When I questioned Seraphina about her assistant, Caleb, for the eighth time, she just coldly pointed to the door. “It’s exactly what you think it is. If you can’t handle it, you can move out of my house.” The moment she spoke, words I alone could see flashed before my eyes. [Don’t listen to her, bro! She’s just mad you don’t trust her!] [Just tell her you’re jealous, and she’ll drop to her knees, explaining everything!] For the first time, I ignored those words. I just looked at Seraphina and said, “Fine.” I turned and walked back into my room to pack. The words in front of me started shaking even faster. [Bro, don’t be impulsive! She’s just playing hard to get, but she totally cares about you!] [If our guy just turns around and looks at her, her tears will start falling!] I paused, my hands still on my packing. I was the one who pursued Seraphina. Back then, she was our university’s most famous real-life Cinderella story. Beautiful, from a troubled family, she’d topped her major for three consecutive years and even won a national award. Guys swarmed around her, but her perpetually cold face kept them at bay. Only I persevered for three years, finally winning over that ice queen. Even after we became official, her constant aloofness didn’t bother me. I believed that if I loved her enough, the ice would eventually melt for me. Later, when I found out her parents had both cheated on each other when she was just a child, leaving her with a fractured family… My eyes welled up as I told her, “No matter what happens, I’ll always stand by you. I’ll never push you away.” That night, Seraphina clung to me, wanting me all night long. And those invisible words? They appeared after I proposed to Seraphina. They told me why Seraphina would get inexplicably angry. They taught me what to do when she was furious, her eyes red, telling me to leave. They said an ice queen like Seraphina needed someone as warm and fiery as me to melt her heart. At first, I believed it was a reward from above. Until one day, Seraphina came home with the scent of another man’s cologne clinging to her. They said: [She just wants you to be jealous, bro! It’s just a little game women play.] The first time Seraphina didn’t reply to my texts, and then hung up when I called. They said: [Keep calling, bro! She’s secretly thrilled seeing your name flash over and over!] Another time, at 2 AM, Seraphina’s phone was off. I searched everywhere she might be in the pouring rain, only to come home and see her being helped out of a car by her assistant, Caleb. They said: [What’s she doing wrong? She just wants to close this deal to travel the world with you, bro!] And finally, today, I couldn’t hold back anymore and asked Seraphina again: “Pictures of you kissing Caleb were sent right to my phone. How do you explain that?” And… that’s how I ended up here, packing my bags. But honestly, this wasn’t the first time I’d heard Seraphina say, ‘Get out of my house.’ After we got married, her favorite line was always, ‘Get out of my house.’ She knew I had no one else in this unfamiliar city, that going home by train would take 16 hours. She was aware my parents weren’t in good health, and she knew I never burdened them with my troubles. So, the moment we argued, those words would fly out. And when she said them, any big problem we had suddenly became *my* problem. I still remember the first time she said it. I was stunned, sitting in our room, feeling utterly miserable. Three hours later, she came in, knelt before me, her eyes slowly turning red, and her voice trembling as she pleaded. “Asher, I don’t know why, but when I get angry, I just think of how my mom used to treat my dad.” “For me, this place isn’t home unless you’re here.” “I’m sorry, please don’t leave me, okay?” Seeing her so fragile, as if she might break with a touch, I immediately reconciled with her. And so, we fell into a vicious cycle. She’d tell me to leave, I’d retreat to our room, and then she’d come to apologize…
I closed my eyes, and then the door behind me suddenly opened. Seraphina gripped the doorknob and began, “Asher…” Her words died in her throat when she saw the suitcase on the floor. She snapped her head up to look at me, then sneered, “Good for you. At least you’ve got some backbone this time. Pack up and leave already. Don’t waste my time.” My body stiffened, but I didn’t turn around. Instead, I sped up my packing. The words appeared again before my eyes. [Bro, just look back at her! Her tears are about to fall!] [The moment our guy turns around, she’ll hug him, kiss him, and then things will get R-rated!] [I guarantee you, her inner monologue right now is: *Please, don’t go.*] I stared at those lines, my breath growing shallow, almost suffocating. From dating to marriage, she pushed me away again and again, and I, like a fool, would stick to her like glue. I’d lived like that for seven years. During one fight, she’d scoffed at me: “Asher, do you even know how to spell ‘self-respect’?” She didn’t know that when you truly love someone, you throw self-respect out the window. But now, I was done loving. I snapped the suitcase shut, zipped it up, and pulled up the handle. I walked past Seraphina, pushed open the door, and strode out. As I headed downstairs, those words flickered across my vision again. [Oh no, bro is really mad this time! If she doesn’t sweet-talk him now, it’ll be too late!] [Why is she just standing there on the balcony like a statue? Our guy is already leaving the complex!] Just as I felt an urge to look back, my phone rang, a jarring sound. Seeing ‘Seraphina’ on the screen, my heart fluttered, but my hand automatically answered the call. On the other end, Seraphina’s voice was icy: “Do you still want that figurine on the bedside table? If not, I’m throwing it out.” Her words hit my heart like a hammer, the pain so sharp I suddenly found it hard to breathe. The figurine Seraphina mentioned was a pair of little ceramic dolls we’d made together on our first date. Our names were carved into the base, etched there by our own hands, and she’d insisted on adding a heart around them. For years, no matter how much we fought, she never touched those dolls. But now, she was saying, so coldly: *Throw them out if you don’t want them.