The Man She Lost to the Sea

Three years into my relationship with Vanessa, she attended a party at my company. There, she played a video of herself getting intimate with my professional rival on a loop in our home. After that, she began inviting my least favorite coworkers over for parties almost every day. She made me play the waiter, serving drinks and handing out condoms while they laughed at me. Gavin, the man I'd competed against for five years, sneered at me with undisguised satisfaction. "So what if you beat me at everything, Ethan? Your wife was just in bed telling me I'm better than you." I could hear Vanessa's breathless moans coming from the private room. Every sound felt like another knife twisting in my chest. I watched the minutes crawl by, counting down the days until our five-year contract expired. When the time finally came, everything would be over. And when I walked away without a second thought, Vanessa would lose her mind. 1 The muffled sounds of a man and woman tangled together continued behind the private room's closed door. I leaned against the wall, watching the seconds tick past on my phone as tears slid down my cheeks. Finally, there were only three days left of the five years I'd promised Vanessa. In three days, we could be done with each other for good. She had once been the person I loved more than anyone in the world. Now, when I thought about leaving her, I felt a strange, unfamiliar lightness settle over me. Relief. For the first time in years, I could imagine a future that didn't make me want to disappear. The feeling didn't last long. "Ethan! Bring in the fruit!" Gavin's voice cut through the door. I picked up the tray and stepped inside with my head bowed. Vanessa was leaning against Gavin's shoulder, catching her breath. Her shirt hung open at the collar, revealing a flushed expanse of skin along her collarbone. The moment Gavin saw me, he curled his lips into a smug, mocking smile. "Well? Did you enjoy the show from out there?" Vanessa kissed him twice, then glanced at me with open contempt. "What's he going to say? Of course he enjoyed it." She lifted her chin and gave me a haughty once-over. "I recorded everything. When we get home, you're not going to bed until you've watched it all over again." That was one of the rules she'd imposed on me three years ago. From that point on, the coworkers who had always despised me began showing up at her parties with alarming regularity. One after another, they'd disappear into a private room with her. She made sure every encounter was recorded. Then she'd project the videos onto the wall of my bedroom, forcing me to watch until the early hours of the morning. I still remembered how it had been in the beginning. The moment I heard her breathy voice coming through the speakers, my whole body would seize up. I'd drop to my knees and beg her to stop, sobbing so hard I could barely get the words out. Vanessa had only laughed coldly. She'd ignored my desperate pleas, her face twisted with fury. "Ethan, you owe me this! I want you to know what it feels like when the person you love most betrays you!" "Whatever you're suffering now isn't even a thousandth of what you put me through!" Back then, her cruelty had been unbearable. Now, somehow, watching those videos had become part of my nightly routine. I'd gotten used to it. Or perhaps I'd simply run out of strength to resist. I forced the corners of my mouth into something resembling a smile. "Okay." Vanessa's expression darkened instantly. Her brows drew together as she looked me up and down, searching my face for something she could take offense at. I recognized the warning signs. She was about to lose her temper. I had no idea why my compliance seemed to upset her, but I knew better than to ask. Before she could explode, I lowered my eyes and turned to leave. I had taken barely two steps when Gavin called after me. "Hey! Get back here!" He slammed his glass onto the table, his expression souring. "Who said you could leave? Get over here and finish this bottle!" He pointed at the untouched liquor on the table, grinning as though he'd just thought of something hilarious. "We were a little busy just now and didn't finish our drinks. You can take care of the rest. Wouldn't want it to go to waste." I looked toward Vanessa. I didn't say anything. I didn't need to. The pleading in my eyes should have been enough. She lifted her chin, ignoring me completely. "If Gavin tells you to drink, then drink. Have you already forgotten what I told you? Whatever Gavin says is the same as if I'd said it myself!" My eyes burned. Something inside my chest seemed to tear apart, piece by piece. I picked up the bottle and forced the liquor down my throat. I drank until my stomach lurched