My Daughter’s Popular Roommate

Another winter holiday season had rolled around, and my husband and I had just finished moving our little family to Helena, a quiet northern town.

I never expected to run into my aunts family here.

The moment they saw me, their very first question was whether I had finally cooled off, and when I planned to go back to Ruben.

Ruben was my childhood sweetheart, my first love, and my ex.

We had been together for eight years, with every intention of getting married the moment we graduated. But on graduation night, in front of a crowd of our peers, he slapped me across the face, all for the sake of Audrey, who had just returned from her studies abroad.

Heartbroken and humiliated, I deleted every trace of him from my life and fled alone to this snowy little town.

Meeting my aunt again after all this time, she looked at me and said, "Ruben still has you in his heart, Vivian. The night he got engaged to Audrey, he drank too much and told everyone that the second you came back, he would call off the wedding and run back to you."

I offered her a polite, empty smile. "Aunt Brenda, I got married two years ago. My daughter is already over a year old."

Ruben still thought I was just throwing a tantrum, throwing a five-year fit. He had no idea that I had long since started a completely new life.

The news of my marriage had not yet traveled back to Boston.

When I ran into my aunt in the streets of Helena, she was entirely in the dark.

A light snow was drifting down, dusting the pavement. I held an umbrella in one hand and a box of fresh pastries for my daughter in the other. As I crossed the open plaza in front of the shopping center, I spotted my aunt and my cousin, Tyler, staring at me in sheer disbelief.

We had not spoken in five years. My aunts opening words were thick with accusation. "Vivian! Where on earth have you been hiding? You didn't leave a single word!"

I looked up, my expression completely flat.

In contrast, my aunt and Tyler looked thrilled to see me.

"Vivian, youre finally back!" Tyler burst out, practically beaming. "Ruben has been looking everywhere for you. His firm is massive now, and his family is riding him hard to settle down, but he keeps saying that if you just come home..."

"He really does!" Aunt Brenda chimed in, eager to please. "You have no idea, Vivian. Ruben is the most eligible bachelor in Boston right now. The families have been trying to push him and Audrey together for ages. Audrey is a sweet, proper girl, and both sets of parents want the match."

"But Ruben made it clear. He only wants to marry you. He promised that the moment you go back, hell terminate the arrangement with Audreys family."

My aunt and cousin were practically vibrating with excitement, acting as if they were overjoyed on my behalf.

It was funny, considering they had never cared about me before.

When my parents died in that car crash years ago, these relatives suddenly became very hard to reach. Now that Ruben had climbed to the top of the world, they suddenly remembered they had a niece.

Amused by the sheer hypocrisy, I cut them off. "Aunt Brenda, Tyler, I am never getting back together with Ruben."

Speaking that name for the first time in half a decade, my voice didn't even tremble.

It was as if I were speaking of a vague, distant acquaintance.

My aunt and cousin froze, looking at me as if I had lost my mind. They clearly did not believe me.

After all, back in college, my devotion to Ruben was legendary.

I was a free-spirited fine arts major; he was the golden boy of the finance department. We met in a campus club during our freshman year. I fell for his bold, magnetic confidence, and he loved how lively and uninhibited I was.

People used to whisper that Vivian was a climber, a girl from a modest background who knew exactly how to hook a wealthy heir.

Young and stubborn, I paid the gossip no mind. I only cared that we loved each other and that we had promised to marry right after graduation.

I clung to him. I dragged him to art galleries, made him wander through late-night street markets with me, and we were practically joined at the hip from freshman year until senior spring.

If nothing had changed, I would have walked down the aisle to him the summer we graduated.

But during our senior year, Audrey, the daughter of Ruben's family friends, returned from her elite European university.

She was poised, soft-spoken, and elegant, the quintessential high-society daughter. Standing next to me, she was the daughter-in-law his parents had always dreamed of.

I, on the other hand, was an art major with wild hair and a temperament to match.

