Chapter 15
Gary continued his commentary. Evan lowered his gare to the photo on the screen: a woman in a black business suit. She looked capable, confident, and bright. He couldn’t help but recall his encounters with her disheveled, despondent, broken, and desperate. She had tried to impress him, then fleeted in disgrace after being rejected… A wave of annoyance washed over him. He’d been too harsh to her earlier.
Around 9 pm, I was making noodles in the kitchen when my phone buzzed. It was a message from Gary. Since my inquiry about his employer’s measurements, he hadn’t responded. Now, a series of numbers arrived, followed by a few words: My boss says you wants to buy him a new suit, here are his numbers.
was completely stunned. What did this mean? Did he change his mind and decide to give me a chance? I immediately Esmissed that thought. No, perhaps I was overthinking
Alternatively, he might be preventing me from using the suit as an excuse to contact him again. If I misinterpreted his intentions and came to him with the suit, I might embarrass myself again.
I wanted the job, but not at the expense of my self–respect.
I cautiously replied “Okay, got it, I’ll buy a new suit for him and ship it as soon as possible.”
Gary relayed the message to Evan
“Mm‘ Evan responded flatly, turning a page of his book.
“Should L. Gary knew his boss was giving Olivia a chance, ‘remind her?”
“Don’t bother. She gave up
How did Mr. Jones arrive at this conclusion? Gary was confused but said nothing more.
The next day, I went suit shopping. A car followed me. I visited several stores, comparing suits similar in fabric, style, and craftsmanship to the charcoal grey one. After two hours, my legs ached, and I still hadn’t found one. It wasn’t that the smoke–gray suit was particularly rare, but rather that his piece was unmistakably a bespoke masterpiece from a master tailor–even the most prestigious labels couldn’t hold a candle to it.
Sitting on a bench, I imagined his haughty, disdainful expression upon receiving the suit…
Forget it.” After a rest, I impulsively entered a store and chose a similar charcoal grey suit. The saleswoman said “Your husband has a great physique. Is he a model?”
A model? Hah, Evan would consider that an insult.
Leaving with the suit, I asked Gary for the address.
While Olivia was texting, her stalker snapped a picture and send it to Julian.
Julian had just returned to the office. The figure at the golf course had been haunting him; it looked so much like Olivia. More importantly, a man was with her. He could cheat, but his wife couldn’t; if even one of her fingers was touched by another man, he would want to skin that man alive. In his mind, Olivia was his possession; the only thing she needed to do was love him and grow old with him. He’d put her under surveillance.
He received the photo: Olivia spending three hours shopping, finally bringing a men’s suit home. Julian was delighted. He thought that suit would be a gift to him.
I planned to ship the suit after leaving the mall, but my message was unanswered, so I brought it home. Throwing the bag on the sofa, I went upstairs to shower. That afternoon, I packed the rest of my belongings. Only eight days left.
Looking around the house I’d lived in for years, a wave of sadness washed over me. The house was designed to my preferences; every item was my choice, including the nursery. I’d envisioned a lifetime here before; now, I had to leave.
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Chapter 14
Menu
Clearing our the bottom drawer of my study, I found an old USB drive. Plugging it into my computer, I saw photos of Julian and me high school, college he was so clean–cut, so handsome hack then. Looking at those pictures, I laughed and cried, as if transported back in time… Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming urge to revisit those memories, to say goodbye to the Julian of those days…
That evening Julian unexpectedly returned for dinner. I didn’t cook for him; I didn’t want to. I took out a box of instant noodles, possibly expired for over a year.
Julian was speechless
“Go find your meals out there then.” Don’t you just love outside stuff? Other women, other beds, even the damn crap.
Julian was stunned. Was Olivia kicking him out? His cheerful mood plummeted. “Other wives make delicious dinners for their husbands. You’re giving me instant noodles?”
I almost laughed out. The fact that I hadn’t poisoned his dinner yet practically qualified me for sainthood as a wife.
“I made myself tomato soup. If you want it, go ahead.”
Julian was truly angry. “Don’t you know I hate tomatoes?”
I slapped my forehead. “Oh, right.”
Julian stared at me icily, then went upstairs.
I enjoyed the tomato soup in the dining room, watching a comedy show,
Julian simmered in the study. How could the woman who spent three hours meticulously picking out his suits by daylight turn so mean the moment he walked in? Even though he hadn’t told her he’d be home for dinner, shouldn’t she have rushed to the market and made something decent? And now she couldn’t even remember his preferences, Darkness pooled in his chest. He went to the walk–in closet to examine the suit Olivia had bought. No fresh suits hung in their usual place, though. He pivoted toward the stairs–then froze mid–step. Slowly, as if pulled by some gravitational wrongness, he turned back.
Why did her side of the closet look…emptied?
Chapter 16
