Sweet Romance

“You’ve been in a relationship for almost eight years, but I’ve never heard you talk about Terrence’s plans for you. Be honest, does he even plan to marry you?” Rhian asked her best friend, Harmony, while sipping her juice.

“Oh, come on! Of course, he does! I even feel like it’s happening soon!” Harmony replied, playfully hitting Rhian, looking giddy.

“Oh? Why? What’s happening?”

“He invited me to dinner at a fancy restaurant tonight. I just have a feeling this is it!”

Harmony playfully hit Rhian again, making her wince. “Ouch! Do you really have to hit me?” Rhian rolled her eyes. “But seriously, bestie, I still have a bad feeling about Terrence. It’s like he’s up to no good.”

“You’re such a judgmental person!” Harmony pouted. “You know what, bestie? You’re just like this because you don’t have a boyfriend. I keep telling you to start dating so you can finally have a love life!”

“Ugh, never!” Rhian quickly refused. “I’d rather stay single forever than have a sugar baby like you!”

Harmony just sighed. She was a 23-year-old woman who came from a well-off family but was disowned by her parents when they found out she was financially supporting Terrence. They claimed he was a bad influence on her.

But Harmony didn’t listen to them. Instead, she chose to live with her boyfriend. To support their expenses, she juggled multiple jobs as a waitress, cashier, and store clerk. It was hard, but whenever she thought about Terrence’s board exam, she felt at ease.

“How much have you lent him for his board exam again?” Rhian asked, snapping Harmony back to reality.

“Ten thousand dollars...”

“Ten thousand?!” Rhian’s eyes nearly popped out. “And what? He still hasn’t passed? I mean, I’m not looking down on board exam takers, but I don’t see him working as hard as you do just to support that jerk! Is he even taking the exam? How many times has he tried?”

“Three times...” Harmony answered weakly, looking away. Rhian shook her head and winced.

“I don’t think Terrence is actually taking the board exam,” Rhian said. “Look, I know you love him, okay? I respect that. But don’t let yourself be blinded. Look at yourself.”

Harmony did as her friend said. She glanced at the mirror near them, taking in her worn-out clothes. Her t-shirt was nearly torn, and her flip-flops were falling apart. She couldn’t even buy herself new ones because she kept giving everything she had to Terrence.

“Try going to his condo unannounced,” Rhian suggested. “If you don’t find anything suspicious, fine, I won’t say anything bad about him again. But if you do… please, choose yourself. If you’re really confident in his love for you, you’ll agree to my condition.”

Although hesitant, Harmony nodded. “Fine, but you have to keep your promise, okay? No more badmouthing Terrence after this.”

At around six o'clock in the evening, Harmony arrived at Terrence’s condo. Technically, they could live there together, but Terrence had told her he wouldn’t be able to focus on studying if she was around. At first, she understood, but now, doubt crept into her heart and mind.

“This is all Rhian’s fault. I never used to think like this, but now my brain won’t stop overthinking,” Harmony muttered to herself as she made her way to Terrence’s unit.

Their dinner was scheduled for eight, so she was sure he was inside, studying. She slowly opened the door, and her suspicion was right… but what she found was something else entirely.

“Ah… Terrence!”

“Oh, you feel so good, Sabrina!”

The room was filled with moans, accompanied by the creaking of the bed as they moved fervently. Both of them were drenched in sweat, clear signs that they had been doing this for a while.

Tears streamed down Harmony’s face as her vision darkened. “You bastards… You’re both disgusting!”

In an instant, she stormed toward the bed and shoved Terrence away. Then she turned her attention to Sabrina, grabbing her by the hair without mercy as if her life depended on it.

“You filthy slut! Do you even know he has a girlfriend? You’re a homewrecker!”

“Ow! T-that hurts!” Sabrina cried out, her tears falling as chunks of her hair were yanked out from Harmony’s grip. “Terrence, help me!”

“Harmony!” Terrence shouted angrily before grabbing Harmony’s wrists and pushing her away from Sabrina. He quickly covered Sabrina with a blanket. “Are you okay?”

