My girlfriend, Rene Watson, who's in a long-distance relationship with me, has gotten a promotion recently.

I want to give her a surprise. After buying some flowers and a cake, I take a flight scheduled to depart to her city at 1:00 am.

But the one who opens the door for me is actually her first love, Joshua Zimmerman. As for Rene, she's in the middle of hanging his underwear on the balcony.

"Who's that, honey?" Rene asks casually, making me feel as though my heart has gotten plunged into an icy abyss.

The moment she notices me, the expression on her face freezes instantly.

With a sneer on my face, I smack the roses right in Joshua's face.

"I'm the owner of this place! Pack up your things and get the hell out!"

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.

I pushed down my hunger as I watched Rene and Joshua lean into each other, sharing bites and smiles as if I didn't exist. Even when the plates were empty, Joshua made no move to leave.

I asked Rene, "Do you two live together?"

Joshua shrugged, nodding as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

My chest tightened sharply.

Rene smiled gently, looking at Joshua with warmth in her eyes. "Yeah. Josh lives here on his own, and I couldn't just leave him. His lease was ending, and I had the place empty, so it made sense for him to move in. That way, we can keep an eye on each other."

Joshua reached up to pinch Rene's cheek, and he let out a soft sigh. "Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing. I'm all grown up, and yet I'm still relying on a girl half my size to take care of me. It's easy to get comfortable in a life like this, and even harder to leave.

"These days, girls like Rene—who give so much without asking for anything—don't come around often. You know what I mean, Ian?"

I said nothing.

Rene pushed him lightly, laughing. "You're such a sweet-talker."

They joked back and forth for a moment, and then Rene glanced at her phone. A hint of hesitation crossed her face as she said, "Ian, it's getting late. Do you want me to take you back to your hotel?"

She held out my luggage, and I shoved it away sharply. "Rene, have you forgotten who your boyfriend is?"

From the moment I arrived in this city, Rene had been holding Joshua's hand. She remembered every little thing about his tastes and habits, yet she had no idea I was allergic to seafood. The woman I had always cared for so attentively was now cooking for Joshua herself, feeding him as if I weren't even there.

Even worse, they were living together in my apartment without my knowledge, and now they expected me to leave.

I remembered how I had journeyed all this way with a bouquet, waiting outside for two hours, and the ridiculousness of it struck me like a punch. I should have seen it coming.

After graduation, Rene had refused to stay. She insisted on moving to this city, and one of our mutual friends had warned me that her first love, Joshua, was starting a business here. They suggested I be cautious, but I had refused to let baseless fears stand in the way of her choices.

I supported her without hesitation, believing distance wouldn't change us. Instead, Rene grew colder, eventually skipping our daily video calls altogether.

The past month had been worse. She frequently disappeared, citing overtime.

We were at the point of discussing marriage. I had planned to visit my parents together on my birthday, but Rene was unreachable, leaving me to sit awkwardly with my family in front of a table full of food prepared for her.

She called the next day with a perfunctory apology, blaming a last-minute work assignment and promising to make it up to me with a trip together. I stayed up all night planning the itinerary, even coordinating outfits and dresses for photos at each destination.

As expected, she canceled again two days before we were supposed to leave, dismissing the travel plan I had stayed up all night creating.

Though disappointed, I still agreed. I understood her ambition and her determination to prove herself after growing up with so little.

That was why I came to her city on my own, only to be blindsided by the reality before me.

Hearing that, Rene's expression immediately turned cold.

"Ian Quinton, what do you mean by that?" she snapped.

I suppressed the bitterness in my chest and replied evenly, "You and Joshua are alone together in the same room, yet you expect me to stay at a hotel. Rene, don't you think that's going too far?"

In the past, I had suggested transferring my job here so we wouldn't have to live apart. Rene had firmly refused. At the time, she had been especially resolute.

She said, "Ian, we're at the stage of our lives when our careers must come first. Besides, my schedule is so busy that even if you moved here, we still wouldn't see each other often."

Rene had always been adamantly against living together before marriage. No matter how late our dates ran, she would insist that I take her all the way home. Even when dawn was breaking by the time I returned to my own place, she never once allowed me to stay the night.

She would patiently lecture me, "We're only dating. We're not married yet. You need to understand boundaries."

I respected her stance. Everyone had their own principles, and I never forced her. However, I had never imagined that the principles she constantly upheld would be so easily abandoned in Joshua's presence.

My accusation completely infuriated her. She glared at me and said coldly, "Ian, are you questioning me? Joshua and I have nothing to hide, so keep those disgusting thoughts to yourself. Yes, you bought this place, but I never asked you to.

"As my boyfriend, don't you think providing a home for me is only natural? If you insist on speaking this way, I'll leave."

As she spoke, Rene made a show of packing her belongings.

Joshua quickly stepped forward to stop her and soothed her gently. "Rene, calm down. Don't be angry."

He turned to me with a smug look. "Ian, aren't you overreacting? Rene and I have known each other for years. We're practically family. Suggesting anything improper about us being alone together is insulting. Besides, if there were anything between us, do you really think you would have a place here?"

He let out a cold snort and continued comforting Rene.

She appeared more composed after looking at Joshua. "Ian, come outside," she said.

Rene pulled me a considerable distance away before stopping beneath a streetlight. Her attitude softened. She blinked rapidly, forcing a few tears from her eyes.

I had never expected her demeanor to change so completely in just a few minutes.