When Jason’s mentee tripped and fell, he rushed to take her to the hospital. I stood in his office doorway, holding a file: “Here’s the budget for next quarter. Just sign it if everything looks good.” His mind was already miles away. Without even glancing at it, he scribbled his name. Watching his hasty retreat, I couldn’t tell if I felt disappointment or relief. But what he didn’t know was that what he’d just signed wasn’t a budget sheet at all. It was the divorce papers for him and me. 1 I pushed open his office door, immediately hit by a rich, unfamiliar scent. I turned, spotting an elegant aroma diffuser on the cabinet by the entrance, and a bouquet of white roses on his desk. This was definitely not Jason’s doing. He used to scoff at such things. Just then, his assistant, Tina, walked in. Seeing me eyeing the diffuser, her expression grew complicated. She stammered, “Ms. Graham, that’s Ms. Lee’s.” I looked up at her: “Ms. Lee? Jason’s mentee, Alice Lee?” “Yes.” She bit her lip, deliberating for a long moment before finally speaking: “Ms. Graham, you’ve been busy traveling for work lately and haven’t been in the office much, but Ms. Lee has been a frequent presence in Mr. Trachtenberg’s office.” “A few days ago, someone even saw them in the parking lot, being very… intimate. Now… now, everyone’s whispering about an inappropriate relationship.” I nodded, saying softly, “I understand.” After Tina left, I pulled open Jason’s desk drawer. A torn condom wrapper was carelessly tossed inside. Just then, my phone rang. Jason’s name pulsed on the screen. I answered. Silence on the other end. After two seconds, a suppressed moan suddenly broke through. A woman’s sultry voice purred: “She just got back today, and you’re already here with me. Aren’t you afraid she’ll be upset?” “Afraid of what? She stuck by me when I had nothing. Now that I’m so successful, how could she ever leave?” Alice Lee giggled. Her voice was laced with a hint of a pout: “Then don’t go home tonight. Stay and keep me company, okay?” “That depends on how well you behave tonight.” A crackle of static came through the receiver, and then the call abruptly ended. Three days prior, while I was on a business trip in Rhode Island, a photo suddenly appeared on my phone—Jason and Alice kissing in a car. In that moment, I felt as if I were frozen, my mind ceasing to function. Soon after, my brother called. He said only one sentence: “Iris, come home.” That night, I booked a flight home. It was my first time returning home in seven years. Seven years ago, Jason and I fell in love, but my father and brother vehemently opposed it. They said Jason was ambitious, overly proud, cold-hearted, and fickle. But I was head over heels, convinced they simply looked down on him. Every discussion about Jason ended in a bitter argument. Later, I helped him start his company. Several times, when we were at a dead end, I had no choice but to ask my family for help. My father agreed but made one condition. I had to conceal my identity from Jason for ten years. Jason was inherently sensitive, and to be with him peacefully, I had never mentioned my family’s background. By then, there was even less need to. So, to this day, he still believed I was a struggling individual with a difficult upbringing, just like him. 2 My father and brother handed me all the evidence of Jason’s infidelity. Looking at the dense array of videos and photos, my chest ached, making it hard to breathe. My brother sighed, patting my shoulder consolingly: “It’s not too late to find out now, Iris. Think about it carefully.” I looked down at the signed divorce papers in my hand and dialed my brother’s number. He picked up quickly. “Bro, give me three days. I’ll sort things out here, then I’ll join Reliance Capital.” His voice on the other end was noticeably brighter: “Good. I’m glad you’ve come to your senses. Call me if you need anything.” Hanging up, I stared blankly at our wedding photo on his desk. The picture was from our wedding. Back then, Jason’s eyes were full of me. He swore he’d always treat me well, never let me suffer, never let me be sad. Those words, he’d long forgotten, flung to the bottom of the ocean. I picked up the photo frame and tossed it into the trash can, then stood up and left the office. I returned home and started packing. Opening the closet, a black lace nightgown, clearly not mine, hung conspicuously inside. It seemed to be mocking me, reminding me how ridiculous my seven years of devotion had been. I opened the smart lock’s surveillance app. Sure enough, on the very night I left for my business trip, Jason had brought Alice Lee home, acting as if they owned the place. They were recorded clearly, kissing by the door, embracing by the elevator. On the last day of the surveillance footage, Alice Lee’s dress captured all my attention. It was the one Jason had bought for me. One year for my birthday, he wanted to take me shopping for a gift. It was early in his startup, he didn’t have much money, and I felt for him, only picking out a two-hundred-dollar dress. But a few days later, Jason bought that two-thousand-dollar dress instead. He smiled, telling me he knew I liked that dress when I walked past the store. That day, I was moved beyond words. I treasured that dress, wore it once, then washed it and hung it in the closet, never daring to wear it again. Jason knew how precious it was to me. Alice Lee twirled in that dress in front of Jason, asking him with a smile, “Does this dress look better on me, or on her?” Jason didn’t answer her. