At her birthday party, someone teased my girlfriend, Natalya Patton, asking, "Who do you think is more unforgettable? Your ex or your current boyfriend?"

After hesitating for a moment, Natalya replied, "My ex."

Taking such an opportunity, her ex asked, "If you were not with Kendall Powell, would I have a chance?"

In a low voice, Natalya answered, "Yes."

Everyone was shocked by the conversation, looking at me sympathetically. They all thought that I would fly into a rage on the spot.

But I said calmly, "Since the situation has come to this, why don't you two get back together?"

***

Late at night, it was raining heavily. It was on the eve of our wedding.

I was discussing the wedding arrangements with Natalya.

But her cell phone rang. Her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Horne, had just been divorced. He was crying his heart out.

Without hesitation, Natalya changed her clothes and embraced the heavy rain to comfort Spencer.

I stopped her, but she left resolutely.

Looking at the pouring rain outside, I dialed her number to persuade her to return. She scolded me for being too controlling, accusing me of being inconsiderate. Then she hung up the phone.

I came to the balcony and looked into the night. Through the pouring rain and lightning, I felt that the whole world had become silent.

After five years, our relationship was on the verge of bearing fruit. Everything I cared about probably was not as important as her ex-boyfriend.

Soon, Natalya sent a message. [I will marry you, but Spencer needs me more now.]

The next morning, Natalya called, asking me to pick her up by car.

I ignored her and hung up the phone directly.

Three days later, my mother called, saying that Natalya was crying at her place and asking me to go there quickly to apologize to Natalya.

I answered briefly, "Got it."

...

Without much explanation, I hung up the phone.

In the past, whenever we had a conflict, Natalya would complain to my mom, saying that I bullied her. My mom would help her.

Back then, no matter how unhappy I was, as long as she did so, coupled with my mom scolding me, I would give in and take the initiative to apologize to her.

But when I apologized, she would look smug, saying, "Do you know you're wrong? Will you dare to do it again next time?"

Afterward, she would give me some petty gifts to dissipate my dissatisfaction.

By doing so, she ended any previous conflicts with me taking the initiative to admit my mistakes.

But this time, I didn't go to my mom's place to bring Natalya back.

In the evening...

Natalya went home by herself. Seeing me watching TV and ignoring her, Natalya took the initiative to apologize for the first time.

She came to me, sat on my lap, and hugged my neck with both hands. Acting like a spoiled child, she said, "Alright, don't be angry. I admit that I was wrong this time, okay? I'll make it up to you tonight!"

I didn't say anything.

Seeing this, she kept teasing me.

If it were in the past, with her being so proactive, I would surrender without hesitation.

But this time, the situation was different.

She went out in the middle of the night in heavy rain to comfort Spencer, her ex, who just gotten divorced.

Whether it were men or women, it was unacceptable for their partners to do such a thing!

Moreover, it was during a period when we were about to get married!

I must make my attitude and position clear to her.

This time, I wouldn't back down!

"By the way, Kendall, do you know what day tomorrow is?" Seeing that I ignored her, Natalya changed the topic and said with a smile, "You wouldn't forget it, right? Tomorrow is our fifth anniversary of dating!"

Of course, I knew what day it was tomorrow.

Whenever came our anniversary, I would prepare everything carefully and celebrate it with her.

But many times, she would complain that I wasn't romantic enough and that I wasn't as romantic as her ex.

At that time, feeling a sense of loss, I thought that she shouldn't compare me to her ex.

But I would reflect on myself. Given that I only did some stereotypical things, I indeed wasn't romantic enough.

Every time, I tried my best to change myself, learn from the lessons, and aspire to do my best.

But in the end, what I got was her going to comfort her divorced ex-boyfriend late at night in heavy rain. It was right before we got married.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Why are you being such a killjoy?"

"I told you, Spencer got divorced. He's in pain. I had to go to comfort him!"

"We're about to get married. I am yours. Now it's just a petty matter. Do you have to be like this?"

"Given so, I'm starting to doubt whether I should marry you at all!"

Natalya's continuous complaints made me more clear-headed.

"Yes!"

"We're about to get married, and she has such close contact with her ex."

"She even makes light of these behaviors as if everything she did was my fault."

"Should we or should we not get married?"

I pushed Natalya off my lap and said seriously, "You're right. Maybe we should both calm down and think about whether we should get married or not."

Natalya looked stunned.

Maybe she didn't expect me to say such things.

But I ignored her as I went to my room to fall asleep.

I had been thinking about this matter all day.

I was lost in so much thought that I was a little distracted at work the next day.

I was thinking about the bits and pieces of the years I had spent with Natalya.

I recalled the year when I had been sick. Natalya gave up her good job to take care of me.

After that, she moved into my house for the convenience of taking care of me. The fact that she was gentle and considerate touched me so much.

It was during that time that I firmly believed that she was the one I wanted to be with.

I wanted to marry her and be with her until we grew old.

After work, I returned home.

I prepared a candlelight dinner carefully.

Tonight, on the fifth anniversary of our relationship, I planned to get drunk with her and make it clear that if she chose to be with me, she should not have such close contact with her ex anymore.

But I waited until eight p.m. She was nowhere to be seen.

I turned on my cell phone and planned to call her to ask what she was doing.

But when I was about to dial, I hesitated.

I shouldn't be as humble as before.

I turned on my cell phone and casually scrolled through it. Then I found that she had posted on Facebook at 7 p.m. [Cheers to our tenth anniversary of knowing each other.]

The picture shows a photo of her and Spencer dining together, with both of them wearing a string of beads on their wrists, one black and one white.

Spencer in the photo was smiling happily, and I couldn't tell that he was heartbroken because of his divorce.

Looking at the photo, I was so heartbroken.

Only those who had truly loved me could understand my feelings.

But soon, I looked at the photo again. I suddenly felt less pain.

I silently logged out of my Facebook account.

I thought I had got the answer I wanted.

Natalya's Facebook post told me everything.

Even if she married me, she wouldn't leave her ex in the dust!

Realizing this, I felt relieved instead. I was no longer worried about it!

I even felt lucky in my heart that I hadn't called her.