My Boyfriend Cheated with His Boss

Charles and I have been together for exactly three years, and last night, we celebrated our third anniversary. He was a perfect boyfriend, pursuing me since college. After six months of courtship, we naturally ended up together. He was the most popular guy on campus, admired by many women at school. Although he came from a poor family, he was earnest and hardworking. After graduating from college, he joined a company and within just a year, he was promoted to manager. He held me close, dreaming about our future: "Once we've saved enough for a house, we'll get married." When I woke up early in the morning, Charles had already gone to work. On the table was a breakfast and the anniversary gift he gave me last night. Inside the gift box, I found a diamond necklace and a new handbag, but wasn't there supposed to be a lipstick as well? A couple of days ago, while tidying up Charles's things, I found a delicate gift box with a lipstick inside. It was beautiful and clearly meant for someone. I distinctly remembered it was a shade popular among young girls. I thought Charles would give me the lipstick on our anniversary, so I put the gift box back in his coat pocket and didn't mention it. Women tend to be sensitive and perceptive. Besides me, did Charles have someone else to give the lipstick to? …… The place where I work is very close to where Charles works. However, I rarely visit him, but today, for the first time, I surprised him at his office with a homemade lunch. The employees at the company knew me, but their eyes seemed to avoid mine. I asked someone I knew before, "Where's your manager, Mr. Cooper?" Every time I came to see Charles before, I would call him, but this time, I deliberately didn't call him in advance. "In Ms. Wright's office." Ms. Wright? Charles's boss is a woman in her early twenties, someone who smoothly inherited the family business. I've met her a few times; she's very pretty. Perhaps Charles and Edith were working, so I didn't disturb them and waited. It wasn't until half an hour later that Charles returned to his office. His steps were hurried and slightly unsteady: "Baby, why are you here? Why didn't you call me before coming over?" His scent was tinged with a woman's perfume. I pretended to be calm, adjusted his collar, and smiled as I replied: "You're working so hard, I wanted to surprise you with lunch without contacting you." "Baby, if you had contacted me earlier, I wouldn't have kept you waiting so long. I'll take you back later, and after I'm done with work, we'll have dinner together. I've made a reservation." I nodded slightly: "Then you should get back to work. No need to take me back; I'll leave first." "Okay." I left Charles's office and was met by a woman with long wavy hair, a delicate face, and fiery red lips, as if she had just touched up her makeup. As I got closer, the faint scent on her was so familiar. I felt her looking at me too, her eyes showing a hint of hostility. …… Charles was seeing someone else, and that person was his boss, Edith. She was the woman I saw today. Her lip color matched the lipstick shade, and the perfume on Charles was identical to hers. Moreover, when I adjusted Charles's collar, I saw a lipstick stain on it. So, during the half-hour I waited in Charles's office, he was in Edith's office engaging in inappropriate activities. I sat on the sofa, tears falling uncontrollably. The roses he gave me yesterday were still fresh, yet our love had already withered. Why did it turn out this way? We were always so happy, so sweet, and we hardly ever argued. Charles finishes work at 5:30 PM, and by 6:00, he was home on the dot. I had unknowingly sat on the sofa all afternoon. "Baby, why do you look so bad? Are you feeling unwell?" Charles rushed over to me without even changing his shoes, looking really worried. The lipstick mark on his collar was still glaringly obvious, and he hadn't even noticed. "Baby, why are you crying? Are you feeling unwell? I'll take you to the hospital." As he spoke, he tried to hug me, but I shoved him away, causing Charles to stumble back a few steps before barely regaining his balance. "Baby, you..." "Let's break up." Before Charles could say anything else, I said, "Let's break up." A flicker of panic crossed Charles's eyes. He knew my character and that I would never joke about such things. "Baby, don't say things like that. Whatever the problem is, we can solve it together. Don't mention breaking up." Seeing Charles all flustered, I even wondered if he still loved me like he used to. But thinking about him kissing and hugging another woman, and even more, made my stomach turn with disgust. "Why am I breaking up? Don't you know? Charles, you really disgust me. You're no different from those other men. I'm going to pack my things and move out." Charles rented the apartment, and I couldn't stand being here another minute. I got up from the sofa with determination, and Charles hugged me tightly from behind, his tears soaking my neck. "Baby, I was wrong. Please give me another chance, okay?" "Charles, some things can have a chance, even countless chances, but some things, once wrong, are just wrong. There's no chance, no room for negotiation." I pried his hands off me with force. I love Charles, even now, I still do. But I also know in my heart that we're done for this lifetime. I'll try not to love him, try to forget him. I went back to the room and started packing my things. Charles stayed in the living room and didn't follow me. I had a lot of things, and a large part of them were bought by Charles. Besides what he bought for me, there wasn't much left. I came out of the room, dragging my suitcase. Charles was still there, the air thick with smoke, and there were already five or six cigarette butts on the floor. Charles seemed to have aged a lot in an instant. When he saw me, he stubbed out the cigarette. "Baby, give me another chance. I promise this won't happen again." His voice was deep, and he looked at me with a heavy gaze. He probably knew that saying these words was pointless, as there was no hope in his eyes. I didn't say a word, just placed the keys on the coffee table. "I'm leaving." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to stay at Rae's for a few days. I'll find a place to rent soon. Goodbye, Charles." I said quietly, dragging my few belongings, and left the home Charles and I once shared. …… "What, you broke up with Charles?" My best friend Rae stared at me in shock. "I thought you had a fight with him. You really broke up?" I nodded, holding a large can of beer. "We broke up." "Why?" "He betrayed me." I spoke in a flat tone and took another big gulp of beer. If only this stuff could really ease all worries. Rae and I went to the same university, and we were roommates back then. We're best friends, and she can be said to have witnessed the process of Charles and me going from strangers to a couple. Even she couldn't believe that someone like Charles would betray me. I'm not good with alcohol, and after a few drinks, all the feelings in my heart poured out. I cried in Rae's arms, cursing Charles as a jerk and cursing myself for being blind, cursing... I cried for a long, long time. Rae joined in cursing and kept comforting me. "Stina, stop crying. If push comes to shove, I'll introduce you to a boyfriend. Just tell me what kind you want." I whimpered, crying even harder, sobbing, "I don't want one. All men are bad." "Alright, alright, all men are bad." I don't remember how I fell asleep; I just know that when I woke up the next day, I had a splitting headache, and I was lying on the living room sofa, surrounded by a mess. Rae had quite a bit to drink later on, and her sleeping position was even more bizarre than mine. She still hadn't woken up. I groggily got up, took a shower, then came out and tidied up the living room and covered Rae with a blanket. Suddenly, the door opened, and in came a man, about six foot one, with a handsome face. He was Rae's brother, Parley. Although Rae and I are close friends, I've always felt that Parley has something against me. Every time he looks at me, his expression is a bit off, as if he's angry. "Um, Parley, I broke up last night, and Rae drank with me a bit," I explained awkwardly. Rae had told me that Parley is a very traditional and strict person. "You broke up? With Charles?" Is that really the point? Who does that kind of thing, bringing up my sad story again, even though it doesn't hurt as much now. "Yeah, we broke up." "Have you had breakfast?" I thought I saw a rare smile on his face.