"Garland, do you love me?" My voice was soft and fragile. "If you do, then will you fall in love with someone else in the future?"
I felt Garland stiffen for a second, then he smiled and kissed the corner of my mouth, gently pinched the tip of my nose. "Of course I love you."
"Honey, we've been married for three years. Why are you asking such a silly question after three years?"
Garland looked earnestly into my eyes. "If I don't love you, why would I marry you, silly girl?"
Looking at Garland's serious expression, I remembered that just 100 days into our relationship, someone saw Garland and another woman leaving a hotel.
My friend told me, her voice trembling with excitement, shouting at me on the phone, "Shannon, "I'll stay here for you, so come quickly! Let's catch those two scoundrels off guard."
I was stunned by the news of my boyfriend's infidelity, feeling as if I'd been run over by a giant ship.
My mind went blank and I instinctively dialed Rosie's number, crying as I told her, "Rosie, Garland cheated on me. What should I do?"
I sat crying in a taxi, meeting my friend at a hotel, wanting to catch Garland in the act.
But at the hotel, I witnessed Rosie slapping Garland across the face.
I froze, stunned and heard Rosie say, "Don't think you can get me to plead for you with some favors. I'm telling you, no way."
Then, Rosie and Garland seemed to notice me.
Rosie grabbed my arm angrily. "That bastard asked me to come to the hotel today, saying you were here too. I thought you were here, but it turns out he bought me a gift to curry favor, hoping I'd put in a good word for him."
"What cheating?" Rosie looked at my friend, her tone questioning. "Do you think I would steal Shannon's man? What a joke."
I had always felt guilty about it. I felt I owed Rosie and I also felt I had disappointed Garland.
For the past two years, whenever it came up, Garland would just laugh at me. "You little jealous thing, what were you thinking? You actually thought I cheated on you with that woman who slapped me?"
"If it weren't for you, do you think I'd even glance at her?"
Every time it was brought up. I always felt guilty, so guilty that I had to coax Garland for a long time, constantly telling him that Rosie was actually a good girl.
It turned out, Garland had always understood Rosie's goodness, just like in the digital video, where Garland pushed away the sobbing Rosie and told her, "Let's not see each other again."
Rosie rushed up and hugged Garland. "Then this is the last time."
The last time. It happened three days before our wedding.
I was rushed to the hospital with gastroenteritis, spent the whole night on an IV drip, but couldn't get through to my fiancé. Even my best friend had vanished without a trace.
My colleague who was with me at the time even joked, "Beware of your best friend."
"Yes, Shannon, be careful."
I was too weak to speak, but I still retorted sharply, "Everyone in the world will betray me. But I'm sure Rosie won't."
My cheeks burned. I felt my beliefs crumbling.
Looking at Garland, who was preparing dinner for me and starting to tidy up the house, I asked him, "Garland, can you tell me about your first love?"
Actually, Garland had told me.
