Chapter 1Four years with my boyfriend. I accidentally found a group chat on his phone called "Happy Hours Without Emily".
I am Emily. What exactly happened?
There were eight people in it.
My boyfriend. His sister. His two best friends. My roommate. My best friend.
And my little brother.
I froze. Messages kept coming.
His sister: [She's not coming Saturday, right? Last time she came, nobody could relax.]
My best friend: [Don't worry. I already told her I have to work. She won't suspect a thing.]
My brother reacted with a laughing emoji.
My Boyfriend: [Perfect. Same place. I'll book it.]
My hands shook as I scrolled up.
The group had been active for two years and three months.
Over 700 messages.
That's when it hit me.
The people I loved could only be happy when they left me out.
...
The sound of my suitcase zipper echoed. I'd left the bedroom door open.
Liam called from the living room. "Got watermelon in the fridge. Want some?"
I didn't answer.
"Emily?"
"No."
Silence. Then he showed up in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
"What are you packing? Work trip tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Last minute."
He nodded and went back to the couch.
I stuffed some clothes and my documents into the suitcase.
Then I pulled out the necklace he'd given me.
Not keeping it. Not keeping any of their stuff.
As I zipped up, my best friend Morgan texted:
[Noooo can't do shopping Saturday :( Overtime. Let's go next weekend? I promise!]
I stared at that message forever. Texted back: [Okay.]
Next morning I rolled my suitcase out early.
Liam was still asleep.
Downstairs waiting for my car, my brother David called.
"Mom wants you home for dinner this weekend. You coming?"
"Can't. Work trip."
"Again? Your company's killing you."
His tone was so casual. So normal.
All I could see was that laughing emoji he sent in the group chat.
"David."
"Yeah?"
"...Never mind."
I hung up and got in the car.
The hotel wasn't far from work. I booked it for a week.
After I settled in, I opened Liam's social media from my backup account.
His latest post was three days ago—group photo at a BBQ place. Everyone looked happy.
The photo had his sister Jade, his friends Marcus and Kyle, Morgan, and David.
Not me.
I remembered that day.
I'd asked what he was doing that night. He said working late.
I dropped my phone face-down on the bed and lay back.
Exhaustion hit like a wave. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.
After a while, Liam called.
"You there? Which city?"
"I'm here."
"Be safe. Don't go out at night."
"Got it."
"Alright, I'm swamped today too."
Oh. Swamped doing what? Planning the next hangout without me?
"Okay." I hung up.
...
Three days at the hotel. Nobody noticed I wasn't actually on a trip.
Fourth day, Morgan asked me to coffee. Said she was done with overtime and wanted to catch up.
At the café, she stirred her latte, smiling. "Back from your trip? You tired?"
"Not really."
"Did Liam call you? That guy's so clueless. Probably didn't even cook while you were gone."
I looked into her eyes. Searched for even a hint of guilt.
But she played it too naturally. Like nothing had ever happened.
"Morgan, what time did you work till Saturday?"
She blinked. "Huh? Till like nine... I was dead."
"That sucks."
"I know, right?" She sighed. "I'll definitely make it up to you."
I took a sip of my coffee. Bitter.
Black Americano. Still easier to swallow than her lies.
On my way back, Liam texted:
[You coming home tomorrow? Pipe's leaking. Can you call someone?]
Right.
Four years together. When he needed me, I was his roommate. His maid. His handyman.
When he didn't need me, I was the obstacle to their fun.
I texted back: [Call the building manager.]
He replied instantly: [Those people take forever. Just call and push them?]
I stared at the screen. The absurdity of it all.
[Do it yourself.]
A long silence. Then his reply came through: [Fine.]
Chapter 2
Fifth day. I went back to the apartment.
Still had things I needed to get.
When I opened the door, Liam was on the couch gaming. He glanced up.
"You're back? Should've told me. I could've picked you up."
"Got a car."
"Oh." His eyes went back to the screen.
Marcus's voice came through the headset, loud. "Dude, don't zone out. We're ranking up."
I dragged my suitcase into the bedroom and started packing.
The things that were actually mine? Not much.
Halfway through, my phone rang. Liam's sister Jade.
I picked up. Her voice was warmer than usual.
"Emily! Family dinner this weekend? Mom keeps asking about you."
"When was this planned?"
"We talked about it yesterday. Forgot to tell you, my bad."
Forgot. Right. More like she checked that group chat first.
"I'll see if I'm free."
"Cool, let me know."
"Oh, and—" She dropped her voice. "Liam's stressed. Stop picking fights with him."
I paused. "When did I pick a fight with him?"
"He said you've been cold lately. And you didn't even tell him about your work trip."
"Emily, you guys have been together four years. You gotta put in effort. Men need attention."
Oh. Seriously?
"Got it, Jade."
I hung up. Stood in the middle of the bedroom. Suddenly didn't want to leave anymore.
Walking away quietly felt too easy for them.
Seven hundred messages. Two years and three months. Every single one about how to exclude me.
Didn't I deserve at least an explanation?
That night, Liam finished gaming.
Saw me sitting on the bed staring at nothing. He came over and kissed my forehead.
"What's going on? Wanna grab dinner?"
"Liam. Are you hiding something from me?"
