My boyfriend, Drew Myers, has proposed to me 99 times. Meanwhile, his childhood sweetheart, Tammy Fowler, has relapsed into depression 99 times.

When Drew makes his 100th proposal, Tammy's depression strikes once more.

As usual, he picks up Tammy's call, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

With a tired sigh, he turns to me and says, "She's having another breakdown. We'll have to put the proposal on hold this time."

Despite it being my birthday, Drew starts clearing away the freshly served dishes as if it were any other day.

Fearing I might complain, he shoots me a cold, disapproving glance.

"I know you're jealous of Tammy, but she's the one who's struggling. You're a soldier. You should be the bigger person and give her some leeway."

Not only does Drew want me to eat Tammy's scraps, but he also orders me to bring them climbing gear at midnight.

When Tammy shares intimate photos of them hugging online, his only reaction is to lash out at me.

"Do you honestly find satisfaction in pushing Tammy to another breakdown? Is this the honor of a soldier? Your cruelty sickens me!"

Over and over, he tears down my character and mocks my integrity.

But this time, I simply look down at the special forces recruitment letter in my hand and say nothing.

Drew remains oblivious.

At last, I'm the one who's letting go.

The bouquet of flowers fell to the floor. Without so much as a glance in my direction, Drew Myers turned and walked out the door.

We had been together for five years, and this was already the 100th time he had proposed to me.

Everyone was convinced it would finally happen this time. The date had even been carefully chosen to coincide with my birthday.

Our friends had been waiting patiently for two hours. However, he ended up arriving late because Tammy Fowler had insisted on watching a movie first.

Suddenly, the door flew open once more, and the melting cake splattered across the floor.

Drew paid no attention to the spilled mess and carefully packed away all the vegetarian risotto. It was my favorite dish.

Perhaps it was the pitying stares from the others that made him uncomfortable. He struggled to find the words to explain himself.

"You know Tammy's been in a bad mood lately. Anyway, it's just a proposal. We've done it so many times already. One more or less won't make a difference.

"I'll go and try to calm her down. You look after the guests. If everything goes well, I'll come back later tonight and make it up to you for your birthday.

"By the way, no one's touched the barbecue ribs, right? I'll pack those up too. You guys can just order something else."

Some friends seemed ready to defend me. Meanwhile, I happily helped Drew pack the food and even asked if he needed anything else.

He pointed toward the dishes and ended up clearing more than half the table. "Sorry, but Tammy's a clean freak. She won't eat anything that's been passed around."

Watching me move about, he seemed genuinely pleased. "It's nice you're not causing a scene today. Keep it up."

Before this, I always forced him to choose between Tammy and me. In the end, we both ended up hurt, and he would storm off to spend the night at Tammy's.

But this time, I just didn't feel like arguing anymore.

Before long, Drew walked out holding two big bags. One of my friends slammed a hand on the table in disbelief.

"I can't believe he's actually taking the food!"

Drew had a busy social life, while I was often working late into the night.

He always insisted that taking leftovers was embarrassing, yet he never bothered to order food just for me.

The only thing he had brought me was scraps meant for his friend's dog. He even had the nerve to scold me for wasting it.

"People used to consume grass to survive. What's wrong with eating leftovers? Stop acting so spoiled."

Looking back now, it was clear he cared more about his ego than about me.

I stayed to see the guests off. Outside, the sky was clear, but my heart felt cold.

I unlocked my phone just as Tammy posted something online.

"Thanks to Drew for ditching the proposal and bringing so much delicious food. It's too bad my stomach's limited. I had to throw most of it away."

Just then, a message from Drew popped up. "There's still plenty of food left. You can have it for lunch tomorrow."

After a long pause, I finally tapped the call button.

"Commander, I'd like to return to the unit."

By the time I finished tidying up, it was already late into the night.

Drew still wasn't home. Honestly, I wasn't surprised anymore.

Out of nowhere, his call came through. "Bring the climbing gear from home to Tammy's place. Now."

I paused for a moment before instinctively saying we didn't have the gear.