"A girl from an ordinary family simply can't compare to a lady raised by the Shens," a snippet of overheard gossip once drifted my way, stinging sharply. Hurt, I went to find Ruben, wanting reassurance that he didn't care about those things.

But when I arrived at our usual cafe, Audrey was sitting across from him.

She gave me a gentle, sweet smile. "Vivian, I just got back to the country and don't know my way around yet. I asked Ruben to show me around. You don't mind, do you?"

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have.

But today was our third anniversary.

Ruben had promised to spend the whole day with me, yet he had just handed Audrey the handmade ceramic mug I had spent a month crafting as a introductory gift.

Staring at the familiar mug in Audreys hands, remembering the long, frustrating nights I spent in the pottery studio burning my fingers, my face went cold.

"Ruben, what is the meaning of this?"

The cafe was crowded.

My sudden confrontation caught Ruben completely off guard.

He knit his handsome brows, cast a quick, apologetic glance at Audrey, and then grabbed my wrist, pulling me into a quiet corner. "Audrey just got back," he muttered, his voice hushed and irritated. "Shes overwhelmed and lonely. Im just helping her adjust. What are you throwing a fit about?"

Honestly, I didn't entirely know why I was so angry.

Maybe it was the buildup of weeks of hearing myself compared unfavorably to her. Or maybe it was just the mug.

"Why did you give her the mug I made for you?" I demanded, my eyes stinging.

Ruben blinked, a rare flash of embarrassment crossing his face. "She remarked on how unique it was, so I let her take a look at it."

"You didn't give it to her?" I asked, skeptical.

"It was a gift from you," he said, softening his tone. "Why would I ever give it away?"

A single sentence was all it took to soothe my anger.

I couldn't help but smile, leaning into his shoulder. "So, you don't find me embarrassing?"

"Why would I?"

"You know, because Im not as delicate and polite as Audrey."

Ruben chuckled, resting his chin on my head. "Well, you could stand to be a little softer."

I nudged his ribs with my elbow, not hard enough to hurt.

He didn't pull away, but behind us, Audreys eyes welled with tears.

She walked over, her fingers lightly catching the sleeve of Ruben's coat, her voice trembling. "Ruben, Im so sorry. This is all my fault. Did I cause trouble between you and Vivian? Maybe I should just take a cab home."

Standing there, looking frail and helpless, she quickly drew the sympathetic gazes of several nearby tables.

I frowned, preparing to tell her that there was no misunderstanding, but Ruben beat me to the punch.

"Vivian, drop it," he said, before turning to Audrey with an entirely different, gentler tone. "Don't worry about it. Just sit down for a minute, and Ill have my driver take you back."

But Audrey didn't let go of his sleeve.

Ruben, who always seemed to possess an infinite well of patience for her, looked at me with a sigh. "Viv, let's reschedule our anniversary dinner. Audrey isn't feeling well, and I need to make sure she gets home safely."

And just like that, the anniversary celebration I had anticipated for weeks was cut short.

Gradually, Rubens free time stopped belonging to me. Audreys presence in his life grew more frequent, and scheduling a simple date with my own boyfriend required checking if Audrey had any plans first.

Eventually, I couldn't bottle it up anymore. On the university library rooftop, I confronted him. "Don't you think this is getting ridiculous? Im your girlfriend, Ruben."

Ruben was scrolling through his phone. He looked up, a familiar look of exhaustion settling over his features. "Are we doing this again? Audrey is like a sister to me. Why do you have to be so competitive with her?"

"Im not being competitive," I said, staring directly into his eyes. "But we don't even have time to be alone anymore. We promised wed get married right after graduation, but now?"

That was a fair point, and it seemed to sober him up.

He reached out, pulling me into his chest and stroking my hair. "Once we graduate, I have to step into the family business. Its going to be chaotic for a while. Let me get my feet under me, and then well get married, okay?"

He leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead and presented me with a delicate silver necklace as an apology for our ruined anniversary.

I wore that necklace every single day after that.

I counted down the days to graduation, dreaming of the life we would build.

