Between dreams and love

My name is Eva. I've always dreamed of becoming a successful person in the tech industry, but life didn't turn out exactly as I planned. My boyfriend, Kelvin, has been by my side since high school. Over the years, I became so used to having him around. Together, we worked at a large coffee shop owned by his family. My mum left home when I was little and since then my dad took care of me before he remarried, I became determined to make my father and stepmother proud. They had shown me nothing but love, and I wanted to repay them by becoming successful. I never stopped chasing my dreams. I found an online tutor who helped me improve my AI animation skills. Then, an opportunity opened up at a local school they needed someone in their ICT department to work as a web designer. I loved the offer immediately. The salary was much better than what I earned at our struggling coffee shop. When I told Kelvin about it, his overprotective nature surfaced. "Reject the offer," he said firmly. We argued for hours. The disagreement became so intense that evening that I couldn't even walk home with him. I loved Kelvin, but I also loved my future. So I accepted the job. My first day at work was exciting. I met Betty, a cheerful and friendly woman who helped me settle in quickly. Then there was Cruz the newly appointed head of the school's AI Design Department. Cruz was tall, handsome, with brown curly hair and a smile that could easily make anyone nervous. The moment our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat. Stop it, Eva, I scolded myself. You love Kelvin, and he loves you. Still, my heart refused to listen. When I returned to the coffee shop that evening, I noticed a new employee behind the counter. "Kelvin, you didn't tell me you hired someone new." "Yeah, babe," he replied. "She'll be helping out for now." "That's good. I'm exhausted. Can I help?" "No, babe. You should go home and rest. It's only your first day." His response felt strange, but I ignored it. That night, when Kelvin came home, something felt different. He didn't ask about my first day. He barely spoke to me. We were both so busy that he didn't even notice when I leaned in to kiss him goodnight. Maybe he still wasn't happy about my decision to leave the coffee shop. The next day at work was even busier. Betty spent most of the day introducing me to the staff and explaining how things worked. Oddly enough, Cruz never showed up. On our way home, Betty and I chatted about our coworkers. Eventually, the conversation turned to Cruz. "He's actually my cousin," she admitted. "Really? You two don't seem very close." She laughed. "That's because we're not. Ever since he ruined my relationship with Mark, things haven't been the same." "Sounds like an overprotective brother." "Exactly," she said. "But family is family." A few moments later, she smiled. "My birthday is next month. Since we're the only two women in the department, I'd love your help planning it." "Of course," I replied. "I'd be happy to help." "Great! By the way, where do you live? I can drop you off." "I'd actually like to stop by my boyfriend's coffee shop first." Her eyes widened. "Wait you have a boyfriend?" "Yes," I laughed. "We've been together since high school. Six years now." "Wow. That's impressive." As music played softly through the car speakers, we sang along to our favorite love songs all the way to the shop. When we arrived, Betty smiled and waved. "See you tomorrow, girl." "See you." I walked into the coffee shop. "Hi, Kelvin. How were sales today?" Without looking up, he replied, "Welcome, Eva. I think you should head home and rest. It's really busy here today." The words stung. It felt rude. But I convinced myself that he was still upset about my decision to leave the family business. Still, as I walked away, a strange feeling settled in my chest. Something was changing. And I wasn't sure I liked it.