I married the man I had secretly adored for seven years. For three years of our marriage, he brought different women home every night. It made me a laughingstock among our peers. Finally, I decided to let myself loose and started dating a younger man. Turns out, I stumbled upon a young scion from a prominent family, absolutely obsessed with me. He wasn’t after my money or status; he wanted *me*. He cried, begging me for a real commitment, a proper place in his life, again and again in bed. Seductive whispers and low groans echoed through the dimly lit living room, grating on my ears. The moment I pushed open the front door, I saw a torn dress in the foyer, fragments scattered. Down the hallway, women’s lingerie and a man’s dress shirt lay strewn on the floor. That light blue shirt was crumpled into a messy ball. I couldn’t be mistaken. I had personally picked it out for Julian Blackwood when we first got married. Looks like he couldn’t even wait a second, I thought, a bitter laugh in my throat. The two in the living room were still at it. There was no need for me to stand there and eavesdrop. After flipping on the living room light, I walked straight towards my own room. I’d only taken two steps when I heard a woman’s startled cry. Following the sound, my gaze met Julian’s. There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment in his eyes at being caught. I wasn’t particularly close to them, only close enough to see Julian’s bare torso, his muscles well-defined, his physique impressive. A few red scratch marks marred his chest, likely a result of their intense passion. I tore my gaze away and headed for the stairs. Just as I was about to go upstairs, Julian’s nonchalant voice drifted after me: “Why are you back so early today?” If it were before, I might have retorted, “Otherwise, how would I have caught you in the act?” But I was used to it by now. After all, I couldn’t even remember how many times I’d “caught him cheating” in our own home. After a long, busy day, I was utterly exhausted and had no desire to speak further with Julian. I simply mumbled, “Work wasn’t too heavy at the office today.” I assumed Julian wouldn’t press the issue, but to my surprise, he was completely out of character today. “Let’s go to dinner this weekend. There’s a new, upscale French bistro that just opened; I hear it’s quite good.” If my mind had been hazy with sleepiness just moments before, his words instantly snapped me awake. I couldn’t quite make out Julian’s intentions. Inviting his wife to dinner this weekend, right in front of the woman he’d just been with—the audacity of that man! A surge of dark amusement possessed me. I turned to look at Julian, meeting his slightly smiling eyes. “Alright.” Almost immediately after I spoke, I could feel the woman’s intense stare from the sofa, impossible to ignore. She had an incredibly innocent face, though the seductive glint in her eyes hadn’t quite faded. She wore an oversized, baggy top, and her exposed neck and collarbone were covered in hickeys. She looked like she’d just been thoroughly ‘taken care of.’ When our eyes met, hers held a mix of pride and triumph, along with a hint of jealousy. My acceptance of Julian’s invitation had probably ruffled her feathers. I found it rather amusing. She was clearly young; her little schemes were transparent, written all over her face. I decided to add fuel to the fire, dropping, “You know, out of all the women he’s brought home, you’re my favorite type.” I could literally see Julian’s face darken. The girl’s face went stark white as she heard my words, her eyes welling up, on the verge of tears. I frankly had no interest in witnessing the classic melodrama that would follow. It would simply be Julian embracing her, offering comfort, and then the two of them tumbling back into bed. Every time Julian brought a woman home, he would restore everything in the house to its original state before I woke up the next morning. I truly didn’t need to worry about it. After all, no matter what my attitude was, Julian would never change because of me.
