How did we get here?Hugh had been so sweet and attentive.Now, he couldn’t trouble himself to look up from his stupid video games.
I straightened up with a sigh and headed towards the elevator.As much as it hurt to admit it, Hugh and I had grown apart.And his lack of support during such a monumental moment in my life was the last straw.
I snorted.“I’m your number one leech, right now.Are you sure you won’t let me pay half the rent?”
“I was paying the rent already, anyways.Plus, this is only temporary until you save up enough for your own place.Paying rent here would just extend that timeline.And you know I love having you here.”He leaned a hip against the bathroom counter.“We haven’t spent nearly enough time together lately.I’m happy to have you for as long as you need a place to crash.”
“But—”
“No buts.”He cupped my chin and forced me to meet his gaze.“You’re family.You always have a place here.”
I surged forward and hugged him.“I love you.You know that?”
Leaving Hugh had been the right decision.It hit me a week into our breakup when I realized I hadn’t missed him.I received more love, attention, and affection from Marco in two weeks here than I had in the last two years with Hugh—though not the intimate kind I’d been craving for the past few days.Marco couldn’t satiate that particular need for me.
I stumbled into the apartment just after two in the morning, a little buzzed and a lot determined.I had a plan.
However, my plan had not included Hugh waiting up for me.
I froze as he emerged from the hallway, his expression thunderous.
“It’s after two.Where the hell have you been?”He sounded accusatory.
Despite the lingering buzz of the alcohol, I straightened up and met his gaze steadily.“Out celebrating my internship.With Marco.”
“Of course.Your precious Marco.”
“Don’t start with that jealousy crap again.Marco is my best friend, and he was actually excited for me, unlike you.”
Hugh scoffed, uncrossing his arms and raking a hand through his hair.“I said congratulations, didn’t I?It’s not my fault if my reaction wasn’t over-the-top enough for your liking.”
“This wasn’t about wanting an over-the-top reaction!I wanted my boyfriend to be happy for me, to celebrate this huge accomplishment with me.But you couldn’t even go out for one fucking drink!”
My chest heaved with the force of my words, and Hugh’s face twisted into a scowl.He stepped towards me.“You think I’m not happy for you?Of course, I’m happy that you got this internship, Callie.But forgive me if I’m not jumping for joy at the thought of you being even more consumed by your work.”
His words hit me like a slap across the face.“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that ever since you started this MBA program, you’ve been obsessed.You’re always studying or networking or focusing on your next career move.When was the last time we did something together that didn’t involve your work?”
My voice trembled with anger.“When was the last time you made me feel loved, Hugh?When was the last time you did something romantic or intimate just to show me I was special to you?”
His face reddened, but he didn’t respond.We both knew the truth—our intimacy had dwindled to almost nothing in recent months.
“Exactly.It’s been so long you can’t even remember.I’ve been putting everything I have into my studies and career because that’s where I’ve been getting my fulfillment.You’ve been so disconnected that I don’t even feel like we’re in a relationship anymore.”
He made to reach for me, then jerked his hand back.“Callie, I...I’m sorry.You’re right, I haven’t been as present as I should be.”
I shook my head, blinking back tears.Too little, too late.
“I don’t think ‘sorry’ cuts it anymore, Hugh.We’ve been living separate lives for months.You’re just going through the motions, and I...I can’t keep doing this.I deserve to be with someone as invested in our relationship as I am.”
Hugh’s face crumpled.For a second, I thought he might try to convince me to stay.But then his shoulders sagged, and he nodded.“You’re right.You deserve better than I’ve been giving you.”
The finality in his words was like a knife to my heart, but he was right.As much as it hurt, as much as I still loved him, we had reached the end of the road.
“I’m going to stay with Marco for a few days.”I pushed past him into the bedroom, tossing some clothes and other essentials into my suitcase.
When I exited the bedroom a few minutes later, Hugh was leaning forward on the couch, elbows braced against his knees and hands in his hair.He looked up at me, eyes rimmed red.
