“One day, I’ll make sure you live in a place like that!”
Under the stars, Jack turned to me, his eyes shining with determination. “Maya, I like you, but I need some time to sort out other matters. Wait for me. That day will come.”
His eyes sparkled like the stars above us.
I liked him. From the day my mother passed, the warmth Jack gave me made me like him.
It was the fourth year since we had met when I sold the small house my mother left me.
I used that money to start a business with Jack. On the day we moved out, I stood in that tiny house for what felt like an eternity.
I silently made a promise to myself that the first thing I would do once I had money was buy back this house, which was filled with memories.
The early days of starting a business were brutal – so much so that we’d share a single plate of spaghetti while staring at blueprints, dreaming about the future.
The taste of the spaghetti, mixed with our tears, was all we could afford.
When things got a little better and we finally had a bit of extra money, Jack would secretly check out the travel guides I’d made for nearby towns and plan short trips for us.
He would also take me for bike rides by the beach after dinner, helping me unwind.
That’s the kind of man Jack was. If anyone ever bullied me, he’d throw punches without hesitation, no matter the consequences.
I loved Jack. I loved everything about him.
I loved the sense of security he gave me, the way he always tilted the umbrella towards me, making sure I stayed dry while he braved the rain.
So when he finally confessed his feelings to me, I didn’t hesitate to say yes, collapsing into his arms in tears.
That was the fifth year we’d known each other – the first year we were together.
Everyone around us believed we’d stay in love for the rest of our lives.
Until today, I had believed that too. I was sure we’d be together forever, even if the world crumbled around us.
I never imagined Jack would leave me for another woman.
I remember the anger in his eyes before he walked out, telling me that Lucy was different from me.
She had no one here, but how was I any different?
I only had Jack, and yet he abandoned me too.
The day my mother died, he promised me he would never leave me alone, never leave me behind.
But now, my only source of support was gone.
He had left me for someone else.
Today, he shattered every promise he’d ever made.