Olivia Spent the Entire Day Preparing for Her First New Year’s Eve Away from Her Parents—Cleaning, Cooking, Setting the Table to Celebrate with Her Beloved. For Three Months, She’d Lived with Tony, Who Was Fifteen Years Older, Divorced, Paid Child Support, and Sometimes Drank Too Much… But None of That Mattered When You’re in Love. Nobody Could Understand What Drew Her to Him: Far from a Looker, With a Nasty Temper, Unbelievably Stingy, and Always Broke—And If He Did Have Money, He Only Spent It on Himself. But Somehow, Olivia Fell for This Oddball. She Hoped Tony Would Notice How Easygoing and Domestic She Was, and Want to Marry Her. He’d Always Say, “We Need to Live Together So I Can See What Kind of Homemaker You Are—My Ex Was Useless.” Olivia Never Knew What His Ex Was Like—He Never Explained. So She Tried Her Hardest: Never Complaining When He Came Home Drunk, Cooking, Cleaning, Doing Laundry, Buying Groceries with Her Own Money (He Shouldn’t Think She’s After His Wallet), Even Laying Out the New Year’s Feast at Her Expense and Getting Him a Brand New Phone as a Gift. While Olivia Prepared, Her “Wonderful” Tony Was Busy in His Own Way—Getting Drunk with Friends. He Came Home Merry and Announced His Mates Would Be Joining Them for New Year’s—People Olivia Didn’t Even Know. She’d Set the Table and There Was an Hour Left to Midnight, but Her Spirit Was Sinking—But She Held Back Her Feelings, Not Wanting to Be Like His Ex. Half an Hour Before Midnight, a Rowdy, Drunken Crowd of Men and Women Burst In. Tony Perked Up Immediately, Sat Everyone Down, and the Booze Kept Flowing. He Didn’t Even Introduce Olivia—She Was Invisible, Unnoticed, While They Ate the Food She’d Made, Joked Among Themselves, and Laughed together. When Olivia Suggested It Was Time to Pour the Champagne for the Countdown, Someone Slurred, “Who’s That Then?” and Tony Quipped, “My Bedside Neighbour,” Sending His Friends into Gales of Laughter. They Mocked Her Naivety, Praised Tony for His “Clever Move” in Finding Himself a Free Cook and Housemaid, and He Didn’t Defend Her—He Laughed Along, Munching on Food She’d Bought and Made, “Wiping His Feet” on Her Efforts. Quietly, Olivia Left the Room, Packed Her Things, and Went Back to Her Parents. She’d Never Had Such a Miserable New Year. Her Mum Gave the Usual, “I Warned You,” Her Dad Breathed a Sigh of Relief, and After She’d Cried Her Heart Out, Olivia Took Off Her Rose-Tinted Glasses. A Week Later, When Tony Ran Out of Money, He Turned Up at Her Door as If Nothing Had Happened: “Why’d You Leave? Did You Get Upset?” Then Tried Guilt-Tripping Her: “Nice of You, Lounging with Mum and Dad While I’ve Got Nothing in the Fridge! You’re Acting Just Like My Ex!” Olivia Was So Stunned by the Nerve of Him That She Was Momentarily Speechless—All the Comebacks She’d Practiced Vanished. All She Managed Was to Tell Him Off in the Strongest Terms and Slam the Door in His Face. This Was How Olivia’s New Life Began—Right with the New Year.

So, you wouldnt believe what happened to my friend Emily last New Years Eve. She spent the whole day cleaning up the flat, cooking up a storm, and laying the table beautifullyher first New Year not with her parents, but with her boyfriend. Shed moved in with Dave, whos about 15 years older than her, three months ago. Hes divorced, paying child support, fancies a drink a bit too much sometimes but, you know, when youre in love, those things seem to fade into the background.

Honestly, no one could figure out what Emily saw in Dave: not exactly a looker, more awkward than charming, with a terrible temper, tighter than Scrooge, and always skint. And even when he did have a few quid, hed just splash out on himself. But still, Emily had completely fallen for him.

For the three months shed lived with him, she was convinced that if she just showed how down-to-earth and domestic she was, hed realise what a catch shed be as a wife. Dave used to say, We need to live together firstsee if youre any good as a homemaker. My ex was a nightmare, I dont want that again. What was so bad about his ex, Emily could only guesshe never really explained. So shed just keep her head down: never argued when he came back tipsy, did all the cooking and cleaning, bought all the groceries out of her own pocket (so he wouldnt think she was just after his money), and even set up the entire New Years spread herself. She even got him a brand new phone for his present.

While Emily was dashing around making everything perfect, Dave waswellprepping in his own unique way. Went down the pub with his mates and rolled back home half-cut. And then, just before midnight, he says his pals are coming round for New Years. His mates! People Emily had never even met. She kept her cool, even though her mood was wrecked, telling herself to keep it togethershe wasnt going to be like his ex.

So, its half an hour to midnight and this crowd of rowdy, drunken blokes and women crashes in. Dave perks right up, seats everyone round the table, and on goes the drinking. He didnt even introduce Emily to his friends. She was completely invisiblejust sitting on her own as they all chatted and joked amongst themselves. It got to about two minutes to midnight and Emily said, Shall I pour the champagne? They all shot her a look like she was some random gatecrasher.

Whos she then? slurred one woman.

Just the girl who shares my bed, Dave quipped, laughing, and then everyone else started laughing at her too.

They scoffed all the food Emily had spent hours preparing while mocking her, and as Big Ben chimed they openly mocked her naivety, even congratulated Dave for knowing how to get a maid and cook for free. Dave just sat there, laughing with them, stuffing his face with her food, completely ignoring her feelings.

Emily quietly slipped out, packed her things, and went back to her parents house. Shed never had such an awful New Year in her life. Her mum just rolled her eyes and said, Didnt I tell you so? Her dad let out a relieved sigh. Emily cried her heart out until the rose-tinted glasses finally slipped.

About a week later, once Dave had run out of money, he showed up at her door and, acting as if nothing had happened, said, So, what, you stormed off in a huff? And when he realised she wasnt keen to make up, he had the cheek to say, Oh, youve got it easy now, back with mummy and daddy while Ive got nothing in the fridge! Youre starting to act just like my ex!

Emily was so gobsmacked by his nerve, she couldnt even speak. After all those times rehearsing what shed say, now she just stood there, lost for words. The only thing she managed was to tell him to sod off, slam the door in his face, and that was that.

And just like that, from New Years onwards, Emily started a whole new chapter.