and bile rose into my mouth. My body begged me to stop, but I kept swallowing until the bottle was empty. Only then did I lower it. "Are you satisfied now?" I held up the empty bottle, struggling to keep my voice steady as tears blurred my vision. Vanessa barely glanced at me. She simply settled more comfortably against Gavin. "Gavin, have you had enough fun? If not, make him finish another bottle." I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. The tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over. She knew. She knew perfectly well that I had a severe alcohol allergy and couldn't safely drink. Worse, she'd known for years that I couldn't bear the sight or smell of alcohol. When I was a child, my father had been killed by a drunk driver. He'd been struck on the road and died before anyone could save him. I'd stood beside his body and sworn that I would never touch a drop of alcohol for as long as I lived. Seven years ago, I'd been forced to drink heavily at a business dinner. By that evening, I'd been hospitalized. Vanessa had stayed beside my bed all night. When I finally woke up, she'd wrapped her arms around me and cried as though she'd almost lost me. "Ethan," she'd whispered, her face wet with tears, "I'm going to work hard and make a fortune. Someday, you'll never have to do anything you don't want to do again. I promise." I'd believed her. Who could have imagined that she'd eventually make all that money—and become the person who forced me to do more things against my will than anyone else ever had? Fortunately, Gavin soon lost interest in tormenting me. He waved his hand impatiently. "Get out. Stand by the door. We don't need you anymore." I left the room. I hadn't gone far when a sharp pain tore through my abdomen. My knees weakened, and I had to reach for the wall to keep myself upright. The pain was so intense that I could barely breathe. Then the world went black. 2 I had no memory of losing consciousness or of how I'd ended up in the hospital. When I finally woke, I found three missed calls from Vanessa and several threatening messages waiting on my phone. You've gotten pretty bold, haven't you? I never told you to leave! Who gave you permission to walk out? You'd better be at the office before ten. Otherwise, you're going to regret it. I glanced weakly at the IV drip beside my bed. Half the fluid remained. Then I checked the time. A pale smile touched my lips. Two days. In just two days, I wouldn't owe her anything anymore. I wouldn't have to endure another humiliation, another threat, or another night of being forced to watch the woman I loved in another man's arms. Two more days, and I would finally be free. I pulled out the IV needle despite the nurse's protests, got dressed, and left the hospital for the office. The moment I walked in, my coworkers looked me over with undisguised disdain. I was used to those looks by now. In fact, I knew Vanessa wanted them to look at me exactly that way. When I entered the CEO's office, she and Gavin were locked in a passionate kiss, their arms wrapped around each other. They didn't even stop when they saw me. I lowered my eyes and pretended not to notice. Only after they'd finally pulled apart did Vanessa glance in my direction. Her expression was cold and indifferent. She didn't bother with a greeting. "That project you've been handling for the past three years? Give it to Gavin." I froze for a moment. I'd been responsible for that project from the very beginning. Vanessa had personally entrusted it to me three years ago, and back then, I'd foolishly believed that if I worked hard enough and delivered good results, perhaps I'd earn a little of her affection again. I'd spent countless sleepless nights building connections, negotiating deals, and pushing the project forward. I'd poured my heart into it, telling myself that every success might bring us a little closer to the way we'd once been. But that was before. Now, there was no reason to keep trying to win her over. "All right," I said quietly. The next second, she hurled a file at me. The sharp edge of the folder caught my forehead, leaving a thin red cut across my skin. I didn't wipe away the blood. I simply crouched to pick up the papers. "What the hell are you pretending for?" Vanessa shouted. "I saw that look on your face! You didn't want to hand it over!" She rose from her chair, her eyes blazing. "Listen to me, Ethan. You don't get to tell me no! Have you forgotten what you did to me in the first place?" My fingers trembled as I gathered the scattered papers. "I remember." My voice was barely audible. "I wasn't refusing. I'll arrange the handover to Gavin right away." Gavin followed me out of the office, a mocking smile playing across his face. "Ethan, you