My girlfriend used to call me every night just to hear my voice before going to sleep. Sometimes, we would talk for hours about our future, the house we wanted, the places we would visit, and the names we would give our children. But everything changed when she started a new job. Suddenly, the woman who once complained if I didn't call her for an hour could go an entire day without checking on me. At first, I thought she was simply adjusting to her new schedule. So I tried to be patient. One evening, I called her. Me: “Baby, how was work today?” Girlfriend: “It was fine. I'm tired.” Me: “Oh, I'm sorry, my love. Have you eaten?” Girlfriend: “Not yet.” Me: “Should I order something for you? I can send you money to get dinner.” Girlfriend: “No, don't worry about it.” Me: “Are you sure? You know I don't like the idea of you going to bed hungry.” Girlfriend: “I'm fine. Please, I just want to rest.” I went quiet for a moment. Me: “Okay, baby. I won't disturb you. Just promise me you'll eat something.” Girlfriend: “I will. Goodnight.” She ended the call before I could even tell her I loved her. That night, I stared at our old pictures. I remembered how she used to fall asleep while we talked, how she would beg me to stay on the phone for five more minutes, and how she always said my voice made her feel safe. Now, I was the one begging for five minutes of her time. The next morning, I sent her a message. Me: “Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well. I miss you.” She replied three hours later. Girlfriend: “Good morning. Thank you.” Just three words. No pet name. No heart. No “I miss you too.” I tried not to overthink it, but deep down, I could feel something slipping away. That Friday, I decided to surprise her after work. I bought her favourite flowers, ordered the food she loved, and wrote a little note telling her how proud I was of the woman she was becoming. I wasn't going there to complain. I just wanted to hold her, kiss her forehead, and remind her that even though life was getting busier, she still had someone who cared about her deeply. When I arrived at her apartment, I knocked. She opened the door, and the moment she saw me, her smile disappeared. Girlfriend: “What are you doing here?” Me: “I came to see my baby. Is that a crime now?” I tried to laugh, hoping she would smile too. She didn't. Girlfriend: “You should have told me you were coming.” Me: “I wanted to surprise you.” I handed her the flowers. Me: “These are for you. And I brought your favourite food.” She looked at the flowers but didn't take them immediately. Girlfriend: “You didn't have to do all this.” Me: “I know I didn't have to. I wanted to.” For a moment, she looked like she was about to cry. Then she stepped aside and let me in. I placed the food on the table and sat beside her. Me: “Baby, look at me.” She kept her eyes down. Me: “Have I stopped making you happy?” Girlfriend: “Please don't start.” Me: “I'm not starting anything. I'm asking because I love you. I miss the way we used to be. I miss your calls, your laughter, and the way you used to run into my arms whenever you saw me.” My voice became quieter. Me: “I don't need you to spend every minute with me. I just need to know that, somewhere in your busy life, there's still a place for me.” She finally looked at me. Tears were already running down her cheeks. Girlfriend: “You don't understand.” Me: “Then help me understand, baby. Whatever it is, we can talk about it together.” She wiped her face, stood up, and walked toward her bedroom. I thought she was going to ask me to leave. Instead, she returned carrying a small brown envelope. She placed it in my hands. Girlfriend: “Before you judge me, please read everything inside.” I opened the envelope. The moment I saw the first document, my heart began to race. I looked at her in disbelief. Me: “Baby... what is this?” She covered her face and started crying harder. NEXT EPISODE. ..