"The number that you've dialed cannot be connected. Please try again later."
Tharatchanan stood in front of her boyfriend's condo door, sighing in frustration. She had been waiting there for almost half an hour, and every attempt to call him ended with the same automated response. Finally, after debating with herself, she decided to use the spare key he had given her to let herself in and wait inside.
It had been nearly two weeks since Tharatchanan had last seen her boyfriend. He claimed to be swamped with work-meetings, deadlines from his boss, and client visits were the constant excuses whenever she called or texted. She didn't want to bother him too much, knowing how busy he was. But as the days dragged on, the prolonged distance between them began to gnaw at her heart.
She sighed heavily, wandering around his condo aimlessly before heading to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Moments later, the sound of the front door opening caught her attention. She hastened toward the living room but froze mid-step when she heard a woman's voice. Her heart sank, and she instinctively ducked into a hiding spot in the kitchen, covering her mouth to stifle her breathing while straining to listen to the conversation.
"Are you sure your girlfriend won't mind you being here with me like this?" a sweet, flirtatious voice teased from the doorway.
Tharatchanan crouched low, her hands trembling as she tried to stay silent. Her ears tuned in, and soon, the silhouettes of two figures appeared on the wall opposite her hiding spot near the dining table. She watched their shadows move, the man's arm encircling the woman as they shared an intimate moment. Her heart shattered at the sight, tears streaming down her cheeks before she could stop them. Her body shook so violently that she couldn't muster the strength to stand.
She confirmed her worst fears when the shadows revealed her boyfriend holding and kissing another woman.
What did I do wrong? Why is he doing this to me?
"Stop it... If your girlfriend shows up, this won't end well," the woman said in a mock-scolding tone, her voice thick with feigned concern but unmistakably inviting.
"She won't come. We've been seeing each other for a year now, and she still hasn't caught us," the man replied casually, his voice dripping with confidence.
"Then break up with her already," the woman demanded, her tone turning irritated.
"We'll deal with that later. Right now, let's enjoy ourselves," he said, brushing off her suggestion.
Tharatchanan could sit there, helpless and broken-hearted, to the sound of their laughter and kiss something more. Her tear-filled eyes stayed fixed on the shadows on the wall until they disappeared entirely, followed by the sound of a bedroom door closing.
Her body collapsed, all strength draining away as the weight of the betrayal hit her. They had been together for over five years. She had trusted him, envisioned a future of marriage and family. And now, all of that was gone, torn apart by his infidelity.
A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips as she wiped her tears away. It wasn't the first time she'd been heartbroken or cheated on, but this was the first time it felt like it was killing her inside.
She stood shakily, glancing toward the bedroom door, where the muffled sounds of their intimacy continued. With an empty gaze, she walked out of the condo, leaving everything-including her broken heart-behind.
Will there ever be someone I can truly trust?
Someone who won't betray me?
Tharatchanan didn't even realize she had already stepped outside her boyfriend's condo building until the blaring sound of a car horn snapped her back to reality. Startled, she turned her head to see the bright headlights of an approaching car and quickly darted across the road to safety. Pausing on the other side, she glanced back at the condo one last time before turning away. With hurried steps, she made her way to her car and drove off into the night.
"You're back already?" Ladapha's cheerful voice greeted her sister as she sat alone, flipping through TV channels on the couch. She frowned in confusion when Tharatchanan brushed past her without as much as a word. Shrugging it off, she turned her attention back to the television and began switching channels absentmindedly.
Meanwhile, Tharatchanan had barely made it into her room before collapsing to the floor, her body wracked with sobs. The images of her boyfriend with another woman were still fresh in her mind, searing her heart. She couldn't process the betrayal-the realization that he had been seeing someone else for an entire year while she had trusted him completely.
She cried for what felt like an eternity, struggling to steel herself against the pain. When the tears finally began to subside, she resolved to let go of everything tied to him. With newfound determination, she gathered all the gifts he had given her over the years, placing them into garbage bags. One by one, she dragged the bags out of her room and down to the ground floor, her arms trembling under the weight of her emotions and the items she once cherished.
"What are you doing?" Ladapha asked, standing up from the couch as she watched her sister's haul bag after bag down the stairs. Some of the items looked familiar-she remembered Tharatchanan once calling them special because they were gifts from her boyfriend.
"Get rid of it all! Every single thing!" Tharatchanan shouted, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Did something happen?" Ladapha pressed, her eyes filled with concern.
But Tharatchanan stayed silent, her tears flowing freely as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her sister could only watch, puzzled and worried, piecing together what little she could from the fragments of Tharatchanan's behavior.
"What happened? Please, tell me!" Ladapha asked again, stepping closer.
Tharatchanan wiped the tears streaming down her face. She wanted to explain but couldn't form the words without choking on her sobs.
"Why... why...?" She cried, her voice trembling.
"Did Art break up with you?" Ladapha asked softly, her tone cautious as she moved closer.
At this, Tharatchanan's sobs turned into heart-wrenching cries. She shook her head and finally managed to utter, "He cheated... That bastard... He cheated" ...
Her voice broke with every word as she collapsed into another fit of crying, unable to contain the overwhelming pain. Ladapha wrapped her arms around her sister, clasping her. Although she couldn't fully understand the depth of Tharatchanan's hurt, she stayed close, offering silent comfort as her elder sister's world crumbled around her.