* Those words flashed again. [Bro, she’s actually asking if you’re really going to abandon her if you don’t even want those memories!] [A conflicted person needs an unshakeable partner. She just wants to confirm you won’t leave her!] Staring at the words, I choked out a trembling sound: “Yeah, go ahead and throw them away.” Seraphina didn’t say another word before hanging up. I dragged my suitcase out of the apartment complex, then paid a hefty price to a real estate agent to find me a rental apartment within three hours. By the time I’d settled everything, it was already past midnight. I lay in bed, feeling a strange emptiness, experiencing the first night without Seraphina in seven years. The next day, I walked into the company in a daze. When I reached my desk, I saw a Starbucks Americano waiting for me. I turned around, about to ask my colleague where the coffee came from, when Seraphina and her assistant, Caleb, walked into the office together. Caleb smiled brightly: “It’s my birthday today! My boss treated everyone to coffee, and there’ll be desserts this afternoon too!” It was *his* birthday, but Seraphina was paying.
Suddenly, everyone’s eyes were fixed on me. My hands clenched at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. Then, I picked up the coffee, raised it in Caleb’s surprised gaze, and said, “Happy Birthday, Caleb.” Caleb was speechless. Seraphina, however, looked at me and suddenly spoke: “Asher, you were late today. Pay attention to your work. Don’t slack off just because you’re doing menial tasks.” At her words, the looks directed at me immediately shifted. It was pity, laced with mockery… Under that barrage of stares, I couldn’t help but feel humiliated, but more than that, my heart turned cold. I forced myself to meet Seraphina’s gaze and said, “I already informed my supervisor last night. No need for you to worry, Ms. Seraphina.” Seraphina’s lips pressed into a tight line. She gave me a deep look before turning and walking away. As soon as she left, a male colleague, who I’d always been at odds with, spoke up. “Asher, so all that happiness you post on SnapChat was fake. Your wife doesn’t even care about you.” “Well, I guess it makes sense. She makes millions now, and you’re just an admin assistant. You married up.” He smugly picked up his coffee and walked out, letting out an undisguised scoff as he passed me. I lowered my gaze to the Americano on my desk, and then suddenly remembered something. When I first joined the company, Seraphina and I were both in technical roles. But company policy strictly forbade employees in the same department from dating. To avoid suspicion, and because I thought one of us should focus on our home life, I voluntarily transferred to the administrative department. After successfully transferring, I started leaving work on time, keeping our home perfectly organized. But now, in Seraphina’s eyes, I was nothing more than someone doing menial tasks. I stood in silence, but then the words flashed again. [Bro, don’t listen to the gossip! She bought coffee for the whole company just so she’d have a legitimate reason to come see you in admin!] [Seriously, when Caleb said ‘birthday,’ her eyes lit up! Trust me, bro!] I believed what those words said was true. But Seraphina could have just come to the administrative department openly. Instead, she went to such lengths, using the most humiliating way to see me. That suffocating feeling in my chest just wouldn’t go away. The entire morning, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t focus. It wasn’t until noon that my boss, Monica, called me into her office. As soon as I entered, she pushed a file across the desk to me. “The German branch had a few key tech talents leave, taking employees with them. Compile the performance metrics from the past year and select someone to take charge.” My heart skipped a beat, a thought rushing to my mind, and the words tumbled out. “Monica, I was originally in a technical role. I volunteer to transfer and move abroad.” The moment I said it, both Monica and I froze. Before this, I had never once thought about voluntarily leaving Seraphina. But once the thought took root, it became unstoppable. Monica asked hesitantly, “Asher, this assignment requires signing a contract. You won’t be able to return to the States for at least five years. Do you want to discuss it with Seraphina?” I shook my head, my desire to go growing stronger: “No need, Monica. I can decide for myself.” “I once sacrificed my career for my family. Now that I have a chance to start over, I don’t want to miss it.” Monica’s eyes changed as I spoke. After looking at me for a long moment, she nodded: “Alright, I’ll recommend you to upper management. Don’t disappoint me.” I nodded vigorously, a sudden surge of excitement filling my chest.