But graduation did not bring the fairytale ending I had envisioned.

During the final semester of senior year, I lived in a tiny off-campus apartment, pulling consecutive all-nighters to finish my graduation showcase.

On the day of the final submission, my head was spinning so violently I could barely stand. I called Ruben, hoping he could drive me to the campus clinic.

The phone rang for a long time before a soft voice answered. "Vivian? Ruben is in the shower right now. Is there something I can pass along?"

I froze, my chest tightening as if a hand had squeezed my heart.

"Where... where are you?"

"At Ruben's apartment," Audrey replied, her tone perfectly light and natural. "I came over to help him organize some of his documents for his upcoming trip. Oh, by the way, Vivian, that ceramic mug you made for him? I accidentally knocked it off the counter earlier. I feel absolutely terrible."

My hand shook so hard I could barely hold the phone.

"It's fine," I managed to choke out before hanging up.

I walked to the clinic alone, my feet heavy.

The doctor diagnosed me with severe physical exhaustion and put me on an IV drip. Lying on the narrow clinic cot, staring at the sterile ceiling, a profound wave of loneliness washed over me. I wanted Ruben.

So, I called him again.

This time, he answered. "Viv? Audrey mentioned you called earlier. Whats going on?"

My throat felt dry, clogged with unshed tears. "Im sick, Ruben. Im at the clinic."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Is it serious? Ive got some urgent matters to attend to right now, but Ill try to swing by later tonight."

"Don't worry about it," I said, my voice dead. "Just do what you need to do."

I hung up, watching the screen go black, and let the tears slide silently down my cheeks.

I found out later from a classmate that Audreys father had arrived in the city that afternoon, and Ruben had spent the evening hosting a lavish dinner for their family.

My graduation project went on to win the department's highest honors, but Ruben never showed up to my gallery exhibition.

He told me his family had an emergency.

In reality, Audrey was preparing to head overseas for graduate school, and Rubens entire family had gone to the airport to send her off.

On graduation day, clad in my black academic gown, I searched the crowd for his face.

Instead, I found him near the campus gates, gently holding a weeping Audrey in his arms, stroking her back with practiced tenderness. "It's going to be fine. We'll talk every single day."

The softness in his eyes was so familiar, yet so entirely foreign when directed at someone else.

I stood there, paralyzed, looking down at the small box in my hands. Inside was a pair of custom-engraved cufflinks I had saved up for months to buy him.

Sick to my stomach, I turned to walk away.

But Ruben spotted me. He let go of Audrey and hurried over. "Vivian, happy graduation."

I handed him the box, unable to bring myself to speak.

He opened it, a genuine smile breaking across his face. "These are beautiful. Thank you, Viv." He paused, looking back toward Audrey. "Shes going to be gone for at least two years, and shes terrified of being alone. I was just trying to calm her down."

I nodded, keeping my mouth shut.

Sensing the thick wall of silence between us, he grabbed my hand. "Whats wrong? It's graduation day. We should be celebrating."

I looked at him, my voice barely a whisper. "Ruben, do you still love me?"

Ruben stiffened, his eyes darting away for a split second. "Why are you asking that out of nowhere?"

"Do you?" I persisted, refusing to let him look away.

Around us, groups of graduates were cheering and taking photos. In the midst of the celebration, my quiet question felt like a sudden drop in temperature.

Ruben let go of my hand and cleared his throat. "There are too many people here, Viv. Lets not do this now. We'll sit down and talk tonight, okay?"

"No," I said. "I want to know right now."

His brow furrowed, irritation bleeding into his expression. "Vivian, can you please stop being so difficult? Look around us. Is this really the time or place for this?"

Looking at him, I felt a sudden, terrifying sense of unfamiliarity.

Why was it so easy for him to offer Audrey boundless tenderness, yet so difficult to offer me a simple reassurance of his love?

