I had explicitly told Landon that I had zero tolerance for infidelity. During the raffle at the department's celebratory dinner, the big screen paused briefly on newcomer Lily's name, then finally settled on mine. The entire room instantly erupted. Colleagues gave Landon meaningful looks, especially since the prize was a seven-day couple's cruise to Macau. "You two are so lucky!" "Don't worry about work, we've got it covered, you two just enjoy your trip!" Everyone chattered excitedly, even pushing Landon onto the stage. I, brimming with joy, held up the cruise tickets to him. But he, expressionless, simply pulled them from my hand. After stepping down, he walked directly over to Lily and handed her the entire set of tickets. Only then did he turn to me and say, "The machine glitched. Lily was supposed to win; this prize belongs to her." He added nonchalantly, "It's just a trip, I'll take you another time." Watching Lily's ecstatic reaction to holding the tickets, my lips curved into a cold, involuntary smile. I simply replied with one word: "Fine." Because for me, one betrayal meant being discarded forever. 1 The female manager beside me instantly changed her expression. She pulled me aside and whispered, "Harper, you had the biggest contribution to this project. This prize was originally set aside for you..." "It's fine, boss. It's good to encourage newcomers." The surrounding colleagues, hearing the commotion, were already sizing up Lily. She wore an ill-fitting dress, gazing at Landon with admiration. Landon gave her a slight nod and returned to his seat. The raffle continued, the next winner took the stage, and the room grew lively again. The celebratory dinner dragged on, and I sat at the head table, feeling a hundred eyes on me. Every time I turned, I'd meet the hurried averted gaze of three or five colleagues. Their eyes all seemed to ask, "How can you tolerate this?" On Landon's side, Lily had already pulled her chair next to him. The overly narrow distance between them looked particularly out of place at the dining table. Lily shouldn't have been at this celebratory dinner. The project was already winding down when Lily joined the company. It was Landon who insisted on bringing her, saying it would help new hires integrate faster. Furthermore, Landon often took her to various high-level meetings, claiming it was for experience. When I toasted my manager, she frowned and said, "Lily's been with the company for almost three months, and I haven't seen her sparkle yet, but her relationship with Manager Landon is a bit too close..." "Young people, not focused on their work. Her probation period, I think..." "Perhaps she just hasn't found the right opportunity yet." I clinked glasses with my manager. "You can observe her a little longer." My manager snorted, dropping the subject. Finally, the banquet ended, and I had had more than a few drinks. As people were thinning out, Landon finally came up to me, complaining, "Why did you drink so much?" He naturally helped me up, chattering as usual: "Walk on your own, I can't carry you..." I sat in the passenger seat, and Landon buckled my seatbelt. The car started, streetlights blurring outside the window, and we drove in silence. As we neared home, he finally couldn't help but speak, "Are you mad about today?" "You saw it, Lily's name flashed on the screen first, then maybe it glitched and showed yours." "Giving it back to its rightful owner. Don't fuss with a young girl." I didn't answer, just gazed out the window. In the underground garage, he gallantly opened my car door, helping me out. "Still mad? Didn't I promise I'd go with you next time?" "Once the bonus comes in, I'll take you to Macau for as many days as you want, on a cruise even more luxurious than this one." My heart felt like it was being flayed repeatedly with a dull knife. I had lost count of how many times he had told me, "next time I'll go with you," or "next time I'll buy it for you." I only remembered he'd never once followed through. He always had an endless supply of excuses. He took it for granted that no matter how many times he disappointed me, I would always be there waiting for him. "Landon." I stopped, fixing my gaze on his eyes. "I'll be thirty in a few days. I promised my dad I'd be married before I turn thirty." Landon was silent for a long time, then shifted his gaze away. "Thirty is still so young, what's the rush?" He quickened his pace, walking ahead of me. "Besides, your thirtieth birthday is in less than half a month. We both have work; where would we find time to get married?" "We have plenty of time, no need to rush." Getting married at the courthouse only takes a few hours. I remembered when the project was nearing completion, our manager called us both aside for a private chat. "You two put in a lot of time and effort on this project, and I've noticed." "Once the project is over, come to me anytime for leave. I'll approve whatever you need. You two should be getting ready for marriage, right?" Landon awkwardly brushed