On Christmas Eve, several of my colleagues received flowers from their boyfriends. Mia, wanting to tease me, said, "Ella's boyfriend has a PhD in Art. No wonder he knows how to do romance better than any of us!" Two years ago, Noah gave me a bouquet of 999 deep red roses that made everyone envious. Last year, he gave me a photo frame inlaid with countless tiny diamonds forming the words "I Love You." When it came to gifting occasions, Noah had never let me down. But this year, my phone stayed silent all night. Worried that something might have happened to Noah, I took early annual leave and flew to Engisland to check on him. But when I braved the wind and snow and arrived at the lobby of his building, I saw him standing by a Christmas tree, kissing another girl. *** When I clearly saw that guy's face and confirmed it was Noah, I completely froze. Noah gently lifted the girl into his arms, coaxing her as she wrote a wish on the ribbon. "Baby, tomorrow is Christmas." "Santa Claus will grant all your wishes." The girl's eyes sparkled as she wrapped her arms around Noah's neck and said, "Will he really grant all my wishes?" Noah blinked, his hand lightly patting the girl's bottom. "Of course." The gesture is intimate enough to hurt. Almost instinctively, I hid in a nearby corner, as if I was the third one between them. Tears spilled out uncontrollably. It was eight years of long-distance love, and this was the first time I had ever checked up on him. Her voice is soft as she gives Noah's chest a playful tap. "Come on, put me down." Noah supported her waist with one hand and pressed the back of her neck with the other, forcing her to bend down for a kiss. I collapsed as I unlocked my phone, taking several deep breaths to steady myself. As long as Noah didn't lie, as long as he admitted the girl was just someone he was fooling around with, I could deceive myself and forgive him. I could pretend I knew nothing. "Noah, who are you with?" A familiar ringtone sounded not far away. The girl pouted and questioned Noah, "Your phone's been ringing all night. Which lover of you is it?" She turned her head away in anger. Noah immediately raised three fingers. "Chloe, you're the only one I love. There's no one else, I swear. "For you, I even abandoned my fiancée and stayed with you here for six years." I had been with Noah for eight years, yet he had been with another woman for six of them. I laughed at myself as I collapsed weakly onto the ground. Mia sent a message out of concern. "Ella, did you arrive safely in Engisland?" "Enjoy your time, but don't forget to return early to take care of work matters." Tears fell in large drops. My colleagues knew I was coming to see my boyfriend, so they prepared a date outfit for me and gave me a delicate couple's bracelet as a gift. We all thought Noah would be overjoyed to see me. The voices behind me gradually faded away. I peeked out and saw the girl linking her arm with Noah's, looking sweet, as they went upstairs. Suddenly, she leapt onto Noah's back, light and lively like a little sparrow. "Come on. Practice carrying me into the wedding room in advance." Wedding room? Had Noah even thought about marrying her? Then what about the eight passionate years between Noah and me? And the promise he personally made to marry me? I booked a hotel room facing Noah's apartment. Whenever I draw the curtains, I can see him and his girlfriend going about their daily lives. After a simple investigation, I learned the girl's name was Chloe Carter, Noah's student. On campus, they maintained a distant teacher-student relationship. But no one knew that outside of school, they lived together and were deeply in love. The school might not intervene in a teacher-student relationship on paper, but Noah juggling two relationships, with Chloe knowingly becoming the other woman, would certainly face condemnation.
I stood by the window, torturing myself. I watched Noah gently peel her clothes away, watched him press soft kisses to her lips. Two shadows entwined on the wall, intimate and twisting, illuminated by the dim yellow light that flickered through the night. It felt as if my heart were being sliced apart. The pain was so intense I could barely breathe. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Noah finally replied to my message. "I was working overtime in the studio tonight to rush a client's draft. So sorry, honey. I even forgot to say Merry Christmas to you." He transferred the money to me, noting it as a voluntary gift. I stared at the glaring, cold numbers, my chest aching all over with a thousand tiny pains. In the past, whenever there was a holiday, no matter where he was in the world, Noah would fly back to my side. I used to laugh and tease him for not being able to live without me. And he would act spoiled, nuzzling into the hollow of my neck. "I'm your husband-to-be so of course I can't live without you. When I finish my studies, I'll come back to marry you." "We'll never be separate again." Five years ago, Noah completed his PhD. When I asked about his return date, he said he was not sure. A friend had invited him to open an art studio there, and he couldn't leave for the time being. Three years ago, I heard rumors that the studio had moved back and asked him when he would return to marry me. He hesitated and told me he had been hired as an instructor at an Art School in Engisland. The wedding date was postponed again and again, and I grew sensitive and anxious. I started to wonder if Noah was with someone else there. To ease my doubts, he would report in with a video call every week without fail. But now, when I scrolled through our chat history, his last reply was from half a month ago. After that came my long, one-sided monologue. I didn't accept the transfer and started typing. "I'll come find you tomorrow and spend Christmas together." My phone said he was typing. But no reply came for a long time. It wasn't until three hours later that he sent a cute emoji with a message. "I hate to see you worn out from the long trip, don't come over—let's video call instead." Noah clearly could have confessed, yet he still said nothing about it. Perhaps, in his heart, I had long since stopped mattering. I gave Noah no time to think. At dawn, I knocked on his door. When he opened it, he seemed still very sleepy. He thought I was delivering newspapers and turned sideways, pointing at the coffee table. "Just put it there." I followed the direction he pointed, and a girl's pink lace nightgown lay casually on the sofa—rumpled and in utter disarray. Sour bile surged in my stomach, and my eyes burned with pain. "Noah..." When he heard my voice, his back stiffened instantly and his eyes snapped fully awake. He cried out in shock. "Ella?" "Yes, it's me." The bedroom door suddenly clicked open from the inside, and the girl came out wearing only her underwear, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "So noisy..." Noah's face changed drastically. He hurriedly took off his coat and wrapped it around her, explaining guiltily. "Ella, she's my student. She had a fight with her boyfriend yesterday and they were talking about breaking up." "I was worried something might happen to her, so I let her stay for one night." The girl's face was pale as she bit her lower lip and looked at me timidly. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Ella..." I nodded, unable to force even the slightest smile. Noah personally cooked a big meal for me. After eight years, he had finally learned to wash clothes and cook for a woman. But that woman wasn't me. After the meal, Chloe stood up, saying she needed to go to class. Noah picked up his car keys, preparing to drive her. Suppressing my grievance and anger, I smiled and took his arm. "Take me to the school as well. I'd like to have a look."
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