I had asked Drew to go hiking with me several times in the past. Each time, he claimed he was too busy, too old, or just didn't have the energy.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance and sent me his exact location.

"Tammy's feeling down. Hiking helps clear her head. Hurry up and bring the gear over. We're going to watch the sunrise."

As I grabbed the two matching couple outfits from the closet, it felt like my heart was being torn in two.

Being a software developer, Drew was constantly swamped. I hardly ever saw him.

Even when I was sick for three days with a viral infection and a high fever, he showed no concern. He told me he had too much going on to bring me to the hospital.

Yet he somehow managed to find time to go night hiking with another woman now.

Had Drew already forgotten about the important meeting waiting for him the next day?

The call was still connected. Tammy's soft, sweet voice floated through the speaker. "Hey, Drew. Is Bridget getting jealous? Why don't we bring her along?"

"No way. Why would I drag that deadweight around? Right now, making you happy is all that matters."

I could hear their breaths mingling. Flustered, I quickly ended the call. I decided to hand the gear off to a delivery worker instead.

Usually, I was the one running errands for Tammy. I would fetch her files, wait in line for the trendiest products, and even drag myself out of bed in the middle of the night to pick her up when she was too drunk to get home.

Drew always insisted it was my responsibility to take care of her.

But why should I listen to him? After all this time, he still hadn't officially proposed.

At 4:00 am, I received a photo showing Drew with Tammy wrapped in his arms.

"Hey, Bridget. Don't read too much into it. Drew was just keeping me warm so I wouldn't catch a cold. I just wanted to give you a heads-up."

Drew, of course, found Tammy's passive-aggressive behavior nothing short of delightful.

"I hope you both have a good time," I replied.

Later that night, Drew returned carrying a trembling Tammy. "Tammy's caught a cold. I need you to take care of her for a few days."

Tammy usually strutted through the house like she owned the place. But this time, she stumbled, nearly tripping over the clutter that littered the living room floor.

"Damn it, Bridget! Why is the house such a mess? Are you trying to hurt Tammy on purpose?"

As Drew reached out to steady her, he suddenly shoved me into the sharp corner of the coffee table. A searing pain tore through my side, and my skin turned ghostly pale.

Even so, he didn't spare me a second of his attention.

Tammy clung to him tightly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Bridget must still be mad I ruined your proposal—"

But before Drew could respond, I cut in sharply. "Drew, there's something important I need to say, but it has to be between just us two."

As my words landed, he instinctively pulled away from Tammy.

"Drew, I'm really hungry…" Tammy whined.

Without missing a beat, Drew turned to her. "Hold on. I'll make you something to eat."

And just like that, my words slipped from his mind.

Tammy stuck her tongue out at me and quickly skipped after him.

I shook my head helplessly. There was no use saying anything anymore.

By the time I finished tidying the bedroom, Drew and Tammy were already at the dining table, lost in their own little world.

Drew carefully blew on a spoonful of soup. His gaze was warm and affectionate as he offered it to Tammy.

Tammy pulled back shyly. "Hey… I don't really feel like having soup right now."

"Be good, okay? You're sick. Some warm soup will help you get better soon."

Drew gently cupped the back of her head, holding her like a rare and priceless treasure.

The delicious smell of the dishes lingered in the air.

As a self-proclaimed tech guy, Drew always insisted he had no idea how to cook. So even when he was home resting, I was the one left to prepare dinner after working overtime.

One evening, I was utterly drained after traveling between multiple work sites. I tried to convince Drew to make some mac and cheese.

Instead, he snapped impatiently, "Isn't cooking your job? You're too old to act like a child. Have some dignity, will you?"

At that moment, I felt completely unworthy. I shoved those tangled thoughts aside and poured myself a glass of water.

Suddenly, Drew spoke up. "Do you want to join us for dinner?"

I shook my head. Tammy was a clean freak, after all. She was always careful to avoid eating anything that might have come into contact with others.

The last time Drew brewed chamomile tea, I drank some casually. He ended up throwing away the rest of the pot before angrily lashing out at me.

