The Playboy’s Regret: I’m Done Being Your Obedient Toy!

When Ethan and I went Instagram official, all my friends messaged me to ask if I was being scammed.

Ethan was the most notorious playboy in our circle, constantly surrounded by women.

But to everyone's surprise, after he got with me, he stopped seeing other girls.

He even replaced all his female assistants with men.

Everyone said Ethan and I were true love.

Until our fifth anniversary, when he lost a game of Truth or Dare with his friends. One of them asked him:

"You've been with Chloe for five years. Are you actually in love with her?"

He took a drag of his cigarette and casually replied:

"Out of all the girls I've had, she's the most obedient. She does whatever I tell her to do, and she's been doing it for years."

So, he was only with me because I was submissive.

I didn't storm in and make a scene. Instead, I sent a text to his third side-chick.

At 11 PM, Ethan finally called me.

"Come pick me up at the lounge downtown. I had a few drinks, can't drive."

In the past, if he called, I would drop everything to get him.

But now, I waited until I was in the middle of my skincare routine to reply, "Just call an Uber."

Half an hour later, Ethan called again, his voice irritated. "Are you coming or what? I've been waiting forever."

I sighed, changed my clothes, and went out anyway.

Twenty minutes later, I took a taxi to the lounge downtown.

Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard a burst of laughter from inside, mixed with guys cheering.

"Come on, Ethan! You lost the game, you gotta pay up! You promised to call your girl to pick you up. Don't back out now!"

"Yeah, man, you lost everything last round. Calling your girl is the least you can do!"

Then came Ethan's voice, sounding a bit drunk and arrogant. "What's the rush? I already called her. She'll be here. She always does whatever I say."

"Damn, she's that obedient? Lend her to us sometime then?"

"Screw off! But seriously, she's super sweet. She never makes a scene, no matter what I do."

I froze outside the door.

So that was it.

It wasn't because he was too drunk, or because of some emergency.

He had just lost a game of Truth or Dare and used me as a prop to show off.

With a blank expression, I pulled out my phone, found Sienna's Snapchat, and sent her a message: "Ethan is wasted at the downtown lounge. Come pick him up."

Then I turned around and walked back to the cab.

Once I got home, I finished my skincare and opened my closet to pack my bags.

My phone buzzed a few times. It was Ethan on Snapchat:

"Where are you? Why aren't you here yet?"

"Never mind, don't come. Sienna happened to be passing by, she's driving me home."

I didn't reply.

A moment later, he sent another one: "Are you seriously mad? It was just a game. Don't be dramatic."

Still no reply from me.

The last message had a softer tone: "Fine, I'm sorry, okay? I'll bring you a gift."

Looking at the message, I found it hilarious.

If he had coaxed me like this before, my heart would have melted. I would have thought he at least cared.

But now, I just wondered if he was laughing at how gullible I was while typing those words.

I put my phone on silent, rolled over, and closed my eyes.

The next morning, Ethan dragged his suitcase in, his face dark.

"I was out all night, and you didn't even send me a single text?"

I stopped drinking my water and looked at him blankly.

Ethan took off his jacket impatiently. "Stop drinking that. I'm starving. Make me something to eat."

"I was at the club all night and didn't eat a thing."

He turned to go to the bathroom, but I said flatly, "I don't have time. Order DoorDash."

Ethan stopped in his tracks, knitting his brows, glaring at me with displeasure.

"Chloe, have you had enough? I waited for you so long last night, and you didn't even show up. You made me look like an idiot in front of my friends. Was it really that big of a deal?"

I put down my glass and took it to the kitchen, having no desire to argue.

His expression shifted, and he suddenly took a step forward, grabbing my wrist.

"Alright, stop being mad. I'll take you out for French food tonight. Haven't you been dying to go to that fancy place?"

His voice was low, carrying a commanding tone, as if he knew exactly how to manipulate my feelings.

I pulled my hand back, rubbing my wrist subtly, and went to the door to put on my shoes.

Ethan stared at me in disbelief. "Chloe, what the hell? Are you disgusted by me?"

"No, I just don't have an appetite."

Just as Ethan was about to lose his temper, I glanced at my phone. "I'm meeting a friend. I have to go."

"I'll drive you."

"No need. I called an Uber."

Ethan's face darkened. "I said I'll drive you."

"Really, no need." I opened the front door. "You just got back. Get some rest."

Ethan glared at me in silence.

Without waiting for his response, I walked out.

A loud crash echoed behind me.

He had kicked the cabinet by the door.

I got into the car and gave the driver my office address.

Just as the car pulled out of the neighborhood, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Sienna.

No words, just a picture.

It was a photo of a man sleeping peacefully on his side.

In the background was a hotel's floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city lights at night.

I locked my phone, leaned back against the seat, and closed my eyes.

A moment later, it buzzed again.

Still Sienna: "Hey Chloe, Ethan said he slept great last night. He told me to thank you for letting him go."

I didn't reply.

She sent another one: "Oh, by the way, he said he's coming over again tomorrow night. You don't mind, right?"

Still ignoring her, I deleted the chat history.

As the car moved forward, the city streets blurred past the window.

I thought about all the women who had come and gone around Ethan over the past five years.

The first was his secretary at the firm. I caught them kissing in the breakroom. He claimed she initiated it and he was too drunk to react. I believed him.

The second was a client he met on a business trip. She sent him her hotel room number late at night. He said it was just a joke and told me not to overreact. I believed him too.

Now, it was the third one, Sienna.

Every time he got caught, he would apologize, promise to change, buy me gifts, and behave for a while.

But it wouldn't be long before the next one appeared.

I used to think he genuinely loved me and was just easily tempted.

I thought that if I was good enough, patient enough, he would eventually settle down.

But now, I finally understood.

He wasn't easily tempted; he was just a cheater at heart.

Every "you're the only one I love" was a lie to me, and to himself.

I opened my eyes, looking out the window, feeling completely cold inside.

About a mile from the office, I asked the driver to pull over. I wanted to walk the rest of the way.

I was going to the office to resign.

I had chosen to work in New York only because of Ethan.

For him, I had rejected my family's trust fund, had a massive fight with my parents, and cut off contact with them for a long time.

I sat by the sidewalk for a long while before finally pulling out my phone and dialing a number I hadn't called in years.

The phone rang for a long time before my mom answered, her voice hesitant. "Chloe?"

I took a deep breath. "Mom, I've thought it over. That marriage proposal you and Dad talked about... I accept."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, and then my mom's voice cracked with emotion. "Good, good. I'll go tell your father right now."

I hung up, and tears finally spilled over.

The love I had fought so hard for was nothing but a joke.

I agreed to the arranged marriage and booked a flight back home to Seattle for the day after tomorrow.

As for my relationship with Ethan...

This was the end of the line.