At the company banquet, the beautiful intern Serena Coleman flirted with my husband, begging to see the hearing aid on my ear. My husband yanked off my hearing aid and handed it to her with a smile. Serena examined it with disgust for a moment, then carelessly tossed it on the floor. I frantically reached down to pick it up, but she “accidentally” stepped on it, sending sharp pain through my fingers. After putting it back on, I angrily shoved Serena, only to receive a slap across my face from my husband. “Aurora, tonight’s banquet is for Serena. Stop making a scene!” I froze for a moment, then removed the hearing aid from my ear, threw it in the trash, and turned to leave. This hearing aid was the most precious gift my husband had ever given me. But now, I wanted neither him nor the broken hearing aid. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I removed my hearing aid and decisively threw it in the trash. I smiled calmly at everyone. “You all enjoy. I’ll head out first.” Then I turned and left. My ears plunged back into silence. I couldn’t hear any sounds, as if I’d been pushed into an isolated world. I saw the anger on my husband Ethan Rivers’s face, but I didn’t care anymore. Walking out of the private room, I sent a message to my best friend Maya Smith. [I’m resigning in the next couple days to join you. I’ll come work at your company.] She replied almost instantly, her words radiating excitement. [Yes! Once you’re here, we can develop software together. We’ll have an amazing future!] Maya didn’t ask many questions, and I was grateful for that. In college, Maya and I both majored in computer science. Although we were girls, we both had a deep passion for coding and software development. We’d teamed up multiple times for competitions and won various awards. After graduation, she chose to start a business in another city, while I stayed to marry Ethan Rivers and work at his family’s tech company. Maya’s career took off quickly, while mine remained stagnant at the company. She’d often say regretfully that my talent was being wasted, offering multiple times for me to join her, but I’d politely declined each time to stay near Ethan. But now, Ethan had changed too much for the sake of a new intern. There was no point in staying anymore. When I got home, I took out my spare hearing aid and put it on. My phone chimed. Serena had sent me a video. I opened it. The lighting was dim—it was shot at a bar. Ethan had found a band to sing for Serena. “Serena is exceptionally talented. Let me sing a song for her first!” Then he sang along with the accompaniment, performing the song “Mischief.” My heart seized suddenly. I remembered what he’d once told me: “Aurora, this is a song I learned for you. I’ll only ever sing it for you.” But now, he was singing it publicly for Serena. Ethan had broken the promise he’d made to me. I closed the video with a bitter smile. Looking around the room, the coldness felt desolate. I opened my closet and began packing my things simply. Ethan didn’t come home until nearly one in the morning. Seeing me sitting calmly on the couch watching TV, his face filled with anger. “I already sent you a message. Why didn’t you come down to meet me?” In the past, whenever Ethan came home late from social engagements, I would always go downstairs early to wait, making sure we could see each other the moment he entered the complex. But this time, I didn’t want to eagerly rush toward him anymore. I picked up my phone. In my chat with Ethan, the screen was filled with green bubbles—my messages. His responses were sparse. The latest message was from him. Just four simple, cold words: [Heading back soon.] I looked at Ethan, my tone flat. “I forgot to check my messages.” Ethan strode toward me, his scolding raining down. “Aurora, what exactly are you trying to pull! Serena is younger than you—can’t you cut her some slack! She just accidentally stepped on your hearing aid, and you had to make a scene and ruin the whole atmosphere! Don’t you have any sense of maturity!” I listened quietly to Ethan’s accusations without any reaction. But my gaze unconsciously fell on his neck. There were suggestive red marks there. Noticing my gaze, Ethan froze for a moment, then unnaturally pulled his collar up to cover the marks. But his tone remained harsh. “That slap was a lesson. Don’t do this again next time! Serena is young—you need to be more understanding!” I nodded without arguing. “Got it. I’m a bit tired. I’m going to rest first.” Then I stood up and walked into the bedroom. Ethan’s face darkened. Behind me, he let out a cold “hmph.” I lay on the bed and closed my eyes, but my thoughts wouldn’t settle. —”Just accidentally stepped on your hearing aid.”