know something? Sometimes I almost feel sorry for you." He leaned closer, lowering his voice as though we were sharing a private joke. "You did everything for Vanessa, and somehow you ended up making her hate you this much. Isn't that pathetic?" He laughed. "But honestly? Seeing you like this makes me feel incredible. You spent years trying to beat me at everything. And look at you now." His words should have angered me. They didn't. I barely heard him. All I could see was the look on Vanessa's face when she'd looked at me in her office. The disgust. The contempt. The way she'd stared at me as if I were something filthy she'd found stuck to the bottom of her shoe. I had thought I'd become numb to everything. Apparently, I hadn't. My heart could still hurt. And that, somehow, was the cruelest part of all. 3 Seven years ago, Vanessa and I had been the couple everyone envied. We'd started dating in college, and our friends were so certain we'd get married someday that they spoke about our future as though it were already settled. Her family had been fiercely opposed to our relationship. They'd threatened to cut her off completely if she refused to break up with me. Neither of us had backed down. Vanessa began building her own company, determined to prove she could succeed without her family's money. Gavin and I were among the first people she hired. Gavin had always been fiercely competitive. He challenged me for every major project, fought me for clients, and tried to undermine my professional relationships whenever he could. When Vanessa found out, she tore into him. "If you ever try to sabotage Ethan again, you're fired," she'd warned him. "I don't care how talented you think you are." From that day on, Gavin hated both of us. Eventually, he uncovered a secret about Vanessa's family: she was the illegitimate daughter of the powerful Sun family. He knew what that secret meant to her. She'd spent her childhood being ostracized and humiliated because of her birth. It had taken years for her to escape the shadow of that shame and build a life in which she could finally hold her head high. Gavin threatened to expose everything unless I did what he wanted. On the day Vanessa planned to propose to me, I had to reject her in front of everyone. If I didn't, he'd make sure the entire world learned who she really was. I couldn't bear the thought of her being dragged back into the humiliation she'd fought so hard to escape. So I agreed. Vanessa had planned an extravagant proposal. She'd arranged a beautiful venue, invited a crowd of friends, and even brought in reporters to livestream the entire event. She wanted her parents to see that she could build a future with the man she loved, regardless of what they thought of her. I still remembered the look on her face when she stood before me that day, tears of happiness shining in her eyes. Then I'd opened my mouth and destroyed everything. I told her I didn't want to struggle alongside a woman who had no money. I told her I wasn't willing to spend my life building a business with someone who couldn't offer me a comfortable future. I'd watched the hope disappear from her face. What should have been a proposal became a public breakup. Her eyes had burned with hatred as she stared at me. "One day, Ethan," she'd said, her voice shaking, "you're going to regret this." I never told her the truth. Instead, I sold my house, scraped together every cent I had, and borrowed the rest. I paid Gavin seven million dollars to keep her secret buried. I'd wanted to protect her, even if it meant letting her believe I'd never loved her enough to stay. I kept that secret locked inside me for years. Eventually, Vanessa fought her way through the Sun family and inherited control of its business empire. By the time we met again, I was working part-time at a bar to pay off my debts. She found out I'd accumulated three million dollars in debt. She threw a contract in front of me. Five years by her side in exchange for paying off what I owed. From the very beginning, she made her intentions clear. "Don't imagine for one second that I still have feelings for you," she'd said coldly. "I'm only keeping you around because I want you to suffer." She made me watch her become intimate with men she knew I couldn't stand. And, of all people, she chose Gavin as her favorite partner in revenge. He never missed an opportunity to rub it in. "She told me in bed that I'm a hell of a lot better than you." He bragged to anyone who would listen that he'd been sleeping with my girlfriend. Vanessa never stopped him. When I became the punch line of every conversation, when people laughed at me and I couldn't stop the tears from falling, she'd watched with satisfaction. "Now you know how