"Are you out of your mind? Why couldn't you make your own tea? Why did you have to drink Tammy's tea? Are you trying to make her depression worse?"

After that, Drew and I didn't speak for a whole month. Meanwhile, he proposed to Tammy five times.

I just didn't have the energy to keep going.

Out of nowhere, Drew called me over, his expression unreadable.

"Come sit and eat with us. I actually need to talk to you. Tammy's lease is ending, so she'll be staying at my place for a while. It's best if you give us some space."

Tammy smiled sweetly. "Bridget, you know I struggle with depression and hate sharing Drew with anyone. Living under the same roof would be unbearable for me."

Looking slightly uneasy, Drew reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

Drew's sudden bursts of kindness always came with a catch, just like how one simple breakfast once bought him the opportunity to propose to Tammy 99 times.

I was drained. In a cold, steady voice, I told Drew and Tammy I would be moving out tomorrow.

Drew looked a little caught off guard. He paused for a second before saying, "Tammy might be here for two months. You should probably find somewhere else to stay."

I was scheduled to report back to my unit in a few days. If I had the choice, I would disappear for good.

Without waiting for another word, I moved my things to the couch in the living room.

Drew looked like he was going to suggest we keep sharing the bedroom, but the moment he saw Tammy's flushed face, he held his tongue.

I was abruptly woken in the dead of night.

"I only asked you to let Tammy have the bedroom. Why must you be so cold-hearted? She's already sick!" Drew's voice was sharp with anger.

The window in the bedroom was broken and wouldn't close. The cold night air had left Tammy trembling.

Drew seemed to have forgotten that I had brought up this issue with him a month ago when I was down with the flu. He barely even acknowledged it and insisted that piling on extra blankets would suffice.

I had been busy traveling out of town for a news assignment, so I kept delaying the repairs. But it was obvious Drew didn't want to hear any of it.

Tammy remained curled up in his arms. Without saying a word, he grabbed his car keys and rushed her to the hospital.

The rain poured heavily outside. I recalled the one time I asked Drew to drive me to the hospital on a rainy night. He told me I was being dramatic.

I smiled bitterly and shook my head. After locking the door behind me, I finally drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Later, Tammy posted another story on Instagram.

"Drew proposed to me again. Even though I had to get an injection, my heart feels warm."

The emerald bracelet she wore was a Myers family heirloom, reserved solely for the rightful daughter-in-law.

I looked down at the cheap imitation on my wrist. Without a second thought, I threw it into the trash.

Drew had once promised me that after he made a name for himself, he would present that bracelet to me in front of everyone.

But in the end, it was someone else who wore it.

As I gathered my things to leave, I decided to call my commanding officer, Pierce Vindell.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll report in first thing tomorrow."

To my surprise, Drew came home. As his eyes fell on the suitcase in my hand, his chest tightened.

"Are you going on a business trip? You never said anything. Where are you headed? Do you want me to see you off? I'm free tomorrow," he said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

For a moment, I was stunned. This wasn't the Drew I knew.

"Isn't Tammy still in the hospital? I don't want you getting sidetracked."

Drew appeared uneasy, and for once, he tried to justify himself.

"Tammy was going through a really rough night. I couldn't just stand by. I had to do my best to comfort her. Don't worry. When the wedding comes, I'll get the bracelet back and give it to you."

He must have known I had blocked Tammy on social media.

But not wanting to stir up conflict before I left, I just nodded silently.

Drew seemed a bit taken aback by my calm demeanor. All of a sudden, he pulled out a gift bag. Inside was the backpack I had been wanting for ages.

"Here's your late birthday gift."

After five years of dating, he just gave me a birthday gift the first year. His behavior today was surprisingly out of character.

He glanced at his watch, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes.

"Tammy lost her job after repeatedly taking too much time off. She created a major scene at the hospital, but I finally managed to calm her down and get her to sleep."

Given that she consistently took two weeks off each month, it was remarkable that the company waited as long as it did to take action.