking out for yourself on the rare days we got to meet up and have a meal together.

"You couldn't care less that there was cilantro in my plate even though you knew I couldn't eat it, or that my glass was empty. And yet, you were fussing over Tiffany like a mother hen just now. You even pulled out the seat for her."

The sarcasm dripped from my words like venom.

Xavier's brows furrowed. He looked a little annoyed. "We were just grabbing a bite as colleagues. Must you get so dramatic?"

"Yes, I must. Because you've never treated me as well as you treat her." I was frank with my grievances, naively believing that Xavier would feel some guilt over it and apologize.

Alas, reality proved that I'd overestimated him. He still rode on his high horse and attempted to gloss things over. "Alright, fine, I'll be more attentive toward you from now on. I'll top off your water and pull out the seat for you, okay?"

Frustration welled up in me. Even my anger seemed impotent.

"Well, since you're here, how about I give you a tour of the area?" Xavier offered a beat later, resuming his normal self like he'd already forgotten about our fight a second ago.

He was doing it again.

Every time we had a fight, he would habitually gloss it over with new, irrelevant questions. Like the time he told me he'd been down with a fever at home, yet his fitness app tracked 30 thousand steps.

I'd grown uneasy and called him for an explanation. "You told me you were at home, but you lied. Where were you, really?"

Xavier had chuckled and humored me with a new subject. "I don't know where you get these wild ideas from. By the way, I heard a new cafe just opened back home. We should check it out when I'm back."

Or the time when he switched his all-black profile picture to one with a cartoon avatar. Worried, I'd called him and joked self-deprecatingly, "Have you really met someone taller, slimmer, and cuter than me?"

Xavier had evaded that question as well, and instead asked me, "Are you working on Memorial Day?"

"Yeah."

"Guess we can't meet up, then. It would be tedious."

When I finally snapped out of my daze, Xavier was no longer looking at me. His gaze was fixed on his phone as his thumbs flew over the keyboard.

I smiled, rose to my feet, and left through the door.

Serena's POV

"Serena!"

Xavier bolted out of the restaurant after me, anxiously grabbing me by the wrist and forcing me to stop in my tracks. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving? This is a big city; it's unfamiliar territory for you, and you don't know anyone here. What if you'd gotten lost?"

So he was aware that this was a big, unfamiliar city and that I had no friends or family here. Why, then, did he brush me off with the excuse of work when I happily showed up here to surprise him for his birthday?

I ended up standing outside the train station that day, gobsmacked and helpless.

I'd taken three days off and taken an eight-hour train ride to surprise him, but I never even got a glimpse of him. I'd arrived in the city alone and left the same way.

Looking back, Xavier probably had someone else with him then.

As I snapped out of my daze, I freed myself from his grip and put some distance between us. "I don't want to get in your way. You're busy, after all."

"What are you playing at now?"

Xavier read my rejection as a sudden, unreasonable tantrum. "Fine, it was my mistake for not being clear about my boundaries with Tiffany. I apologize for that. But let's not fight anymore, okay?

"I'll give you a proper tour of the city and buy you anything you want. Lash out or blow off steam any way you like. I'll be there with you."

With that, he snaked his arms around me, hugging me from behind. He rested his chin atop my shoulder, nuzzling the crook in my neck. "Stop kicking up a fuss. You're the only woman for me, alright?"

I was silent for a heartbeat, then swallowed the bitter lump in my throat in the end. I muttered quietly, "Alright."

Xavier's face finally lit up with a smile. He took my hand and led me down the streets.

He seemed pleased.

No matter the gravity of the situation, I'd always cave under his small, placating gestures.

I'd chosen to forgive him without fail, even when he was too busy with work and deliberately ignored my calls after I was harassed at my workplace. I'd even forgiven him when he blew off our date for our anniversary after I'd washed my hair and done my makeup.

I loved him, so I willingly swallowed my resentment.

But now, I felt nothing but exhaustion. I couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

When we passed by a bridal shop, I instinctively stopped at the window. I fantasized about what my wedding with Xavier would be like.

"You're too chubby to fit in that dress." The sudden half-jest stabbed through my eardrums and shattered my thoughts. "Also, you're too short for long skirts like those."

I froze, recalling all the times Xavier and I met up and how he would greet me with, "You've gained weight and grown shorter."

"You're right. I'm not skinny like Tiffany, or as tall." My fantasies of a future with Xavier ground to a halt. I felt like he was deliberately getting on my nerves. "If you like her so much, go look for her. Why stay here and pick me apart?"