Years of accumulated grief and neglect boiled over. I bit my lip, my voice shaking with rage. "Am I being difficult, or have you simply checked out? We were supposed to get married after graduation, Ruben. Yet your parents are already planning an engagement party for you and Audrey. Do you think Im stupid?"

Rubens face darkened instantly. "Who told you that?"

"So its true," I whispered, a bitter laugh escaping me as tears finally spilled over. "Unbelievable. You talk to me about our future while quietly letting your parents arrange a marriage with someone else."

"There is nothing going on!" Ruben raised his voice, drawing a few sideways looks from passing families. "Audrey is like family. The engagement was a passing joke between our parents. I never agreed to it!"

By now, a small crowd was starting to gather.

Audrey walked over, her eyes still red, her voice dripping with sweet concern. "Vivian, please don't be mad at Ruben. The engagement talk... it was just a silly joke our fathers made over dinner. It doesn't mean anything."

Staring at the two of them standing side-by-side, the picture-perfect match, I let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"A joke? Your families have already drafted a guest list, and you call it a joke?"

I looked back at Ruben. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me youve never once thought about marrying her?"

Rubens face went entirely cold. He stared at me with a mixture of profound disappointment and rising anger. "Vivian, do you really have to ruin graduation by making such a disgusting scene?"

"Am I making a scene, or are you just terrified of the truth?" I threw my chin up, refusing to back down. "Ive seen your phone, Ruben. I saw the folder of her photos labeled 'My Sweet Pea.' I saw how you ignore my texts for days but reply to hers in seconds. Is that how you treat a sister?"

Slap.

The sound was sharp, cutting through the ambient noise of the courtyard.

I froze.

My left cheek burned with a fierce, throbbing heat. My mind went blank, unable to process what had just happened.

Ruben froze too. He stared at his own palm, then looked at me, his mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out.

In all the years we had spent together, Ruben had never so much as raised a hand to me. No matter how much I yelled, no matter how childishly I behaved, he had always met my tantrums with indulgent sighs.

I never imagined he would strike me, let alone for her.

Audrey gasped, covering her mouth. "Ruben! What did you do?"

She reached out to grab his arm, but he violently shook her off. He stared at me, his eyes a chaotic storm of regret, hurt, and overwhelming frustration.

"We both need space to think," he said quietly, before turning on his heel and walking away.

He didn't look back.

Audrey shot me a brief lookone filled with a strange, hard emotion I couldn't quite decipherbefore turning to run after him.

I was left standing alone in the middle of the crowded courtyard, the red handprint on my face burning under the afternoon sun.

That day marked the beginning of a cold war.

Ruben tried to visit my apartment a few times, but I refused to open the door.

A week later, word reached me that Ruben and Audrey had boarded a flight together. His family had sent him to manage their European branch, and Audrey was starting her graduate program in the same city.

Before he left, he sent me a single text: Wait for me for two years. We'll get married the moment I get back.

I never replied.

A month later, sitting in the bathroom of my rented apartment, I looked down at the two solid pink lines on a pregnancy test.

My heart in my throat, I dialed Ruben's number.

The call went through, but Audreys voice answered. "Vivian? Ruben is in an executive meeting right now. Can I take a message?"

I sat in silence for a few agonizing seconds. "No," I whispered. "It's nothing."

I hung up, slid down to the cold bathroom tile, and wept until my chest ached.

The next morning, I walked into a clinic alone.

When I was discharged, I gathered every single thing Ruben had ever given methe silver necklace, the bracelets, our matching shirts, and dozens of printed photographspacked them into a cardboard box, and shipped it to his vacant Boston apartment.

Then, I changed my phone number, packed a single suitcase, and left Boston behind.

I came to this quiet, freezing northern town where nobody knew my name.

And I stayed for five years.

Until today, when my aunt dragged all those buried memories back to the surface.

But to my surprise, my heart remained entirely still.

Aunt Brenda watched my face closely, testing the waters. "Vivian, honey, are you still harboring resentment over what happened? You two were young and hot-headed; couples fight. Its been five years. Isn't it time to let it go?"