Early that Saturday, Julian sent me the restaurant location. After finishing my tasks at hand, I headed straight there, still dressed in simple work attire. Even light makeup couldn’t hide the fatigue under my eyes; I was the kind of person who’d blend into any crowd. The moment I stepped into the restaurant, I saw Julian. He sat alone by the window, idly stirring his coffee, an inherent aura about him that seemed to set him apart from his surroundings. For a fleeting second, the image of the spirited, dashing young man from my high school memories overlapped with the figure before me. Seraphina’s arrival abruptly pulled me back to reality. She wore a soft, feminine long dress, her face immaculately made up. She walked directly to Julian’s side, looped her arm through his, and snuggled intimately into his embrace. They leaned into each other, looking perfectly matched, like the leads of a romantic drama. A dense, throbbing pain bloomed in my heart. Even though this wasn’t the first time I’d seen Julian intimate with another woman, and I was used to his infidelity, my heart still tasted bitter. Perhaps it was because their entwined figures so closely resembled how Julian and I used to be together, only the heroine of the story had changed. My arrival, of course, didn’t escape Seraphina’s notice. She shot me a triumphant, slightly provocative gaze, like a child showing off a beloved new toy. Noticing Seraphina’s constant stares in my direction, Julian naturally realized I was there. A rare flicker of awkwardness crossed his face as he gently removed Seraphina’s hand from his arm, then called out, “Eleanor, over here.” I walked over and sat directly opposite them. An awkward silence fell between the three of us. Julian was the first to break the awkward silence, introducing Seraphina. “Eleanor, this is Seraphina, my secretary.” Upon hearing the word “secretary,” Seraphina visibly stiffened, her face darkening. I was about to speak, but Seraphina cut me off. “Hello, Ms. Vance. Julian talks about you often.” Her tone was an overt declaration of ownership. “My apologies, this is the first I’ve heard him mention you,” I said, my voice flat, my face devoid of expression. Seraphina’s face instantly went stark white. She looked pitifully at Julian, as if begging him to intervene. To my surprise, Julian completely ignored Seraphina’s silent plea, saying instead, “Seraphina, go home. This isn’t where you belong.” At his words, Seraphina’s body trembled uncontrollably, her voice shaking. “Julian, I’m not leaving.” Julian beside her remained silent, his expression icy, the pressure around him palpable. Seraphina burst into tears and ran off, leaving me with a resentful glare as she left. Julian said nothing more, simply waved over the waiter and ordered many of my favorite dishes. During dinner, he even meticulously picked out all the mushrooms, which I despise, putting them on his own plate. This instantly reminded me of when we first graduated college. We didn’t have much money, so we lived very frugally. We’d only order one dish at a small cafe. The owner misheard our order and added mushrooms to my plate as usual. I, who hated mushrooms, was at a loss, and too introverted to ask the owner for a new plate. Julian, however, painstakingly picked out every single mushroom and quietly ate them all himself. Noticing I seemed lost in thought, Julian called out to me, “Ellie, what’s wrong?” The way he said my name, combined with the memory of him picking out the mushrooms, made me feel as if I had traveled back to our past. Possessed by a sudden impulse, I asked, “Julian, why did you invite me out to dinner today?” He hadn’t expected such a question. His movements stiffened, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the tabletop. This was a habit of Julian’s; whenever he did this, it meant he was about to lie. I smiled, though my heart ached. I pretended to say nonchalantly, “Just be honest. It wouldn’t happen to be because of your little secretary who just left, would it?” He looked as if a great weight had been lifted. “You always see through me, Eleanor. She’s been too clingy lately, forgetting her place. I actually brought you out to let her know that I’m putting her in her place for a while.” Receiving the answer I expected, it was a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed. But I forced back the tears, at least, I wouldn’t cry in front of him.
I had secretly adored Julian since high school. He was a big shot at our school. Handsome, a star basketball player, and even got a full scholarship to an Ivy League university. Yet, he was a natural playboy, with girlfriends changing constantly. Still, countless girls secretly admired him, myself included. I once thought I was his ‘the one,’ and even my friends believed he had turned over a new leaf for me, that he’d only love me forever. To my dismay, the pretense didn’t last past the third month of our marriage. Taking advantage of my business trip, he directly brought a woman home to stay overnight. I had returned early, filled with joy, hoping to surprise him, as it was the anniversary of when we first became official. All that greeted me was a chaotic scene of infidelity. I was hysterical then, crying and screaming, utterly heartbroken, smashing everything in the house I could lay my hands on. Julian showed no remorse for being caught. Instead, he told me, “Eleanor, it’s impossible for a person to stick with just one person their whole life; trying new things is always good.” Memories flooded back, and my gaze fell upon the wine glass in front of me. I actually didn’t drink, but Julian and I owned a company, and someone always needed to negotiate partnerships, drinking with clients until they were happy, which often sealed the deals. I forced myself to learn how to drink. A cool, clear voice broke through my thoughts: “Sister, drinking this much alone isn’t good for your health.” The person spoke to me, dressed in a hotel waiter’s uniform. He was young, no older than twenty, with exquisite, handsome features. His clean, pristine aura clashed with the noisy bar environment. With the alcohol getting to my head, my thoughts were sluggish. I slurred slightly, “It’s fine. I can handle my liquor.” As I reached for the glass to take another sip, Ly Thorne, with quick, agile hands, snatched it from my grasp. He sat beside me, his bright eyes fixed on mine. “Sister, you’re not allowed to drink anymore.” I was somewhat annoyed that my drink had been taken. I stood up to retrieve it, but my balance was off, and I tumbled right into Ly Thorne’s embrace. He smelled wonderfully clean, unlike Julian, whose scent was often tinged with women’s perfume. Ly smelled faintly of cedarwood. Feeling drowsy, Ly Thorne gently helped me sit up, leaning closer to my face. His voice, a tempting whisper, asked, “Sister, are you tired? Will you come with me?” A handsome face, magnified, filled my vision. His tone was full of genuine concern. As if possessed, I nodded. I don’t know how much time passed. I managed to pry open my eyes, only to see Ly Thorne’s gaze brimming with affection, as if I were the only person in his world. He whispered into my ear, “Sister, are you alright?” His warm breath tickled my skin. I still clung to a sliver of lucidity, but Julian’s words from before echoed in my mind: *trying new things is always good.* I decided to indulge, to live for myself, just this once.
