The Portrait in His Study

When I was 18, I accidentally saw Caleb Vance helping a poor girl clasp her bra. His expression was solemn, his movements clumsy and shy. At 26, following my family's arrangement, I married Caleb. But everyone in our high-society circle knew he kept a portrait of that poor girl locked in his study. Three years into our marriage, I asked for a divorce. He was silent for a long time before signing the papers. "If you ever need help, just ask." Later, I attended a gala on the arm of a law firm partner. Friends teased us: "Back in the debate club, you two were at each other's throats. Who would have thought you'd be holding hands one day?" Late that night, Caleb's number lit up my phone for the first time in months: "Did you insist on that river-view apartment back then because you could see his law firm from there?" 1 Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, it was warm as spring. The man sitting on the sofa opposite me wore a perfectly tailored suit, his figure tall and lean. His face was as chiseled and handsome as it was at 18. Only the fresh wound on his temple looked jarringly out of place. An hour ago, I received a call from the police station. Caleb Vance had gotten into a fight. When I arrived, a woman was cupping his face, carefully tending to his wound. I recognized her. Jenny, our high school classmate. Seeing me, she flinched back like a frightened bird. Caleb immediately shielded her behind him, speaking to me with displeasure: "She's timid. Don't scare her." I said nothing and followed the officer to handle the paperwork. By the time I finished and returned, Jenny was gone. On the way home, Caleb didn't say a word to me. He was on the phone the whole time. Even now, he was still coaxing the woman on the other end with a gentle voice. I had never seen this side of Caleb. Gentle, doting, focused. He gave all his patience to Jenny. That was when the thought of divorce first crossed my mind. 2 If Caleb and I were childhood sweethearts, then Jenny was the "white moonlight" he loved but couldn't have. We met in high school. Unlike our privileged backgrounds, Jenny was the poor student in class. She was pretty, had good grades, and was optimistic and driven. As soon as she transferred to our class, she caught Caleb's eye. I once thought Caleb was just intrigued by the novelty. Until that day, Jenny was falsely accused of stealing class funds. She was dragged into the girls' bathroom by a few female classmates. When I got the news and rushed over, those girls had already left. In the empty bathroom, only Jenny remained, her outer clothes stripped off. I took off my jacket, ready to go in and help, when I saw Caleb coming out of a stall. Holding Jenny's clothes. Jenny had her back to him, her voice choked with tears. "You go. If anyone sees, we can't explain it." Caleb: "Then we won't explain. Put your clothes on first." After a brief stalemate, Jenny compromised. But for some reason, she couldn't fasten her bra clasp. Caleb reached out without hesitation. "I'll do it." His expression was solemn, his movements clumsy and shy. After fastening it, I clearly saw the tips of his ears turn blood red. Turning around, Caleb met my gaze. Panic flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by composure as he walked towards me. "You're just in time. Help her." Walking out of the bathroom, he turned back to warn me: "Please keep this a secret." I agreed. But that afternoon, photos of Caleb helping Jenny dress spread throughout the campus. Caleb was convinced I betrayed him. That day, he lost his temper with me for the first time. "Winnie, don't think I won't do anything to you just because my parents back you." "You are the daughter-in-law they chose, not me! No one decides who I marry." I pursed my lips. "Whether you believe it or not, this has nothing to do with me." Caleb sneered. "Only you were there that day. Besides you, who else saw?" "Not me!" I raised my neck stubbornly. "Besides, why would I spread rumors about her?" "Because you're jealous she and I are together." My head buzzed. I looked at him in disbelief. "When... when did that happen?" He looked over, his eyes full of mockery. "I saw her body, naturally I have to be responsible for her." "But, we..." He interrupted me impatiently: "Winnie, you don't think I like you just because I took care of you all these years, do you?" I felt like I had fallen into an ice cave, unable to move. That night, the Vance family found out about Caleb and Jenny. In the middle of the night, Caleb was forcibly brought to my house by his father to apologize. Caleb stiffened his neck and said rebellious words: "If you like Winnie so much, why don't you marry her yourself?" Which earned him a beating from both sets of parents. Caleb back then hadn't seen the situation clearly. Naturally, he didn't see that I had been groomed as the Vance family's daughter-in-law since childhood. As the only son, Caleb had no right to decide who to marry. So in the end, he married me. Not long after the photo incident, Jenny transferred schools. After high school graduation, Caleb was sent abroad to study for eight years. Eight years later, he returned to take over the company. His temperament had changed drastically. Shedding his immaturity, he became steady and reserved. He came to me and proposed marriage. "Since we are both single, let's get married." I knew I couldn't escape the fate of a political marriage. Marrying