Just as I walked out of the office, the words flashed again before my eyes. [Wait, bro is going abroad? What about Seraphina?] [Seraphina, come sweet-talk our guy now, or he’ll really be gone! All those nights you spent staring at his pillow won’t matter then!] This time, I didn’t pay attention to what they said. Instead, I eagerly began reviewing technical materials. Fortunately, even though I’d switched departments for the past two years, I’d maintained my good student habits, regularly reading cutting-edge industry papers. I spent the entire day recharging, until my friend, Julian, sent me a message. [Asher, it’s my birthday today. Can you make it?] I immediately remembered and quickly replied: [Sure.] After work, I walked out of the company and saw Seraphina’s silver Bentley parked across the street. I couldn’t help but stop, and the words began to flicker again. [Bro, she’s here to pick you up! Just look at her for two seconds, and she’ll come right over!] [Bro isn’t mad anymore, right? She’s not worth getting mad at, that stubborn woman!] I had just paused when someone suddenly bumped into me from behind, making me stumble. I turned around to see Caleb’s smiling face. “Oops, sorry, Asher! I’m in a hurry to celebrate my birthday with our boss. Didn’t see you standing there.” I was stunned. Caleb continued, “Oh, by the way, Ms. Seraphina said she’s taking me to Juliet’s Bistro. I saw on your SnapChat that you’ve posted dining photos from there. Do you have any dish recommendations?” At his words, my mind went blank. Because Juliet’s Bistro was the restaurant where I successfully confessed my feelings to Seraphina. I had once told her very seriously: “This is our special place, just for us. Even if we break up someday, you’re not allowed to bring anyone else here.” And she had answered just as seriously: “No one else. Only you.” My heart suddenly felt a gaping hole, and pain and coldness spread from there. I hadn’t even fully recovered from Caleb’s words when Seraphina rushed over. But she didn’t spare me a single glance. Her dark eyes reflected only Caleb, and she asked anxiously, “What happened? Are you hurt anywhere?” It was ridiculous. I had clearly decided to go abroad and leave Seraphina, but this scene still made my nose sting, weak as I was. Unable to bear the surging,暧昧 atmosphere between them any longer, I stepped back and turned to walk away. The words before my eyes flickered wildly. [Bro, don’t let her playing hard to get annoy you! She saw you get bumped and rushed over despite the red light!] [Why won’t she just apologize? Can’t she see our guy is upset? Why is she caring about someone else first?] My steps quickened, and the words in front of me grew blurrier and blurrier. It wasn’t until I turned the corner and could no longer see them that I leaned against a wall, rubbing away the blurring tears. And then I cursed myself: “Asher, you’re pathetic!” Once my emotions calmed, I hailed a taxi to the address Julian had sent me. When I pushed open the private room door, my three friends were sitting there, chatting animatedly. Jasper’s voice was filled with worry: “Do you think Asher will really come? Usually, at this time, he’d be home cooking for Seraphina, right?” Marcus scoffed lightly: “The last time we talked was two months ago, when he called me asking about a women’s perfume. He must have wanted to buy it for Seraphina.” Julian leaned his head on his hand, sighing: “I really hope Asher comes. He didn’t make it to my birthday last time. I even ordered his favorite mango cake this time.” Hearing that, my nose suddenly stung. These were my three best friends.
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