I woke the next day with only a throbbing headache, a hangover from too much wine. Beside me, Ly Thorne was watching me with those innocent eyes, and then I remembered what happened last night. Looking at his youthful, innocent face, I asked, a little nervously, “How old are you?” “I just turned nineteen last month,” he answered obediently. I was simultaneously relieved he was at least eighteen and a little regretful about last night. As if sensing my dilemma, Ly Thorne said considerately, “Sister, you don’t need to be responsible for me.” But as he spoke, he lowered his head, as if he’d been wronged. I, however, felt truly embarrassed. I had initially thought, since he was a waiter, his family probably wasn’t well-off, and I could just compensate him with some money. But with Ly Thorne explicitly saying he didn’t need me to be responsible, offering money now would truly be disrespectful. I gave him my business card. “I owe you an apology. This is my card. I’m Eleanor Vance. If you ever need help with anything, please come find me. I’ll do everything I can to assist you.” Ly Thorne took my card, obediently saying, “Alright, Sister. My name is Lysander Thorne.” I was busy getting dressed and didn’t really pay attention to what he said next, then left in a hurry. Naturally, I didn’t notice the playful yet insistent gaze Ly Thorne fixed on my retreating back. Today was our team meeting at the company. Despite rushing as fast as I could, I was still late. The only difference today was that Julian was there. Seeing me arrive late, his face darkened considerably; anyone could tell he was furious today. After the meeting, I went to the restroom to touch up my makeup. The moment I stepped out, someone yanked me into an adjacent stall. I was about to resist when Julian’s voice came: “Eleanor, you really outdid yourself. Where were you last night?” Though the stall was dim and cramped, I could still make out the fury on Julian’s face. “It’s none of your business. You’re the one who said we should act like strangers at the office.” “Hmph. Where did those hickeys on your neck come from? Out messing around with some random man?” Julian practically gritted his teeth. I looked at Julian with a touch of amusement. “Julian, didn’t you tell me before to try dating younger men? Well, I did. A nineteen-year-old boy-toy, handsomer than you, and better in bed.” Julian’s face went even darker, veins bulging on his right hand. He pinned me against the wall, clearly intending to kiss me. I pushed him with all my might, but he didn’t budge, trapping me in the crook of his arm. My struggles lessened, and he even smirked. I just felt a chill of disgust. Suddenly, the stall door was pushed open by Seraphina. She stared in disbelief at the scene before her. Julian halted his actions then, and I seized the opportunity, slapping Julian hard across his right cheek. I put all my strength into that slap, and his cheek quickly swelled and reddened. I spat, “You’re sick.” An indescribable sense of catharsis washed over me as I walked out without looking back. Julian still tried to hold me back, but Seraphina beside him was crying incessantly, forcing Julian to embrace his little secretary and offer explanations.
After that day, I never again came home to find Julian bringing women over, and Seraphina had been fired. In fact, twice, he had dinner prepared for me, a table laden with all my favorite dishes. Julian’s cooking had always been good; in the first three months of our marriage, he often cooked, even promising to cook for me for a lifetime. But after I discovered his infidelity and made a huge scene, we rarely had the chance to sit down and eat together peacefully. I was somewhat unaccustomed to Julian’s sudden change. I didn’t believe he had fallen back in love with me, but I couldn’t grasp his true motive. On my birthday, he took the day off work early, dressing in the simple white shirt he knew I had loved in high school and college, looking full of youthful charm. Seeing him walk towards me, holding a bouquet, my memory flashed back to three years ago, to his proposal. His eyes had been brimming with deep affection for me, and our friends were cheering, livening the atmosphere. He walked slowly towards me, holding a modest ring, and knelt on one knee. “Ellie, marry me. I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” And now, he held a bouquet of my favorite white roses, kneeling on the ground, begging for my forgiveness. “Ellie, I was wrong before. I let you down, did so many things that hurt you. It’s understandable that you’d ignore me. But I’ve realized I can’t live without you. I promise you, I will only love you.” By the end, tears streamed down Julian’s face, yet I remained unmoved. Seeing I made no move, Julian began to slap himself, again and again. Soon, his handsome face became red and swollen, looking quite pathetic, a stark contrast to his usual aloof and self-possessed demeanor. My heart wavered slightly. This was only the second time Julian had cried in front of me. The last time was when we first started our business and lost all our money. Our world felt like it was crashing down, and he cried in my arms like a child. I looked at Julian, and ultimately, my heart softened. I helped him up from the cold floor and told him I forgave him.
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