Ethan responded with a nod and looked at me again. "Mr. Becker, then I'm leaving first."
I ignored him.
He left in a daze. Timmy looked at me and said, "I've just learned a new way to make wheat noodles. I'll go get them ready."
"I'll go eat it later," I said as I looked at him.
Timmy nodded and had no words. He helped close the door when he left.
Serena, in just a second, spoke up, "Don't you think what you just said was too much?"
I sat down and stared at her in confusion. "Too much?"
"Lying to discuss business, then spending his birthday with you —don't you think that's too much?
"Or do you think, with my abilities and means, cursing that guy is too much?"
"How about I show you what "too much" means?"
"Stop messing around! I have nothing to do with him," she spoke hastily, continuing, "Ethan has been motherless since he was young. He comes from a single-parent family and due to the lack of maternal love, he longs for the care of woman."
"He said, I resembled his mother in his memory and he never had his mother's company on his birthday since he was young. As a superior, I think it's understandable for me to celebrate his birthday with him."
I had a cold and flat face. "I've heard of people calling you a good superior, but I didn't expect you to have this kind of habit."
"Henry, don't you think that's too harsh?"
"You behave and act out of line and you still expect me to speak nice?" I knew my emotions were a bit out of control at the moment, but I tried to suppress it. "Forget it, let's not talk about it, since you want to pursue excitement, let's get a divorce."
Perhaps the word "divorce" stung her and tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm just celebrating his birthday with him, so there's no need to make such a big deal about it, right?"
"Today is my birthday too. You made your choice, didn't you?"
Serena lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry. There won't be a next time."
"Fire him!"
"He's always been so serious and hardworking in his work. You always say to give newcomer a chance. It's unfair to fire him just because I had a meal with him."
"I promise I won't have private contact with him in the future, only work-related contact."
"Tomorrow morning, at 9 o'clock, see you at the County Clerk office." I got up, didn't want to waste any more time.
Actually, I understood deep down, she had made a choice by choosing to have dinner with her subordinate, Ethan, today -- over me and still arguing for him. So I had no point in continuing our marriage.
"I just want to give newcomer a chance." Serena got up and stopped me. "I'll transfer him to the branch office. I won't let him bear the consequences alone just because I accompanied him to dinner."
"If I do fire him, what will others think?"
She held my hand and said, "You're overthinking. I just feel sorry for him. You know we don't have a baby yet and my motherly love is overflowing."
"Or ... shall we have a baby tonight?"
"Not in the mood."
“What do you want me to do? Just because Ethan and I had a meal, do you want to divorce me?"
"Do you have no trust in me at all?"
"What place is this?"
My voice grew colder. "No one else has ever been here before. This is our private and precious world."
"A place where no outsiders are allowed to come in. Yet you brought Ethan here for dinner."
"You're crossing the line."
"I'm sorry. I didn't think too much about it. Don't be angry, okay? Uncle Tim said he'd make you some new noodles. Let's go try them. I'll never bring anyone here again."
"I promise."
Timmy's wheat noodles were delicious, but it couldn't soothe the anger within me.