Ethan blamed me for being petty. But the hearing aid that was stepped on was the gift he gave me when we first got together. I’d always treasured it carefully, protecting it like something precious. After all this time, even though it was somewhat old, it worked perfectly fine. Back then, his face had been warm with a gentle smile as he carefully took out the hearing aid and put it on me. In an instant, the world became clear. I heard his crisp voice clearly. “Aurora White, I like you!” It was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard in the world. But after Serena stepped on the hearing aid, Ethan brushed it off with just a few words to excuse her. He seemed to have forgotten the profound significance that hearing aid held in my heart. In the living room, Ethan was laughing heartily, saying something. Serena sent me another message—a screenshot of her chat with Ethan. They were chatting enthusiastically. Ethan had sent an affectionate “good night.” [Aurora, you and Ethan should rest early too! I won’t disturb you anymore.] Serena’s words were full of provocation. I closed my eyes and stopped looking. After washing up, Ethan went into another bedroom. Ever since Serena joined the company and they’d grown close, he’d stopped wanting to sleep in the same bed as me. My love for Ethan seemed to be slowly fading away. The next morning after getting up, I wrote a resignation letter. Then I went to the best law firm in the city and had a lawyer draft divorce papers for me. Only then did I go to the company to continue handling my work. Ethan was at Serena’s workstation, their heads close together, intimately discussing something. Strange—looking at this scene now, my heart barely rippled. Serena’s sharp eyes spotted me and greeted me. “Aurora, you came in pretty late today. You look terrible—didn’t sleep well last night?” Her eyes held provocation and smugness as she moved even closer to Ethan. “She’s been at the company so long she doesn’t even follow the rules anymore. If this continues, she won’t be able to stay here much longer.” Before I could respond, Ethan frowned and turned his gaze to me, immediately criticizing. I smiled faintly, looking at the two of them, and spoke calmly. “I’ll be more careful in the future. Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Rivers.” Hearing my response, Ethan’s expression instantly darkened. I rarely called him Mr. Rivers, but now when communicating, I was polite and distant. Without paying them any more attention, I sat down at my workstation and threw myself into work. The portion of work I was responsible for was almost complete. Even though I was about to resign, my sense of responsibility demanded I finish the job. At noon when I went downstairs for lunch, Ethan had driven his car to the front of the company. Serena cheerfully climbed into the passenger seat. Seeing me walk past, Serena called out to me. “Aurora, Ethan and I are going to an Italian restaurant for lunch. Come with us!” Though she said this, her face showed no intention of giving up the passenger seat. I shook my head and smiled at them. “I’m not used to Italian food. You two go ahead.” With that, I walked away without looking back. Ethan’s voice came faintly from behind. “She’s been so temperamental lately. Just ignore her. Let’s go eat!” I curved my lips slightly and pushed them out of my mind. During lunch, I casually scrolled through social media. I saw a post Serena had made. [Knowing I love photography, my boss gave me a camera I’ve wanted forever! Angel boss—I want to work for him my whole life!] I raised an eyebrow at the picture. On the table was an exquisite vintage camera, with Italian food clearly visible in the background. And on the camera lens was a freshly taken photo of Serena and Ethan together. Both were smiling with their eyes crinkling, looking extremely intimate. When Ethan and I first got together, I’d suddenly become obsessed with photography, wandering around taking pictures with my grandmother’s old camera every day. Ethan had given me a high-end camera and even volunteered to be my model, patiently accompanying me on photo shoots. We’d taken many pictures together, recording happy times. But after Serena appeared, Ethan’s attitude toward me began to drift. When I’d take out my camera wanting to take pictures together, he’d frown and dodge my lens. He said he didn’t really like being photographed and told me not to be so childish. But now, he’d given a camera to Serena, who also loved photography, and even left a photo with her. I shook my head and closed my phone, feeling a dull ache in my heart. After work, I returned home to find the custom dress Ethan had ordered for me had been delivered.
Ethan always said I was the most beautiful princess in his heart. Seeing me in new clothes, his eyes would always light up as he stared at me, lavishing me with praise. Then he’d gently pull me into his arms and leave a kiss on my lips. Ethan said I looked good in formal dresses, so he ordered new dresses from high-end boutiques every quarter and had them delivered to our home. Thinking of this, my heart stirred slightly. I tried on the dress, only to discover in surprise that it didn’t fit. Ethan knew my height, weight, and all my measurements, and after ordering clothes for so long, the boutique shouldn’t have gotten it wrong. I took off the dress, put it in the bag, and returned it to the boutique. Unexpectedly, I ran into Ethan and Serena there. “Serena, this dress looks wonderful on you. We can wrap it up. I’ve opened an account for you—you can come browse often from now on. All expenses will be charged to my account!” Ethan’s gentle voice drifted over. I glanced in their direction. Serena wore this season’s new dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders like seaweed, her skin like snow, her smile radiant. She looked vibrant and beautiful. And Ethan’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he pulled her into his embrace. The two smiled at each other, the atmosphere intimate. “Miss White, why are you here…” A store clerk recognized me and exclaimed. Her voice was neither loud nor soft—both Ethan and Serena heard. They quickly separated and turned to look at me. Anger rapidly flooded Ethan’s face. He strode toward me, loudly