it off: "We're busy now; let's talk about it after the project is successfully wrapped up." Afterward, he fled back to his cubicle as if escaping. In that moment, beyond gratitude for my manager, there was a deep sense of sorrow. Seven years of feelings, still unable to blossom into something concrete. Back inside, Landon took off his jacket and changed his shoes, his entire body relaxing. He seemed to think today's incident was behind us, and turned to hug me. I sidestepped, avoiding him. Landon froze. "Let's just... end it." He widened his eyes, staring at me, silent for a long while. Finally, he chose to brush it off lightly: "You're tired too. Let's just leave it for today. You get some rest, I won't bother you." Ding-dong, his phone chimed. He picked it up, a frown creasing his brow. "Lily has a stomachache. I'm driving her to the hospital." "It's late, and it's not safe for a young girl to go out alone." He picked up his keys again, but didn't leave immediately. Instead, he stood there, waiting for my reaction. It was as if he'd already prepared his lines, expecting to deal with my questions. But I just nodded calmly. "Okay." Then, without looking back, I walked into the bathroom. Behind me, I heard Landon slam the door shut. I sank into the bathtub filled with hot water, feeling all the day's exhaustion wash away. After showering, I returned to the bedroom. Staring at the photo display cabinet, now empty on one shelf, I felt a prolonged sense of disbelief. The largest, central shelf was where we'd planned to put our wedding photos. Now, the white surface was covered in a thick layer of dust. I walked over, looking at them layer by layer. Photos of dates in college, travel pictures, graduation photos… Fewer photos after starting work, but important days were always remembered. Another shelf held countless greeting cards he'd written to me. Back then, he would scour the internet for every sugary-sweet phrase he could find, copying them out for me. The topmost one was a postcard we bought during our graduation trip to Tibet. On the back, in his handsome handwriting, he'd written, "Praying to the Buddha, I vow to marry Harper Quinn before I turn thirty!" I always remembered the determination in his eyes when he wrote that line. Now, the paper had long yellowed, and his sincerity had long changed. I looked at them one by one, reminiscing day by day. I don't know how long passed, but then I heard the front door open. My bedroom door gently pushed open. I was in the midst of putting the old photos back into the cabinet. Landon walked closer, looking at the photos in my hand, his expression softening. "You're not sleeping yet, just to look at these pictures?" "Haven't you seen them a million times?" I didn't answer his question, casually asking, "How's Lily?" "Nothing serious, just overate." His voice held a hint of indulgent exasperation. "She just stuffs her face with anything tasty she sees. So undisciplined." He then took the photos from my hand and shoved them all into the cabinet. "Stop looking, go to sleep." He was already changed and in bed, urging, "Come on in." I silently got up, turning to face him, my expression unruffled. "What's wrong?" "Let's end this." Landon blinked twice, then laughed wryly: "Still mad about the cruise tickets? Such a small temper." He switched off the bedroom light, plunging the room into instant darkness. His voice was lazy, tinged with fatigue: "Fine, I'll plan the trip tomorrow. We'll pick a date and go to Macau together." I gazed at him in the darkness, my voice very soft: "I'm getting married, on my thirtieth birthday." In the darkness, Landon sat bolt upright. His eyes gleamed with a cold light. "Harper Quinn, stop messing around. I'm very tired today." "Who else are you going to find to marry besides me? Getting married isn't something you can just decide to do and have happen instantly." I calmly explained: "My parents have arranged everything. I just need to show up." Landon suddenly became enraged. "How many times have I told you, don't always listen to your parents so much. Our lives are for us! They tell you to get married now, and you just have to get married?" "I've taken leave. I'm getting my marriage license tomorrow." Click, the blinding light momentarily stunned me. Landon's chest heaved violently. "Harper Quinn! Have you ever respected my opinion?" "We do have time to breathe now, but we're both in the prime of our careers. I know you want to get married quickly, but you can't completely disrupt my career plans!" His career plan included time to travel with Lily for a week, but no time to get married to me. I had never, at any point, asked him for a grand wedding or ceremony. I just wanted to get legally married, for peace of mind. His time was scarce. After allocating it to work and Lily, there was naturally none left for me. If he wouldn't give it to me, I had no choice but to seek it from someone else. I met his gaze, my heart unperturbed. "Yes, I want to get married quickly." With that, I turned