“Okay? My scalp hurts!” Sabrina whined, pouting and holding back tears. “I thought you weren’t supposed to meet until later? Why is she here already?!” she asked, as if Harmony wasn’t standing right in front of her.

“You’ve got some nerve, huh? You’re really asking that while I’m right here, you snake?” Harmony said in disbelief, about to grab Sabrina’s hair again, but Terrence stepped in between them.

“Harmony, stop!” Terrence said sternly, his brows furrowed. “Let me explain. Can you please calm down first?”

“Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down after seeing my boyfriend kissing someone else? We’ve been together for eight years, Terrence! So, how long have you been fooling me?” Harmony’s voice broke as she asked.

“Five years,” Sabrina answered mockingly, making both Terrence and Harmony turn to her.

“Sabrina,” Terrence warned.

“What? Since we’re already here, and I’m sure there won’t be a wedding anymore, why don’t we just tell her everything?”

Sabrina turned to Harmony, a smirk on her lips. “You see, Terrence never really loved you. He only wanted to marry you because you act like his pet, always following his orders and giving him money.”

“You bitch. What the hell are you doing?” Terrence growled, grabbing Sabrina’s arm. “Why are you throwing me under the bus? I thought we were on the same side?”

“On the same side?” Sabrina laughed sarcastically. “Do you really think I believe you’d take responsibility for me after marrying your washed-up girlfriend? I’m not an idiot. If I can’t have you, she can’t have you either!”

“You conniving bitch!”

At that moment, Terrence and Sabrina started arguing while Harmony stood there in a daze, staring at them. She couldn’t understand anything anymore. She couldn’t feel anything anymore except pain and regret.

Pain, because the man she had loved and trusted for eight years had only deceived her. And regret, because all her sacrifices seemed to have been for nothing.

Harmony bit her lip as she quietly walked out of the condo. The two were still too busy fighting to even notice her leaving. That alone told her everything she needed to know—Terrence didn’t care about her. All he wanted was her money.

As soon as she stepped out of the building, she called Rhian, who immediately picked up.

“Oh, Harmony, you called?” Rhian asked, seemingly surprised by her friend’s sudden call. “Wait, did you do what I told you? Did you notice anything unusual?”

“Rhian… I’m so stupid… So, so stupid…”

“Why? What happened?”

“He’s been deceiving me for so long, and I only just found out… He was only after my money… He never loved me…” Harmony sobbed, staring blankly into the distance.

“I knew it! I had a bad feeling about that Terrence!” Rhian fumed upon hearing Harmony’s words. She wanted to throw her phone in frustration but held back since she was still on the call. “Where are you right now?”

“Outside Terrence’s condo unit…”

“I’m coming to get you. Don’t go anywhere, okay? Wait for me. I swear, that guy won’t have a single bruise-free spot on his body when I see him!”

“D-Don’t, Rhian…” Harmony pleaded, trying to suppress her sobs. “Just come here. I just need you to be here…”

Rhian sighed in frustration. She wanted to teach Terrence a lesson, but if Harmony didn’t want that, she wouldn’t do it. “Fine. Just wait for me, okay? Stay there.”

And Harmony did exactly that. She waited for Rhian, who arrived a few minutes later. Rhian found her sitting on the ground, crying, staring at her phone.

“Harmony!” Rhian called out, concern evident in her voice. “Come on, let’s go home.”

“That bastard…” Harmony muttered, making Rhian frown in confusion.

“What?”

“He keeps calling me, Rhian… I-I don’t know why…” Harmony showed her phone to Rhian. There were countless missed calls from Terrence, and he was still trying to call her.

“Of course, he’s trying to win you back because he’s about to lose his sugar mommy!” Rhian snapped, grabbing the phone and turning it off. “Forget about that idiot and get up. I’m taking you home.”

Harmony shook her head repeatedly. “No… I don’t want to go home…”

“Huh? Then where do you want to go?”

“The bar… I want to go to a bar and forget everything,” she replied.

“But you don’t even drink—”

“Please?” Harmony cut her off, seeing the hesitation on her friend’s face. “For once, I want to do something for myself… Something I really want. Just this once… I want to choose myself.”