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.

"But Tammy's health has always been a concern. The company was clearly targeting her on purpose! Aren't you a journalist? Why can't you write a report and expose that shady company for me?"

Drew's face twisted with outrage, as if he were the one being victimized.

I looked at him quietly, feeling only emptiness inside. Even his birthday gift came with strings attached.

Despite knowing it conflicted with my values and posed a risk to my career, I still gave my consent. After all, I had already submitted my resignation. That article would never see the light of day anyway.

As my words registered, Drew's eyes brightened with surprise and relief. "What? Are you actually saying yes? Honestly, I was just venting…"

We had our share of arguments over matters like this.

Drew was well aware that I would never exploit my position or violate the rules.

I smiled faintly and said, "Tammy's someone you grew up with. Of course, I want her to get better soon."

With a firm nod, Drew expressed his heartfelt thanks. "I really appreciate your understanding. Since you're being so considerate, I'll make it official and propose to you when I get promoted next month."

By then, I probably wouldn't even be permitted to use my phone.

Drew took my subtle smile as a green light to keep testing his limits.

"I mentioned before that Tammy's always wanted to be a journalist. Now that she's out of a job, maybe you could help her get into your department."

However, Tammy wasn't cut out for journalism—neither in terms of training nor temperament. And truthfully, I didn't have the influence to help her even if I wanted to.

But with my departure drawing near, I saw no point in resisting and complied without objection.

Drew was over the moon, grinning from ear to ear.

"Remember, Tammy's extremely sensitive. If anything goes wrong, make sure you take the blame for her. Also, don't let her get too overwhelmed. Draft a few strong articles for her so she can win over your boss and colleagues."

A flicker of hope shone in Drew's eyes at the thought of Tammy's future. To him, it didn't matter if that path was paved at my expense.

Seeing my calm demeanor, his excitement grew, and he kissed my forehead. "Bridget, you've really helped me out a lot. Thank you! I'll definitely drive you tomorrow."

With that, he hurried off to share the good news.

I quickly wiped my forehead, repulsed by the damp trace he had left behind.

All the love I once longed for now sickened me to my core.

With the help of tracking software, Drew was able to find exactly where I was. The very next day, he was waiting outside my hotel.

As he opened the car door, a cascade of flowers came into view.

"Surprise!" he called out, catching the eyes of nearby passersby.

Without hesitation, he pulled out a diamond ring and dropped to one knee.

"I want to propose before you leave on your trip. Bridget Weaving, will you—"

But before Drew could finish, his phone buzzed. Spotting the caller ID, he answered without a second thought.

Tammy was threatening suicide at the hospital again.

"Drew, I feel awful… Why aren't you here with me? Do you love Bridget now? Fine. I'll just end it. I won't be a burden to you two anymore."

Drew panicked, shouting that he would be there as fast as he could.

But just before getting into the car, he paused and looked back at me. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face.

"Maybe I should just finish the proposal first. There are doctors at the hospital anyway."

I forced a smile and urged him, "This is a life-or-death situation. You need to go. I've got my own schedule to stick to."

Drew breathed out a relieved sigh. "You've really matured so much. When you come back, I promise I'll make it up to you."

With that, he slammed the gas pedal and sped off, leaving a crowd of stunned onlookers behind.

I smiled and hailed a cab. By now, I had learned to expect proposals that ended in disappointment.

After stepping off the plane, I saw several missed calls from Drew. I ignored them all. I switched off my phone and handed it to the officer who was waiting to pick me up.