David loved me. Everyone knows about it.
No one ever doubted David’s love for me and I never did either. But love is a fleeting thing—elusive and unpredictable. It’s ever-changing and hard to grasp. What’s the point of talking about forever?
That day, David didn’t come home.
For several days in a row, David didn’t come back. He simply sent me a message through TalkUs, telling me that he was very busy and needed to go abroad. Once he finished this matter, he promised he’d spend a long time with me on vacation.
I stared at David’s message on TalkUs, then switched to the other app, where I saw the photos and videos of David traveling around Europe with Edith.
When my best friend saw the video, she exploded in anger, cursing him out immediately.
"Men are all the same—once they get what they want, they don’t appreciate it. Back then, he chased you relentlessly, but now that he’s found someone new, he’s forgotten all about you."
She looked at me carefully. "Rose, what are you going to do?"
What was I going to do?
Honestly, the moment I found out I’d been betrayed, I went through a whirlwind of emotions. I questioned myself—wondered if it was because I wasn’t good enough, if that’s why someone else had the chance to take his attention. But I couldn’t figure out where exactly things had gone wrong between David and me.
The only thing I could think of was the child.
David wanted a child. So, why not let him have it?
I looked at the photos, at David smiling happily while shopping for baby supplies with Edith in a maternity store. He looked every bit the excited new father. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
"The project my senior colleague invited me to collaborate on, I had been hesitating about it," I said calmly. "But just the other day, I gave her my answer—I’m willing to cooperate with her."
My senior colleague was two years older than me. She was a staunch anti-marriage advocate.
Her career revolved around promoting women’s freedom and independence and she organized a national exhibition on the theme. I had hesitated for a long time because I wanted a child, but now, there was nothing left to consider.
When my best friend heard me, she looked relieved.
"Rose, I’m so glad you’ve thought it through. We women should never let some little man make us cry—it’s just not worth it."
She added, "When your exhibition starts, I’ll definitely be there, cheering you on at every event!"
I had just finished my afternoon tea and was waiting for the driver to pick me up when a Porsche suddenly came speeding towards me. I instinctively stepped back and ended up sitting on the ground. The car screeched to a halt and a glamorous woman stepped out.
If I hadn’t seen her up close, I wouldn’t have recognized her at all.
It was Edith Turner. She took off her sunglasses, looked at my messy state and smirked.
"Did you grow your eyes on your forehead?"
"Are you blind? Didn't you see me driving up?" Edith clicked her tongue, then pulled out a few hundred-dollar bills from her limited-edition bag and tossed them on the ground. "Consider it a tip. It’s enough for you to see a doctor."
She was no longer content being a secret mistress. Now, she wanted to be out in the open, staring at me with an expression full of challenge.
As I stood up, the driver arrived, his anger boiling over. He snapped at Edith, "Do you have any idea who our madam is? If anything happens to her, our boss won't let you get away with it!"
Edith scoffed, "Oh, really? And who exactly is your madam?"
She took a long, disdainful look at me. "An old, washed-up woman? Your face is sagging and aging. If I were your husband, I'd be disgusted just looking at you!"
The driver was livid, his face turning bright red as he began to argue with Edith.
But I, unfazed and composed, gently stopped the driver from saying anything further. I smiled and said, "Miss, I don't agree to a private settlement."
I wasn’t remotely angry as she had expected. Instead, I calmly added, "I’m calling the police."
Edith was just trying to intimidate me. She never actually intended to cause a real commotion. If things really escalated and got back to David, she knew very well who would end up on the losing side.
So, when she saw things getting serious, Edith immediately snapped.
"I didn't even hit you, so why the hell are you calling the police?"
She pointed at me and started shouting, "I bet you're just trying to scam people! Look at you—acting all high and mighty, but you’re just another gold-digger! Let's be honest—are you with your husband just for the money?"
I watched Edith lose her temper with barely a reaction. My expression stayed calm as I asked, "You can’t stop talking about my husband. Do you happen to know him?"
Edith was momentarily silenced by my question.
Not giving her a chance to respond, I immediately called David via video.
