That night, I made a decision.At sunrise, I quietly left. I canceled all bookings, transferred the charges to Kyle’s card, and checked into a small hotel I had wisely booked just in case. He and his family were furious. I didn’t care.

Back home, I changed the locks and left his things in boxes on the porch with a note: “Next time you want someone to pay, don’t flirt on their dime.”A week later, that trip led to an unexpected job promotion after someone connected to the resort praised my composure.Turns out, leaving a man who drains you can make room for a life that fills you up.