Unfaithful Boyfriend

Chapter 1

My boyfriend, Alex, got a new car, and suddenly, he had a new carpool buddy.

He picked her up for work and dropped her off every day, rain or shine.

And this buddy, she acted like she owned the car.

She put her favorite air freshener in the car, and threw out my flats from the passenger seat, replacing them with her own shoes.

One day, it was pouring rain. I waited for an hour at the office, and then finally, Alex and his carpool buddy, drove up, looking totally relaxed.

The girl, in the passenger seat, smiled sweetly and apologized. “Sorry, ma’am, I’m a slow eater. I kept your boyfriend waiting. I hope you’re not mad.”

Before I could say anything, Alex playfully flicked her forehead. “Vivi’s so mature. Unlike you, you need someone to wait on you hand and foot. You’re such a kid.”

1

It was a thunderstorm, lightning flashing, thunder booming.

I stood outside my office, anxiously waiting for Alex to pick me up.

Taxis were scarce in this weather; my coworkers were complaining about the long wait times, at least a half hour.

With my car in the shop, I was actually kind of grateful I’d gotten Alex that new car last month. At least it was useful for this.

I waited and waited. My coworkers all left, one by one, until I was the only one left. Finally, Alex’s car slowly pulled up.

He rolled down the window. “Vivi, been waiting long?”

He opened the back door for me. “Hop in.”

I saw a girl with long hair and a round face in the passenger seat.

The rain was getting heavier, so I got in the back, putting away my umbrella.

“Ugh, so wet!” The girl in the passenger seat turned, frowning at my umbrella. “You should put it in the door well when you close it. You’re getting the car all wet! It’s only a month old! The seats are leather!”

Her tone made me furious. I’m not one to hold back. “Excuse me, miss, this is my boyfriend’s car. If it gets soaked, it’s our problem. Why are you so worried?”

The girl looked embarrassed.

Alex got in, saying, “She’s just being nice, protecting our car. Don’t be so harsh on her.”

I looked at him. “Who is she?”

“Oh, this is,” Alex unbuckled his seatbelt, “my carpool buddy, Vivian. She works at my company and lives in our apartment complex. We’re on the same route, so I just give her a ride. It’s a good deed, right?”

The car behind us honked. Alex was in a hurry, but his seatbelt wouldn’t buckle.

Vivian leaned over and buckled it for him.

Then she turned to me, smiling sweetly. “So sorry, Vivi, I shouldn’t have been so late. It’s my fault; I’m a slow eater, and I kept your boyfriend waiting. Please don’t be mad.”

“What are you thinking?” Alex, steering with one hand, knocked her head playfully with his other hand. “Vivi’s way more mature than you. Unlike some chubby Vivian, who needs someone to feed her.”

“I didn’t have much of an appetite because of my period,” Vivian retorted, running her fingers through Alex’s hair. “And I’ve told you so many times, don’t call me that in front of other people! I’m not chubby!”

2

Vivian wasn’t actually chubby.

She just had a little baby fat, which made her look cute.

When she puffed out her cheeks, Alex pinched her face.

They were acting like no one else was in the car.

I was stunned. I thought back to Vivian calling me an “outsider.”

Yes, I felt like an outsider. Or maybe a clown would be more accurate.

After Alex got the car, he’d mentioned his carpool buddy.

“Vivi, I don’t have time for breakfast, I gotta go. Chubby Vivian is waiting for me.”

“Chubby Vivian is working late today, I’ll wait for her, so I’ll be home late.”

“Honey, Chubby Vivian said your sandwiches are delicious and wants another one tomorrow. Make an extra one, okay?”

Chubby Vivian. I never imagined that nickname would be for a girl.

For a month, Alex had been her free driver.

He picked her up and dropped her off every day, more punctual than any ride-sharing service.

Even in this terrible weather, knowing I was waiting in the cold, he let Vivian finish her lunch before leisurely driving his carpool buddy to pick me up.

3

Seeing my silence, Alex asked, “Vivi, what’s wrong?”

“Vivi, are you too cold to talk?” Vivian tilted her head, looking at me innocently. “I checked the weather on the way here; it’s below freezing and raining. You don’t want to catch a cold. I’d feel terrible.”

As soon as she finished, I sneezed.

“You really are freezing,” Alex looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Your immune system is getting weaker. You get cold after just a little wind. I told you to run with me in the mornings, but you always refuse.”

“I have Vitamin C,” Vivian pulled a box of vitamin C from her bag and offered it to me. “Here, Alex bought this for me; he said it boosts your immunity. Take a couple, Vivi.”

Alex is into health and fitness; he does morning runs.

When we first moved into this apartment building, he wanted me to run with him every morning, but I always refused, saying I needed to sleep in. He eventually gave up.

I get colds easily during seasonal changes, so Alex always keeps Vitamin C on hand for me.

My bottle ran out a few days ago.

I stared at the fancy bottle Vivian offered me.

The Vitamin C Alex buys me is the cheapest kind, two dollars for a small bottle.

I once complained that it was too cheap, but he said it was good enough, the expensive ones are overpriced.

But the one he got for Vivian was an expensive imported brand.

Oh, so my boyfriend is happy to be a sucker for her?

4

I didn’t take the vitamins; I looked around the car.