it feels," she'd said. She believed I'd signed the contract for the money. She never knew the truth. I'd only wanted an excuse to remain beside her a little longer. And she never knew that after she'd stormed out of that proposal venue seven years ago, I'd stayed behind all night in the beautiful space she'd decorated for us. I'd stood beneath the lights she'd chosen, surrounded by flowers she'd arranged, and cried until morning. I'd loved her so much that even after destroying our relationship, I couldn't bring myself to walk away from the place where she'd once imagined our future. Remembering it now, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Three days earlier, I'd booked a flight to England. When the airline notification popped up on my phone, I actually laughed. One more day. Tomorrow, it would finally be over. Just after midnight, Vanessa called again. She didn't ask where I was or whether I was all right. She simply ordered me to get to the bar. By the time I arrived, the place was nearly closed. Assuming she wanted me to serve drinks as usual, I reached for a bottle. Gavin stopped me. He looked toward the empty performance stage, his expression turning playful in a way that made my stomach tighten. "Who said you were here to serve drinks? The show's over. We need something else to keep us entertained." I knew exactly what he meant. Still, I pretended not to understand. "Should I call the performers back?" Vanessa clicked her tongue impatiently and looked at me with icy disdain. "Didn't you hear him? Get on that stage and entertain us yourself." I stood motionless as laughter spread around the room. After a long silence, I answered quietly. "I won't." Gavin rose from his seat and grabbed me by the tie. "Relax. It's not complicated. We'll put a leash around your neck, and you'll crawl around on all fours like a dog. You've been Vanessa's dog for years anyway. Might as well make it official." My whole body began to tremble. I watched Vanessa help him search for something to use as a leash. She found a dog collar and brought it over herself. Without a word, she fastened it around my neck. Gavin tugged on the chain. "What are you waiting for? Get down!" People around us pulled out their phones, eager to record the spectacle. Vanessa didn't stop them. Instead, she looked down at me and tossed a few bills onto the floor. "Kneel. I'll pay you." Her voice dripped with contempt. "Money is what you love most, isn't it?" She threw another handful of cash at my face. "Come on. Give us a good show, and I'll give you more afterward. Now crawl!" I looked into her eyes and saw nothing but hatred. In that moment, I finally understood how far apart we'd drifted. Whatever misunderstanding had destroyed us had become buried beneath so much pain and resentment that I no longer knew how to reach her. Maybe neither of us did. I looked at the money scattered across the floor. Then I laughed. If this was what she wanted to see, I would give her exactly what she wanted. "Fine. I'll kneel." Gavin dragged me toward the stage. I dropped to my knees. He pulled the chain, forcing me to crawl across the floor while the crowd erupted in cheers and laughter. My palms and knees scraped against the rough surface until the skin began to tear. Phones followed my every movement. Vanessa climbed onto the stage, laughing as she tossed more money around me. "So this is what you're willing to do for money!" she shouted. "Tell me, Ethan, if I paid you enough, would you even be willing to have a child for Gavin and me?" I stopped crawling. For a moment, I could only stare at her. She was looking down at me with a cruel, triumphant smile, as though she'd finally found the one thing that could prove I'd never been worthy of her love. Tears blurred my vision. She still didn't know that when this night ended, there would be no future between us. No more chances. No more reunions. We'd never see each other again. I forced a smile onto my face and resumed crawling. I moved mechanically, one hand after another, until Vanessa finally raised her hand to signal the end of the performance. "From now on, this video is going to play on a loop in your room every night," she declared. "I want you to see exactly how greedy you look when money is involved!" The half-hour spectacle finally ended. Gavin released the chain. My legs shook so badly that I could barely stand. When I got home, I threw away every belonging that reminded me of myself or my life with Vanessa. Everything went into the trash. Everything except the five-year contract. I left that on the table where she'd find it. A quiet reminder that our time was up. Then I changed my flight, packed what little remained, and boarded a plane to England without looking back.