Xavier's smile faded. He looked at me like I was being obtuse. "Did I drag her into this conversation? Even if you don't want me to show you around, you don't have to start a fight.

"Work's tiring enough as it is. Now I have to let you torture me with your childish tantrums on my day off too?"

Torture? So, my being upset and uneasy was nothing more than torture for him.

"Yeah, that's it, I'm starting a fight. Let's wrap up this tour, then." With that, I stormed ahead and didn't look back.

Xavier was about to trail me when his phone rang. He stared at my retreating figure, looking torn.

After a moment's hesitation, he chose to answer the phone call.

"Don't be scared! I'm on my way!"

I knew Tiffany was on the other line just from his gentle tone. He didn't so much as blink before lashing out at me and using cruel words on me, but he couldn't even bother with formality when it came to Tiffany.

Were they superior and subordinate, or something more?

I didn't want to ask, nor did I have the energy to.

I found a hotel on a whim and checked in.

I'd just arrived at my room with my luggage when Xavier's text came through. "Get a room at a hotel and send me the address. I'll drop by later and bring you some disposable items."

For a moment, I felt like I'd been transported back to when Xavier and I first started dating. He remembered that I was fussy and didn't like using hotel amenities, so he would prepare essentials for me in advance.

But when my gaze fell on his cartoon avatar, a wave of disgust filled me.

The next second, I scrolled past Xavier's message, found my conversation with my superior, and typed, "I'll accept the outstation transfer, even if the post is abroad."

Serena's POV

"Are you sure?" My superior was stunned by my sudden change of mind. "You won't be home for at least a year or so."

"I'm sure." After sending the text, I heaved a sigh of relief and lay on the bed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my chest.

That night, Xavier didn't show up at the hotel or send me a text. But I did come across Tiffany's latest post on social media.

"Growing up: no longer needing my superior edition." Featured with the caption was a picture of Tiffany sitting on the curb, a large hand slipping off the blistering high heel from her foot.

I knew that hand as if it were my own, courtesy of my eight-year relationship with its owner. I knew right away that it was Xavier.

Perhaps Tiffany didn't think someone might stumble upon her post, for she droned on in the comments section: "Mr. H was worried walking might hurt me, so he picked me up (aww!)."

"And even after he brought me home, he put an ice pack on my ankle. He's so considerate! I'm so in love!"

I went still for a few seconds, my fingers trembling slightly. Then, I took screenshots of Tiffany's post and comments and sent them all to Xavier. "Who would've thought you'd be such a caring superior to your subordinate, Mr. Harrington? I'm so close to rooting for the two of you.

"Well, if Tiffany is so in love with you, I should do her a favor and let her have you!"

No sooner had the message been sent than Xavier called me maniacally. I ignored his calls, watching my phone screen light up and grow dim.

Half an hour later, knocks came from my hotel room door, followed by Xavier's voice. "Serena, it's me! This isn't what you think!"

I opened the door to see Xavier panting like he'd just run a marathon. "S-She's young. She posted that for fun."

"And you saw the need to act her age as well? She may not understand boundaries, but I imagine you do," I retorted mercilessly, stunning him. "You actually enjoy this feeling, don't you, Xavier?"

"What are you talking about, Serena?" Xavier practically roared at me.

I paid him no mind, and instead read every one of Tiffany's posts on social media out loud.

"It's Mr. H's birthday today! He actually agreed to let me celebrate it with him! He looks so cute when he's asleep."

"Day off for Memorial Day today! I told Mr. H I wanted to go hiking on a whim, and he came with me! When I got tired halfway through the hike, he actually piggybacked me! His scent is so comforting."

As it turned out, Xavier had given all his time to Tiffany on the days he told me he was busy.

He'd lied to me even when my mom was critically ill, her life hanging by a thread. I'd hidden in the stairwell and called him, crying helplessly on the phone. I told him I was scared and wanted him there with me.

But all he did was sigh, as if his hands were tied. "I wish I could be there, too, but I'm stuck with work. We'll circle back on this when I'm done, okay?"

A self-effacing snort escaped me as I snapped out of my thoughts. For a moment, I didn't know if I should be furious at Xavier for lying to me or mourn the relationship we'd had and lost.

"I… I'm sorry, Serena."

When I didn't respond, Xavier panicked. He reached out to embrace me. "I promise this won't happen again! I'll transfer Tiffany to the branch company tomorrow! We'll never see each other again!"

I shoved him aside and began packing my stuff, keeping my head down as I bit out, "There's no future for us."