My eyes fell on the pillows.

I like minimalist style. My plain pillows were replaced with blue Stitch pillows.

I frowned. “Where are the pillows I bought?”

“Those…” Alex cleared his throat. “They’re in the trunk.”

Vivian was surprised. “Really? Those were yours? They’re so ugly, I thought they came with the car! I threw them away yesterday.”

…I couldn’t help but laugh.

I’d been busy with work and hadn’t used the car.

Now I saw that the interior was completely different.

My passenger seat was taken over by Vivian’s cartoon air freshener, smelling of cheap perfume.

My charm on the mirror was wrapped with colorful rubber bands.

Even the car’s nickname was changed from “Little Vivi” to “ViviAlex.”

Everything showed Vivian’s taste.

I was just an outsider, hitching a ride.

5

Vivian looked at the navigation system and complained. “Traffic is terrible in the rain, especially when taking a detour. These high heels are killing me.”

Alex naturally replied, “Take them off. Your flats are in the back, right?”

Vivian nodded, pointing to the back of her seat. “Vivi, can you hand me the flats back there?”

I saw a pair of white flats.

My face turned cold. “Where are my black flats?”

“Oh, those were yours?” Vivian was surprised. “I thought I had an extra pair of big, old shoes. Sorry, Vivi. I threw them away accidentally. Alex can buy you another pair.”

Great.

I wanted to wait until I got home to talk to Alex.

But I didn’t expect someone could be this shameless!

If I could still take it, I’d change my last name to hers!

“Shoes, huh?” I grabbed two tissues, picked up the shoes as if they were trash, and threw them at Vivian.

“Okay, let’s exchange! Exchange!”

“Ah!” Vivian screamed.

She was cut on the face.

She covered her wound.

“Vivian!” Alex stopped the car, rushing to her side. “Are you okay? Let me see.”

Vivian, with tears in her eyes, took her hand away. “Alex, am I scarred? Ouch, it hurts.”

Seeing the cut on her chin, Alex turned to me angrily. “ what did you do? Vivian was just asking you to get her shoes, why are you freaking out?!”

5

I didn’t say anything. I grabbed everything I could reach and threw it at Alex. “Getting shoes, huh? I’ve never even gotten my own mom her shoes, what makes her so special that she gets me to get her shoes?

I’m giving you way too much face, allowing the two of you to sing and dance in my car!”

I paid for that car.

Last month, Alex got a new job. He was still interning, working 996 every day.

I felt bad for him, so I bought him an electric car. New electric cars have self-driving and camping modes.

I thought it would make his commute easier. He could also have a private space during his lunch break.

I never imagined he’d get a carpool buddy, always together, and she would act so superior to me.

Seeing I wasn’t stopping, Alex put his arm around Vivian, raising his voice. “Will you stop? It’s just a carpool, that’s all.

And I met her on the road twenty days ago. She looked so lonely, so I offered her a ride, she didn’t ask!”

I stopped, slowly picking up my bag. “Oh, just a carpool? Then make her get out. She’s annoying me.”

“It’s raining outside, do you really have to be so mean to a young lady?” Alex said calmly. “Starting tomorrow, I promise she won’t be in the car with me.”

“It’s raining, so?” I laughed. “It’s my car. I can make an outsider get out of my car whenever I want.”

Vivian seemed annoyed. “Vivi, Alex told me you’re five or six years older than him, almost thirty.

Maybe you’re going through early menopause.

If you are, take medicine, don’t take it out on me.”

6

Wow, she’s acting like the victim?

She even insulted me for my age.

I am five years older than Alex. We met online and then met in person.

But when I met Alex, he was the same age as Vivian.

“Yes, I’m twenty-nine. Some people don’t even live to be twenty-nine.”

“You——”

I interrupted her. “Even if they do, with her qualifications, she’ll probably be squeezing onto a crowded bus on a rainy day like this. She can’t act all high and mighty sitting in a car someone else paid for, acting like she owns it.”

Vivian started crying.

Alex’s eyes were red. He stared at me. “You made her cry, are you satisfied now?”

“Of course not.” I opened my purse, took out my phone, and opened the calculator. “The little girl likes throwing things away, huh? Four silk pillows, two thousand dollars each, eight thousand dollars total, pay me back.

My shoes, the ones she called old and ugly, were a birthday gift from my dad. They cost $28,000, don’t forget that. And—”

“Enough,” Alex interrupted coldly. “ I didn’t expect you to be so unreasonable. Vivian has a boyfriend, he doesn’t care that I give her rides, why are you making such a big deal out of it?

Why do you think so badly of others? Can’t men and women just have a simple friendship?

If you’re really that bothered by her, we can just see each other less. Do you really have to throw things and act crazy in public and humiliate someone with money…”

Before he finished, I slapped him!

“Who says we have a future?

Alex, I’m breaking up with you.

Get out of my car, you and your crying little girlfriend!”

Alex turned his head, but didn’t seem affected.

He calmly said, “I know you’re just angry, you won’t listen to anything I say.”

Alex got out, opened the umbrella, and went to Vivian’s side, glancing at me. “Calm down in the car, then come find me.

Vivian’s weak because of her period, she can’t get wet.

I’ll take her home.”