I had been in a secret relationship with my best friend Chloe's CEO uncle, David, for seven long years. One day, Chloe invited me to dinner, excitedly telling me: "My uncle is bringing his girlfriend tonight—the one he's been hiding for seven years. We're all going out for dinner." "You should bring your CEO too! You've been together for seven years, and I've never even met him. This time, let me finally see the real deal." I felt a sudden rush of awkwardness. I quickly feigned a stomachache and excused myself to the restroom, pulling out my phone to call David. To my surprise, he simply hung up, then sent a text saying he was in a meeting. Stepping out of the restroom, I saw him: David, his arm linked with a young college student, chatting amiably with Chloe. The moment his eyes met mine, David froze. His smile turned stiff as he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice, "Audrey, what are you doing here?" 1 "I invited her! Just because you can bring your girlfriend, does that mean I can't invite my best friend?" Chloe's retort instantly made David's face fall. Seeing me, Chloe pulled me into a seat beside her, directly opposite David, who was still subtly linked with his young companion. Once all four of us were settled, David began to repeatedly signal me with his eyes, urging me to check my phone. I opened my phone with a touch of impatience, finding a single message from him: Play along. Staring at his commanding tone, a wave of indignation made my breath catch, but I forced a calm smile and played my part in his little charade. Throughout the dinner, the other three chatted merrily. David, without missing a beat, casually ate the food his young girlfriend, Daisy, offered him, and shared cutlery with her, ignoring me completely. I suppressed the fury simmering within, distractedly picking at my food. I even added Daisy on social media. The moment dinner concluded, I immediately stood up and turned to Chloe. "Chloe, my stomach is really bothering me today. I think I'll head home to rest. Can we go shopping tomorrow instead?" Chloe agreed, and I hurried out, hailing a taxi home. All the way back, I clutched my phone tightly, desperately hoping David would call with a plausible explanation. But by the time I reached home and even finished showering, my phone remained silent. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my phone and dialed David. It rang for a long time before he finally answered. "Are you going to offer me a reasonable explanation?" I demanded, my voice tight with anger. But there was only silence on the other end. Just as I was about to explode, David finally spoke, his voice hushed. "It was wrong of me to deceive you, but there's a reason for all of this. I hope you can understand." Hmph. The way he instinctively lowered his voice... he was probably still with his young girlfriend. My heart plummeted. "Fine. I'll give you a chance to explain. But I also expect an explanation that satisfies me." I desperately hoped he would tell me it was all an act, or that he was coerced. But again, there was a prolonged silence, lasting for nearly ten minutes. A feeling of helplessness washed over me. He was always like this. Whenever we faced a conflict, he would simply fall silent, trying to gloss things over. But the more he did that, the angrier I became, and the deeper the rift between us grew. After what felt like an eternity, David finally spoke. "I still have work to finish here. I'm hanging up now." With that, he didn't give me a chance to argue, simply disconnecting the call. Listening to the dial tone, I felt like my throat was constricted, unable to breathe. Seven years. Seven entire years of dating. My meticulous care, my absolute devotion to his every whim, all for nothing but a hidden affair, never to be openly acknowledged. For seven years, he never took me to any event that required a couple's presence, let alone out to gatherings with friends or family dinners. Even for our dates, he would choose a place where no one knew us. Perhaps it was because of Chloe, or perhaps he had other reasons. Lost in thought, my phone suddenly vibrated. I checked it. It was Daisy, David's young girlfriend, messaging me. She sent me a location for a bridal boutique. I felt a flicker of confusion. Daisy's message came again. "Audrey, David said for you to pick up the custom wedding dress from the shop tomorrow." Daisy's words made a glimmer of hope re-ignite within me. Without a second thought, I pulled on my coat and rushed out. Soon, I arrived at the bridal boutique. The sales associate greeted me and quickly brought out a beautifully customized wedding dress. "You must be Daisy, right? Mr. Thorne just instructed us to give this wedding dress to you when you arrived." The sales associate's voice was full of admiration. "Miss, Mr. Thorne truly loves you. This wedding dress is made with pearl-embroidered tulle, and even the veil is embroidered with ten roses, each with a seven-carat pearl sewn into its center." Staring at the wedding dress, a symbol of "angels," I froze again. I meticulously examined every stitch, tracing the pearls on the veil, each one a symbol of pure love. At that moment, a sharp, needle-like pain pierced my heart. 2 I stood in silence for a long time. In the past, facing something like this, I might have erupted in anger, despair, or a hysterical outburst. But now, utterly disappointed, I felt only a profound weariness, completely devoid of any temper. I calmly asked the sales associate to pack the wedding dress and thanked her. Leaving the bridal boutique, I didn't go home. Instead, I hailed a taxi directly to David's company. David was a workaholic; he spent almost every day working late, sometimes even keeping his entire team in the office until the wee hours. It was almost 10 PM now, but the company floor was still bustling with employees working overtime. As I approached, I overheard a few female colleagues gossiping at their desks. "I bet Mr. Thorne is definitely with that new intern, Daisy." "Well, duh! I left late last night and saw Daisy going into his office." "That Daisy sure has some moves. How long has it been, and she's already hooked Mr. Thorne?" I stood there, listening for a long time, completely oblivious to the elevator opening behind me. David stepped out. He looked surprised to see me among the chatting employees. Realizing they were gossiping about him, a surge of anger flashed in his eyes. "Don't you all have anything better to do? Get back to work! This company isn't your personal gossip lounge!" The female employees were startled. They quickly returned to their desks, burying their heads in their work. Then, David turned to me. "Follow me." With that, he led me into his office. "Audrey, don't listen to their rumors. Daisy just came to bring me a late-night snack; there's nothing between us." David explained, but I had no interest in