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her lips. In an instant, my stomach churned. I clapped a hand over my mouth, rushed to the bathroom, and knelt before the toilet, throwing up. It took a long time before I finally recovered. Looking up, I saw the face wash, makeup remover, and various skincare products haphazardly strewn across the vanity. I reached out and found a women’s underwear, one I’d never seen before, pressed beneath the face wash. My heart sank to the bottom, everything before me feeling absurd and sickening. I forced myself to remain calm, then tossed everything in the bathroom into the trash can. Back in the bedroom, looking at the closet and dressing table, I wanted none of it. I couldn’t accept anything that had been touched by someone else. Not objects, not men. I found all my identification documents, put them in my bag, and walked out the door. The moment I closed the door, it felt like I was sealing away my past seven years behind me. 3 Before leaving, I had one last thing to do. Visit Mrs. Walker, an old neighbor, in the hospital. She was the landlady of the rented house Jason and I used to have in the city outskirts. She had no children, and her husband had passed away years ago. Back then, Jason didn’t have much money, and she treated us like her own kids, looking after us a great deal. Later, our company grew better and better, and we earned more and more money. We moved out of the rental house and into our own place. But I never forgot Mrs. Walker’s kindness to us. Whenever work wasn’t too busy, I visited her almost twice a month. Six months ago, she suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and was hospitalized. For her safety, she had been hospitalized for observation for the past half-year. I bought her favorite osmanthus cakes and flowers, then went to the hospital. She seemed much better than the last time I saw her, overjoyed to see me. She kept asking if Jason and I were doing well. I didn’t want to worry her, so I held back my discomfort and gently reassured her with a smile. “Don’t worry, he treats me very well.” Only after receiving a positive answer did she nod contentedly. “That’s good, that’s good. You went through so much with him to get to where you are now. He absolutely must treat you well.” We chatted for a long time, and I reluctantly left only when it was almost time to go to the airport. I stood in front of the hospital room, lost in thought for a moment, until a familiar voice behind me snapped me back to reality. Jason asked with some concern: “What did the doctor say?” I turned around and saw him with his arm around Alice Lee’s waist. Alice Lee blinked, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. Then she handed him a paper: “Jason, you’re going to be a daddy!” My mind went blank. A scene from four years ago suddenly flashed in my mind—my miscarriage. Back then, it was our busiest time. I was swamped, helping him find resources, pull in investments, pulling all-nighters to revise proposals, going on endless business trips and networking dinners. After one dinner engagement after another, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and I fainted. When I woke up, I learned I had been over two months pregnant. The stress from work during that period had caused me to lose the baby. The doctor said that, given my physical condition, natural conception would be difficult in the future. Jason saw my sadness and comforted me, saying it was okay if we didn’t have children, that he didn’t like kids anyway. But now, Jason’s joyful voice reached my ears. He held her in his arms, repeating over and over: “I’m going to be a dad! I’m going to be a dad!” Watching this scene, it just felt so laughable that I had actually believed his lies back then. As his words faded, our eyes suddenly met. Jason’s body stiffened, frozen in place for a moment. However, it wasn’t long before he regained his usual composure, a careless smile playing on his lips as he approached me. We went to a coffee shop near the hospital. Alice Lee sat opposite me, leaning delicately into Jason’s embrace. One hand caressing her stomach, her voice tinged with provocation: “Iris, I’m pregnant and not feeling well. I can only feel better leaning on Jason. You wouldn’t mind, would you?” Jason looked at her, his eyes filled with even more doting affection. He teased: “Do you think my wife is as petty as you are?” Hearing this, Alice Lee pouted, feigning a tantrum: “Well, that’s just because I care about you.” After she spoke, he glanced at me. His expression was playful: “Alice, you should learn from Iris. To love a man, you not only have to care about him, but you also have to be understanding.” I watched it all with cold eyes, taking a sip of coffee. 4 He handed her the car keys, commanding: “Go wait for me in the car.” Alice Lee didn’t want to, but she had no choice. She grudgingly walked out, looking back three times. After she left, Jason pushed the cake in front of me. “Cranberry, your favorite flavor.” I glanced at it, not touching it. I replied: “That was just a past preference. It doesn’t mean I still like it now. Nothing stays the same forever.” He paused for a moment. He chuckled: “Jealous?” I forced a smile, finding it oddly amusing. He spoke again: “Iris, as long as you behave, the position of Mrs. Trachtenberg will always be yours. There will be no one else.” I looked up at him: “Do you think I care?” He chuckled softly: “Don’t you? You spent seven years with me to get to this point, finally living a life of comfort and abundance. Would you really give it all away?” “Don’t blame me. With the company doing so well, I can’t not have a child, can I? Otherwise, who would inherit the company later?” “Iris, you understand, right?” I smiled. I looked up at him. I asked seriously: “Jason Trachtenberg, do you remember what you said when we got married?” He paused. I smiled: “You said you wouldn’t let me suffer even a little bit.” I took off my wedding ring and placed it on the table. His face changed. I spoke slowly: “I can’t walk this path with you anymore.” With that, I picked up my bag and turned to leave. He swiftly blocked my path, frowning as he questioned me: “Iris, what do you mean?” “Exactly what it sounds like. I can’t be generous enough to share my man with other women. These past seven years, consider it my punishment for being lovestruck.” “From now on, whether it’s Alice or anyone else, it has nothing to do with me.” His face went cold. “You’re divorcing me?” He then let out a cold laugh: “You wish. Divorce? You can forget about that for the rest of your life!”
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