He froze for a second. Then laughed. "What? What's going on with you?"
"Nothing. Just asking."
"You've been watching too many TikToks. Those influencers love teaching girls to interrogate their boyfriends." He ruffled my hair. "Come on. Let's grab Korean BBQ."
At the restaurant, he got a call and stepped outside.
I saw his screen light up for a split second—Marcus calling.
He stood by the door, back to me, saying something low.
Couldn't hear what. But I saw him smile.
When he came back, he didn't mention it. Just kept eating.
"Who was that?"
"Marcus. Asked if I wanna play ball tomorrow."
"You going?"
"Maybe."
I kept eating.
I knew what his "maybe" meant—depends on what that group chat decides.
Next day was Saturday.
Nine in the morning, Liam left. Said he was playing basketball.
I said okay.
After he left, I opened the tablet he'd left at home.
His messaging app was still logged in.
I found the group—"Happy Hours Without Emily."
Latest message was from this morning at 7:30.
Marcus: [Confirming—Emily isn't coming to the picnic today, right?]
Morgan: [Nope. Told her yesterday I'm drowning in reports.]
David: [Told her I'm at a friend's.]
Jade: [Perfect. Botanical Garden north entrance at 2.]
Liam sent an OK emoji.
Basketball. Right.
I put down the tablet and leaned back.
Something heavy pressed on my chest. A deep, indescribable hurt.
They had a whole system. A coordinated operation with one goal: exclude Emily.
I checked the time. 9:40.
Four more hours till two.
I scrolled through the chat for a long time. Found last year's Thanksgiving.
That day, I'd waited at home for Liam to come back so we could eat together.
At nine, he said he was stuck at a work dinner.
The chat showed they were at Jade's place. Turkey, games, the whole thing. They even video-called David.
David had told me he was "out with classmates."
Every lie had backup. Airtight.
I closed the app and put the tablet back where it was.
Chapter 3
Monday morning, I took a half-day off and went to the bank.
Four years together. Two years living together. Liam and I had never officially split expenses.
The apartment was his, but I paid half the renovation.
I bought two-thirds of the furniture and appliances.
Every month he'd transfer three thousand for groceries and bills. Everything else—I covered.
I pulled my transaction history, tagged each expense, and saved it on my phone.
Back at work that afternoon, Morgan texted: [Called you for lunch but you didn't answer?]
"Was in a meeting."
[Tonight then? After work?]
"Got plans."
[With who?]
I didn't reply.
Half a minute later: [So mysterious lol. New friend? JK.]
I stared at that "lol."
When I first met Morgan four years ago, she was ten times warmer.
She invited me shopping, brought me into her circle, introduced me to everyone.
I'd just moved to this city. Didn't know anyone. Meeting her felt like luck.
Now I realize—she got close because I was Liam's girlfriend.
And she excluded me for the same reason.
After work, I didn't go home.
Went to the mall. Had ramen in the food court.
Halfway through, Liam texted: [Coming home for dinner? Made soup.]
"No. Working late."
[This busy? You've been working late a lot.]
I didn't reply.
After eating, I passed a real estate office. Walked in.
"One-bedroom, close to the subway, under three thousand a month. Anything available?"
The agent handed me a stack of listings. "Living alone?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'd recommend these. All furnished..."
I picked two near work and scheduled viewings for Wednesday.
When I left, it was almost nine.
Liam called. His voice was annoyed.
"Emily, when are you even coming home? The soup's cold."
"Don't wait up. Eat first."
"What's been going on with you? You barely talk to me, you come home later and later."
"What's going on with me?"
"You tell me." He sighed. "Something's off with you lately."
"I've always been like this."
"Fine. Whatever."
He hung up.
I wanted to ask: Do you know why something's off?
Did you spend even one second thinking it might be your problem?
Wednesday, after viewing apartments, I signed a lease on the spot.
One month deposit, three months rent. Landlord wanted me in by end of month. Perfect timing.
I had two weeks to prepare.
Two weeks to completely disappear from Liam's life.
Thursday afternoon, I was organizing handover documents at my desk—also preparing to switch jobs.
My phone buzzed. Voice message from David: "My birthday's next week. You coming?"
"Where?"
"Liam's place. He's cooking a whole spread."
I bit my lip.
"Who's coming?"
"The usual crew. Marcus and them. Morgan too."
The usual crew.
The eight people from that group chat.
My brother's birthday. At my boyfriend's apartment.
With the people who'd been systematically excluding me.
And he was inviting me only because that place was technically my home too.
"Might not make it. Got something."
"What? Come on, it's my birthday. Once a year."
"David, when did you and Liam get so close?"
He paused. Then laughed. "We've always been cool. He's basically my brother-in-law."
Brother-in-law.
We weren't even married.
I hung up. Buried my face in my arms for a moment.
Nineteen-year-old David, laughing along in that group chat while everyone lied to me.
He was the brother I'd raised.
When our parents divorced, he was twelve. Lived with me for three years.
I worked two jobs to put him through high school. Took him to Six Flags in the summer. Bought him a new winter coat every year.
When did he start thinking I was someone who needed to be excluded?
Did Liam plant that idea? Or did they infect each other?
Or maybe it had always been this way. And I just never knew.
