The day before it all happened, my life had collapsed in the most humiliating way possible. I walked into my own kitchen, humming a tune and thinking about what to cook for dinner, only to find my boyfriend, John, pressed up against another woman, her lipstick smeared, his shirt halfway unbuttoned, their laughter echoing like knives in my ears. I froze in the doorway, unable to move.
“John?” My voice cracked. He barely flinched. He had the nerve to glance over his shoulder at me, annoyed, as though I were the one intruding.
“Guess you should find out now,” he muttered. The other woman smirked, twirling a strand of hair. “Oh, hi,” she said casually, as if she belonged there.
My stomach churned. Everything I thought I knew about him, about us, crumbled right then. I’d been paying half the rent, cleaning the place, supporting him through his rough patches.
And this was how he repaid me? I don’t remember much of what I said afterward. I just know I packed what little I could carry and walked out.
He didn’t stop me. He didn’t even look guilty. That night, I slept on my cousin’s couch.
My head throbbed, my chest ached, and I kept replaying the scene over and over. But I told myself one thing: tomorrow was my first day at my new job, and no matter how broken I felt, I couldn’t mess it up. I got up early, tried to make myself look halfway presentable, and headed to the restaurant.
It was a cozy, upscale place downtown, the kind of spot where people booked tables weeks in advance. The manager, Mr. Harris, had taken a chance on me even though my experience was limited, and I was determined not to let him down.
The morning went well enough. I shadowed another server, learned the system, carried trays, and smiled through the ache in my chest. For a few hours, I almost forgot about John.
Almost. But just after noon, the door swung open, and in he walked. John.
With her. I froze mid-step, the tray in my hands trembling. For a split second, I thought maybe I was imagining it.
But no, there he was, strutting into the dining room like he owned the place. His arm was slung around her shoulders, and she was wearing a dress so tight it looked painted on. And of all the empty tables, they chose mine.
My throat tightened as I approached, forcing out the most professional voice I could muster. “Welcome. Table for two?”
John leaned back in his chair, smirking.
“Well, well. Look who’s here. Haven’t you done enough damage yesterday?
WHY ARE YOU HERE!?”
I blinked, caught off guard. “This is my job, John. What are you doing here?”
He spread his arms like a king on his throne.
“Well, you can’t serve me at home anymore, so you’ll serve me here.”
His new girl—Tina, I think her name was—snapped her fingers at me. “Hurry up and get me a menu. Or you’ll lose more than just your house—you’ll lose this job too.”
I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood.
I couldn’t afford to lose this job. Rent, bills, food—they all depended on me keeping it. So I forced a smile, handed them menus, and walked away, though my hands were shaking.
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