As I made my way toward the door, Rowan suddenly stepped in my path, dramatically putting on an act.

"Felix, I get it. You're the expert here. I know I'm not fit for the technical director role. Take it back," he said, holding out the employee badge like it was some kind of peace offering.

I barely nudged him aside, but, of course, he seized the moment to trip over a chair, knocking a computer off the desk as he crashed to the floor. It created a commotion that had all the nearby employees turning their heads in concern.

He scrambled to his feet and brushed off the inquiries with a casual wave, "I'm fine. No big deal."

Gwendolyn rushed in, her high heels clicking loudly against the floor as she saw what had happened. After making sure Rowan was unharmed, she shot me a hard look.

"Felix, just because you've been here longer doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

And that's when the others jumped in.

"Yeah, Felix," one colleague chimed in. "The company needs fresh talent. You can't just hold everything because you've been around longer."

Jack, a guy I'd mentored and worked closely with for years, added, "So what if you've landed a few big deals? You're acting like you run the place. Don't play favorites, man."

It hit me like a punch to the gut. These were people I'd worked with for years. I was the top salesperson, the one everyone used to respect. But now? They were all turning on me.

Whatever. Let them have their say. I was done.

Without another word, I walked out.

Gwendolyn followed me. When we were far enough away from the crowd, she sighed and rubbed her temples. "You've been overworked. Let me approve some time off for you."

I didn't answer. It was the same thing every time.

"Today's our 7th anniversary," she added, a softer tone creeping into her voice. "Wait for me at home. I've got a surprise for you."

I didn't say anything, just stepped into the elevator and let the doors close behind me.

Back home, I cooked dinner for myself. I wasn't about to wait for her. By the time the sun set, she still hadn't come home.

I slipped on my shoes, ready to meet with the client representative. As I walked out the door, I ran into one of my coworkers, still clueless enough not to distance himself from me.

"Felix!" he called out. "Are you going to the promotion party Gwendolyn's throwing for Rowan? Let's grab a cab together!"

He was grinning, happy to avoid the subway, but I shook my head. "Not going."

He blinked, confused. "Gwendolyn didn't invite you?"

"Nope."

I turned and walked away, not bothering to look back.

I heard him mutter something under his breath, "Gwendolyn sure plays favorites," but I didn't care enough to respond.

It wasn't that she played favorites. It was that she favored Rowan.

For him, she'd do anything. Breaking promises to me was nothing new.

Like when I was hospitalized with pneumonia and she promised she'd come see me after a meeting. I waited all night, but she didn't show up until the early morning, claiming she'd been working overtime when, in reality, she was hanging out with Rowan, watching movies.

Or the time we had a couple photo session planned. I waited in a suit, looking like an idiot, until the store closed. She finally showed up, saying work held her up, but she'd actually been out shopping for clothes with Rowan.

Every time I questioned her, she'd brush it off with her "work comes first" line.

It was exhausting.

At the café, the client representative reviewed my progress report and gave me a genuine smile. "Felix, have you thought about switching companies? We could offer you ten times your current salary."

For once, I didn't turn him down. The representative was ecstatic, and we quickly discussed the details.

When I got home, Gwendolyn was sitting on the couch, takeout containers in front of her. She'd stood me up again, but this time, there was no excuse. No apologies.

After a long pause, she pushed the food toward me. "You must be exhausted. Don't cook tonight, just heat this up and eat."

I glanced down. The food was a mess, everything shoved together in unattractive plastic containers. Stir-fried and boiled dishes, and even a piece of steamed cake floating in soup. It looked like something someone had thrown together in a rush.

I waved it off. "I already ate."

She looked at me for a long moment, and then, surprisingly, wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "Rowan just got promoted, so as his boss, I had to show my support."

She smiled weakly. "I know you were wronged today. Let's get our marriage license this weekend."

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

When I got promoted to director, I threw myself a party. I waited in a private room, the waiter reheating my food over and over as the hours passed, but no one showed up.

I kept sending message after message, but they all went unanswered.

Finally, a kind colleague reached out, asking if I'd offended the CEO. I didn't understand at the time, but later, I found out the truth.

While I was away, Gwendolyn had scolded anyone who even mentioned attending my party.

"Are you all done working? All you care about is eating, drinking, and partying? You might as well quit if that's all you think about."

Thinking about it made my blood boil.

Gwendolyn's hands were still on my waist, but I pulled them off, my voice cold as I said:

"You don't have to do this, Gwendolyn. Let's break up."