ManyWriters

Amanda Wright and I had been together for eight years, but on the evening we got engaged, she went out drinking with her former flame.
I witnessed them myself, entering a hotel together, their arms intertwined. I remained outside the hotel all night. The harsh wind left me frozen and further chilled my already aching heart.
The freezing temperature took its toll, and I became gravely ill, spending two weeks in the hospital. This sickness prevented me from seeing my grandmother one final time before she died.
When I questioned her, she replied, "It was just a casual drink with Jayden. Are you really going to blow this out of proportion?"
Her response shattered any remaining hope I had for our relationship. Feeling utterly dejected, I silently walked away from her.
But then she phoned, sobbing. "Yvo, are you actually going to end things with me?"

The 999 Roses That Never Bloomed

Amanda turned away, biting her lip. "It's just a casual drink with Jayden. Why are you making it such a big deal?"


Her words cut deep, piercing my heart. My vision blurred as I choked out, "What about our time together? Does everything I've done for you mean nothing?"


She laughed dismissively. "You chose to stick around. Don't act like I forced you to stay."


Standing up, she pushed past me. "I have work to do. I'm leaving."


I crumpled to the ground, watching her walk away without hesitation. Eight years of my life felt like a cruel joke.


I sat there for an unknown time, the cold seeping into my bones as my mind grew hazy. Fighting the tightness in my chest, I shakily dialed Amanda's number, only to hear a constant busy signal.


With no other option, I called emergency services and was taken to the hospital.


The physician explained that my untreated leg wounds, combined with exposure to cold, had caused a severe infection. Even worse, I had developed pneumonia from hours in the frigid air.


As my temperature spiked and I began losing awareness, the nurse said I needed a family member to care for me. In this city, Amanda was my only option.


With shaking hands, I called her again. The ringing felt like a countdown to doom.


When she answered, I clung to her voice desperately. "Amanda, I'm really ill. I feel awful. Can you come look after me for a bit?"


There was a pause, then I heard Jayden in the background. "Amanda, my head's killing me. Can you rub it?"


Her tone softened affectionately. "Of course."


Then her voice turned cold as she addressed me. "I'm occupied right now. You'll have to manage alone."


"Jayden's having one of his migraines. I can't leave him."


"But... I'm really unwell," I pleaded weakly.


"Isn't there a nurse there? Ask them for help."


Her impatient tone mocked my helplessness. Before I could respond, she hung up.


I stared at the screen, tears rolling down my face and stinging my cracked lips.


When the nurse came to change my bandages, she noticed my disheveled state and muttered, "What's wrong with your family? You're so ill, yet no one's here for you."


I smiled bitterly, realizing how misplaced my devotion had been.


Later, feeling slightly improved, I forced myself out of bed for some air. As I reached the doorway, I stopped abruptly.


At the corridor's end stood Amanda with Jayden. They were laughing and talking intimately.


I watched her gently fix his collar with a tenderness I'd never experienced.


In that moment, my world shattered. Any remaining affection for her crumbled to dust.


Hidden around the corner, I observed as she massaged his temples with utmost care.


This display of love and attention, never granted to me, obliterated any illusions about my fiancée.


Suddenly, Jayden glanced my way. I tried to leave, but it was too late—he'd seen me.


"Hey, Yvo! What brings you here?" Jayden called out, surprising me.


"Isn't that your fiancé?" he said to Amanda, sounding amused.


Amanda followed his gaze, her expression a mix of surprise and suspicion.


I tried to appear composed despite the pain in my legs.


"Did you follow Jayden and me? How pathetic can you be?" Her voice dripped with scorn.


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