and walked into the guest room. I lay on the bed, staring blankly. This guest room only had one bed. We had originally planned to decorate it as a nursery, and the designs were all ready, but Landon's "it's too early" put it on hold. It became the guest room for when my parents visited. Lost in thought, my phone vibrated twice. It was a text from my dad. "Harper, have you talked it over with Landon? It's still not too late to tell that boy the wedding is off." There was nothing to discuss. His actions today were the best answer. "You two have been together for so many years. If Landon really isn't willing, then wait a bit longer. It's just that this marriage has been delayed for so long, and your mom and I are getting a little anxious..." "Your mom and I don't want to pressure you. Your happiness is what matters most." I had already waited too long for him. Perhaps reality had told me long ago that we weren't right for each other. I just hadn't wanted to believe it then. I typed out a line: "No need to wait. I trust you both to choose a good husband for me." To avoid me, Landon moved directly into his office. I hadn't explicitly said we were over, but my words, I'm sure, had made the implication clear enough. Even if he was now avoiding and refusing to communicate, it didn't matter; the die was cast. This time, I didn't ask Landon for his opinion. I simply paid the down payment on the house I had long admired, to be our marital home. I had already contacted a real estate agent to sell the current house. After packing my belongings, thinking the agent would come to take over the house in a few days, I still felt I should tell Landon. To see if he wanted to take it over or find another place to rent. But I called him five or six times, and all were rejected. Messages sent only received red exclamation marks. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to notify him in person at the office. When I arrived, the department office door was closed, but I could faintly hear laughter from inside. It was the weekend, and surprisingly, there were others in the office besides Landon and Lily. Lily's voice chimed in then, "Landon, you have to vouch for me. It really wasn't me who stole Harper's prize; the machine just malfunctioned." "Now a lot of people in the company are spreading rumors, and some are even saying I deliberately broke you two up!" My raised hand froze mid-air. Another male colleague teased, "Landon is so popular. Harper is still with him, but this young lady is already asking for a proper title. Trouble in paradise, eh?" Despite the teasing, Lily didn't seem annoyed. "Don't talk nonsense. What 'proper title'? We just have a normal boss-employee relationship." At that moment, Landon's voice finally chimed in, "I'll find an opportunity to hold a meeting and tell everyone. It's time to clarify things. Lily shouldn't be falsely accused." That sentence stirred a memory from long ago. When our relationship became public, I had just started at the company, and Landon held a higher position than me. Some colleagues speculated that I was trying to gain advantages by deliberately seducing him. I wanted Landon to explain privately that we had been together since college. But back then, he said it wasn't necessary, that colleagues would forget about it after a while. At the time, I didn't understand. It was just a simple explanation; he could have cleared it up in casual conversation. Now I understood. He simply didn't care enough about me. A chill settled in my heart. His indifference had been evident all along. Another colleague asked, puzzled, "Landon, are you really marrying Harper Quinn? I saw her post on social media that she already got married today." Landon let out a mocking laugh. "Just a self-directed performance." "We'll see how she handles it when the groom doesn't show up." Someone sighed, "Landon, you're really not going?" "Of course not. This time, she needs to learn a lesson." "But Landon, you two have been together for a long time, haven't you? I think you still need to talk things through, otherwise this might really be the end for you two..." The gossiping colleague, surprisingly, seemed to care more about our relationship than he did. Before Landon could speak, another colleague quickly interjected, "If it ends, it ends. Michael still has Lily anyway." Lily, at the center of the conversation, laughed. "Oh, stop teasing me! I don't want to be a home-wrecker~" Landon didn't offer any explanation. Everyone started joking again, "Of course you're not a home-wrecker~ If you ask me, if I were Landon, I'd swap Harper out. Been looking at her for too many years, gotten boring." Having clearly heard all of this, I withdrew my hand from the door and turned to leave. It seemed Landon didn't care even if I married someone else. In that case, having the agent come in a couple of days to clear out all his belongings and leave him homeless... I guess it wouldn't matter if I didn't tell him.
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