questioning me. “Aurora, what are you doing here! Are you following me?” I looked at him calmly, then at Serena standing behind him. Serena’s height, waist, and shoulder measurements… I let out a light laugh. So they’d mixed up my measurements with Serena’s, which was why the dress in my hands didn’t fit. “I wasn’t following you. The dress you ordered arrived, but it’s not my size. I came to return it.” I held up the garment bag in Ethan’s view and waved it. “I have other things to do, so I’ll be going. I won’t disturb you two.” I turned to leave. Various complex expressions crossed Ethan’s face, his deep eyes glaring at me angrily. “Aurora, don’t go too far! Serena and I have nothing going on. Don’t project your filthy thoughts onto us!” I smiled indifferently. “I’m not thinking anything. You don’t need to be angry.” With that, I turned and left decisively. I felt like I’d made progress—seeing Ethan and Serena’s intimate interactions, my heart didn’t hurt as much. That evening when Ethan came home, after showering, he surprisingly walked into my room. He carried the familiar scent of my body wash. Ethan climbed into bed and embraced me from behind. His body heat transferred through my pajamas to my back, making me tremble slightly. “Aurora, about the past few days—don’t misunderstand… Serena and I really have nothing going on. She’s exceptionally capable at work. I’m just nurturing a talented employee. I’ve been cold to you lately. We haven’t… Aurora, I’ve missed you.” Ethan’s voice was low, his tone carrying a hint of seductive allure. His hand caressed me. To say I no longer loved Ethan would be a lie. In my long, gray youth marked by hearing loss, he was the only bright spot. He gave me endless warmth and love. The ten years with him were invaluable to my heart. My nose stung, and the long-missed intimacy made the grievances in my heart surge forth. I nestled into his embrace as we tangled together. His kisses fell densely, taking away the tears seeping from my eyes. Just as Ethan reached to remove my hearing aid and move further, his phone rang at the worst possible moment. I had a bad feeling. He picked up the call, exchanged a few brief words, then abruptly pushed me away and sat up anxiously. “Aurora, Serena seems to have a fever. She’s feeling really unwell. I’m going to check on her!” Ethan hurriedly put on his shoes and rushed out without giving me another glance. I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, then everything returned to silence. I sat desolately on the bed, feeling Ethan’s lingering scent in the air slowly fade away. My phone chimed. Serena had sent a message. [Aurora, I’m not feeling well. I asked Ethan to come check on me. Don’t be mad, okay!] I stared at my phone expressionlessly and smiled silently. Serena—she’d won. Ethan didn’t return until the next morning.
He apologized to me, but I just nodded calmly, not taking it to heart. I packed up all my belongings and booked a flight for the next day to the city where Maya lived. Then I went to the company to complete the final parts of my project and submitted my resignation letter. I took a cab to the cemetery and sat quietly at my grandmother’s grave for the entire afternoon. About to leave this city, my heart was surprisingly calm without a trace of reluctance. Perhaps I’d been hurt enough that my heart had gone numb. I leaned against the tombstone, chatting with my grandmother on and off, watching the clouds roll by in the sky. Only when the sky had completely darkened did I finally head home. When I opened the door, the house was unexpectedly lively. Balloons decorated everywhere, flowers and gifts scattered about, with “Happy Birthday” hanging on the wall. I couldn’t help feeling confused. “Aurora, you’re back! Today’s my birthday. Ethan said the house is big and perfect for hosting my birthday party!” Serena appeared with a beaming smile, smiling at me while her eyes fell on the dining table. I followed her gaze. The table was already laden with delicacies. “Ethan said he wanted to show off his cooking skills for me. Those are all dishes he made. Ethan is not only handsome but can cook amazingly too. Aurora, I really envy you!” Though Serena spoke of envy, her words were full of smugness about how Ethan had been busy for her sake. I forced a smile. Ethan rarely cooked, but for Serena he could go to such lengths. Whatever. It had nothing to do with me. I glanced at Serena indifferently, uninterested in her provocation, and turned to enter my room. But my gaze fell on a corner of the room, and my movements froze. Noticing my reaction, Serena laughed unabashedly in my ear. “Oh, that? I accidentally knocked it off while decorating the room. Ethan said it’s fine—he’ll clean it up and throw it away later. Aurora, I’m so clumsy. Don’t mind it, okay!” On the floor was my grandmother’s carefully framed portrait, now shattered into pieces. On my grandmother’s smiling face in the photo, there were still faintly visible black footprints! Hearing the complete indifference in her words, fury ignited in me. I couldn’t hold back anymore and turned to slap Serena hard across the face. My mind went blank, completely controlled by rage. An imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Serena’s mouth before she began shouting loudly. “Aurora, what are you doing! Stop it!” Ethan rushed out from the kitchen and angrily slapped me across the face, roughly pushing me away before helping Serena up. My eyes reddened as I looked at the two of them. “It’s just a photo—don’t make such a big deal out of it! You’ve hurt Serena! You’re deaf, so you can’t stand seeing healthy people? What kind of person are you!” Ethan roared at me furiously, supporting Serena whose cheek was severely swollen, and walked out of the house. My nose stung and my heart seized sharply. So in his eyes, I was a deaf person who couldn’t stand others being healthy… With trembling hands, I carefully picked up my grandmother’s portrait, wiped the dirt from it with my sleeve, and placed it in my suitcase. Ethan didn’t come home all night. I didn’t sleep all night either. Before leaving, I took one last look at the house, placed the divorce papers on the table, and resolutely walked out with my luggage.
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