So, yesterday was already a mess. Our team was swamped because Angela, my co-worker, called out sick—said she had a “fever and chills” in our group chat. Fine, whatever. I picked up some of her workload and figured I’d check in on her later since we’re kinda close.

After work, I swung by my boyfriend Ruben’s apartment. He wasn’t expecting me, but I had his favorite takeout and thought it’d be a nice surprise. But guess who I see through the window? Angela. On his couch. Looking perfectly healthy.

At first, I thought, Maybe she’s dropping something off? But then I saw her laugh—real comfortable, like she belonged there. My stomach dropped. I didn’t even knock. I just stood there, heart pounding, trying to make sense of it.

The worst part? Ruben texted me literally five minutes earlier saying he was “just chilling alone” and “so tired from work.”

I took a deep breath and knocked, even though my hands were shaking. The laughter inside stopped. When the door opened, Angela’s eyes went wide, and Ruben looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“What… what are you doing here?” he stammered.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice cold, “Angela, I thought you were sick?”

Angela stood up, crossing her arms, her expression suddenly defensive. “It’s not what you think,” she said quickly.

“Then explain it to me,” I shot back, my eyes darting between the two of them.

Ruben ran a hand through his hair. “She… she needed someone to talk to. She’s going through some stuff.”

“That’s funny,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because she told me she was sick. Not ‘going through some stuff.’”

Angela’s face twisted into something halfway between guilt and frustration. “Look, I lied about being sick because I didn’t want to be at work. I just… I needed a mental health day. Ruben let me crash here to clear my head.”

My gut was screaming, but I kept my voice steady. “You two seem pretty cozy for a little mental health break.”

Angela’s eyes flicked to Ruben, and that split-second look between them told me more than any excuse ever could.

“You know what?” I said, backing away. “Enjoy your evening. Together.”

I turned and walked out, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. Ruben called after me, but I didn’t stop. I felt the tears burn, but I refused to let them fall.

The next day, Angela didn’t come to work—again. But this time, I wasn’t covering for her. I went straight to HR. I didn’t spill everything, but I did make it clear she’d lied to get out of work, leaving the team drowning. They weren’t happy.

That afternoon, Ruben texted me: Can we talk? I ignored it. Instead, I called my friend Sam, who had always been in my corner. I told her everything.

“I had a weird feeling about Angela,” she admitted. “And about Ruben, to be honest. Remember that time he said he was out with the guys but I saw him at the coffee shop… with her?”

My stomach twisted. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I wasn’t sure what I saw, and I didn’t want to hurt you if I was wrong.”

That night, I finally met with Ruben. He swore nothing physical had happened. “But you had feelings for her,” I said, cutting through his excuses. His silence was all the answer I needed.

“It’s over,” I said, my voice clear. “I deserve more than lies.”

He didn’t fight me on it.

Angela? She got a warning from HR for lying and skipping work. A few weeks later, she quit—rumor was, she couldn’t handle how everyone on the team started giving her the cold shoulder.

As for me? I felt shattered, but I wasn’t broken. With time, I realized I hadn’t lost anything worth keeping. Ruben showed me who he really was. Angela showed me who she wasn’t. And I showed myself that I had the strength to walk away from people who didn’t value me.

Life has a way of revealing the truth when you least expect it. And sometimes, the hardest endings lead to the best beginnings.

So, to anyone reading this: Trust your instincts. People show you who they are—believe them. And if you’ve ever walked away from something that no longer served you, know this: You didn’t lose. You won.

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