someone I knew well was considered lucky. Later I learned that the first thing Caleb did upon returning was to find Jenny. But Jenny rejected him with dignity. Marrying me was just him acting out against her. 3 "I have to go out. You sleep first." Caleb's words pulled me back to reality. He got up and walked out, speaking softly as he went: "Don't be afraid, I'm coming over now, they won't dare do anything... Yeah, lock the door, wait for me." I stood up too. "So late, are you going out?" He paused briefly, continuing to walk out. "Something urgent came up, I'll be back late." As he was about to reach the door, I called him again. Impatience appeared on his face. "What now?" "Caleb," I said. "Let's get a divorce." Anger instantly dyed Caleb's eyes. Suppressing his temper, he said, "What are you fussing about now?" "Jenny was frightened today. She has no one to rely on here, she can only ask me for help." I looked at him steadily: "Help means going to the club where she works every day to back her up?" "The dignified CEO Vance, fighting with others and ending up in the police station for a waitress, that's what you call help!" Caleb's thin lips pressed into a cold line. Those deep eyes held danger and warning: "I'll investigate what happened tonight." Pausing, he added: "Ideally, it has nothing to do with you." Like a basin of ice water poured over my head, my blood ran cold. In the two-plus years of marriage, Caleb had never lost his temper with me. For a time, I thought he had let go of Jenny and wanted to live a good life with me. Now it seems, it was just my wishful thinking. I suddenly remembered something. A portrait of Jenny once hung in Caleb's study. Caleb painted it himself. He didn't hide it from anyone, including the Vance family. Grandpa Vance threw a huge fit over it. In the end, it was replaced by a wedding photo of Caleb and me. That painting was locked in a cabinet by him. In this moment, I suddenly understood. He hadn't compromised. He was using his way to silently resist his family. Outside, the wind howled. The balcony door in the dining room wasn't closed. A gust of cold wind hit me, and I shivered unexpectedly. Just then, a piercing scream came from Caleb's phone. Almost instantly, the gloom in Caleb's eyes fell apart. Replaced by deep fear. He strode out quickly. "Jenny don't be afraid, I'll be there in ten minutes, don't open the door for anyone..." As he spoke, he was already out the door. The door opened and closed, cutting off all his gentleness. That night, Caleb didn't come back. I sat alone on the sofa until dawn. When the sky brightened, I received two messages. A photo of Caleb and Jenny walking into a hotel side by side. And a sentence: [Divorce him, choose me, okay?] Scrolling up, there were three unreplied messages: [Winnie, I'm back.] [Whenever you need, I'm here.] [Do you like him that much? Like me instead, okay?] I blinked my sore eyes and quickly typed on the screen: [Okay.] 4 Caleb came home the next afternoon. He had changed into a brand new suit, a brand he usually wouldn't even look at. Cleaned up very well, not a trace of perfume on him. If the red mark on his Adam's apple wasn't so glaring, perhaps no one would believe he stayed in a hotel room with Jenny until the afternoon. Probably out of guilt, he prepared a gift for me. "Sorry, I spoke too harshly last night. I apologize." He put the gift in front of me. I took out the divorce agreement I had prepared long ago from the drawer and slowly pushed it in front of him. "Take a look. If there are no problems, sign it." Caleb frowned deeply: "Just helped an old classmate, is this necessary?" "Winnie, when did you become so petty?" I turned a deaf ear to his words. "Our pre-nuptial property was notarized and belongs to each of us. Cash after marriage is split 50/50. For real estate, I only want the river-view apartment." Caleb finally looked at me seriously. Those deep eyes were full of scrutiny. After a long while, he sneered coldly. "Is this your new trick?" He didn't believe me. He thought this was my way of winning him back. True, the Vance family holds significant weight in our circle. How many families want to marry their daughters in. In his view, I had no reason to give up the status of Mrs. Vance. But I had thought of giving up long ago. It was an ordinary day. Caleb was socializing as usual, got drunk, and was sent back. When I went to support him, he suddenly pointed at me and cursed: "Winnie, your love really disgusts me." I froze in place. Bitterness spread through my chest. I clearly remember, he liked me too. That year in high school, Caleb and I hadn't been assigned to the same class yet. Our classrooms were door to door in the corridor. When an earthquake hit the neighboring province, we felt strong tremors here. That day, Caleb was the first to dash from his classroom to mine, wrapping his school jacket over my head. Dragging and carrying me downstairs. That earthquake didn't cause any damage. My only injury was the bruise on my wrist from his grip. His bros teased him, saying Winnie was his precious item. Some even told us to get married right there. I thought Caleb would be angry, but he said: "We will get married." "Yo yo, don't speak too soon, still years away from legal age." Caleb said: "If she's not the one beside me when I get married, none of you come." When we got married, all his bros came. But what use was it?

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