his excuses. "I believe you. You don't need to explain." David visibly relaxed, about to ask why I was at the company, when he suddenly noticed the bridal boutique's shopping bag in my hand. "You know everything." I ignored him, instead extending the wedding dress bag towards him. Seeing the custom-made wedding dress inside, he looked up abruptly, like a child caught in the act. "How did you get this?" He stammered, "No, let me explain." I offered a mocking smile. "No, don't bother. Your silence would only waste my time." I forced a bright tone. "Daisy messaged me, asking me to pick it up for you. So I went. This wedding dress is beautiful. Which lucky woman are you planning to give it to?" David was silent for a long time, then slowly took the wedding dress bag. He nodded gently, his eyes filled with a possessive affection, and he smiled meaningfully. "Yes, she's not just the woman I adore; she's someone incredibly important to me." Even though I had mentally prepared myself, hearing those words still sent a sharp, painful jolt through my heart. I didn't want to stay there any longer; I was afraid I'd lose control and slap David's face. So, my voice trembling slightly, I spoke. "It's getting late. I'm leaving." But David seemed not to hear me. He was too engrossed in the wedding dress in his hands, completely ignoring me. Hearing my intention to leave, he merely waved his hand, a dismissive gesture. The distance from the company to my home wasn't far, yet it felt like I was walking through an entire lifetime. From the moment I stepped out of David's office, I kept hoping he would suddenly rush up behind me, pull me into an embrace, and whisper in my ear, "Audrey, I did all this to secretly prepare a grand wedding for you. Let's get married." For that hope, I deliberately chose to walk, just to give him enough time to catch up. But by the time I reached my apartment building, David was nowhere in sight. I took a deep breath, telling myself with firm resolve: It's over, Audrey. 3 Back home, my parents had already retired for the night. I went to my room, intending to get some rest and then put a definitive end to things with David tomorrow. But just as I was about to lie down, David sent me a picture. I clicked it open. It was a concert ticket for the famous singer, Leo. Six months ago, I had mentioned to David that I wanted to go to a Leo concert with him. I even hinted that he could give me the tickets as a birthday gift. It wasn't that I couldn't afford them myself; I just wanted to use this to confirm if he truly loved me, otherwise, I constantly felt insecure. But at the time, David was too preoccupied with his work. He impatiently told me, "You're always chasing celebrities! Can't you focus on important things instead of being obsessed with pop stars all day?" His words had truly stung, but back then, I didn't want to give up on our relationship. So, after that, I never brought up the concert again. I never expected him to send me a screenshot of concert tickets now. I sent a question mark back. He replied almost instantly. "Which seating area do you think would be better for the concert?" Perhaps it was because he touched on a familiar topic, or perhaps I was still harboring some faint hope, but I replied quickly. I meticulously explained the differences between various prices and seating arrangements. David listened intently. It wasn't until 3 AM that he reluctantly told me he was going home to rest and would talk more tomorrow. My heart surged with joy. I instinctively believed he was using the concert tickets as an apology gift, which was why he was so serious about understanding everything from me. However, I must have been too tired, my mind not quite sharp. I somehow stumbled upon Daisy's social media. It was better not to have clicked it at all. The moment I did, my heart was instantly doused with cold water. "Someone who truly loves you will diligently learn all your preferences." This was Daisy's latest post. The accompanying picture showed the two Leo concert tickets David had just purchased. I smiled, and at the same time, tears streamed from my eyes. It turned out I was the biggest fool of all. It was already so obvious, yet I had foolishly kept hoping he would apologize and regret. After a long while, I wiped away my tears and left a comment on Daisy's post: "Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and many children soon." Just as I was about to put my phone down after commenting, David called me directly. "Audrey, are you out of your mind?! It's just a concert ticket! Why are you being so passive-aggressive?!" He raged. "If you wanted one, you could have just told me, and I would have sent you one. Was it really necessary to be so sarcastic?" This was the first time David had ever lost his temper with me, and the first time he had ever cursed at me. But the angrier he became, the calmer I felt. "Don't misunderstand. I genuinely wish you both well." On the other end of the line, David seemed to choke again, his voice instantly catching. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Come to the company tomorrow. I'll explain everything clearly!" 4 The night passed peacefully. The next morning, I arrived early at David's company building. Just as I was about to go inside, I saw David and Daisy exit the building, get into a car, and drive away. I was about to call out to them, but the words caught in my throat. I watched his car disappear around the corner. Just as I turned to leave, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from David. "Go to my office and get the gift box, then take it to my place. I have something important to do today. I'll explain later." Then, he sent me a location—a villa complex. This was the birthday gift David had given me when we first started dating. He had told me then that when we got married, he wanted it to be our new home. Since it was his birthday gift to me and the place of our first date, it certainly held special meaning for me. At the time, the naive me was completely swept off my feet. I even decided then and there that I would never marry anyone but David in this life. But now, thinking back, that house didn't seem to hold much significance for me, certainly not enough to stake my entire life on it. I entered the company and retrieved the gift box from David's desk in his office. Just as I was about to leave, I heard employees whispering amongst themselves. "Hey, did you guys know it's Daisy's birthday today? I just saw her leave with Mr. Thorne in his car!" "Yeah, I also heard Mr. Thorne prepared a birthday gift for her, apparently a villa worth millions!" "Holy cow! A villa right off the bat! Daisy's really got something going for her!" "Oh, and last week at the party, Mr. Thorne and Daisy were so lovey-dovey! I even have a video here! Look, Mr. Thorne even kissed Daisy!" I froze, then quickly chuckled self-deprecatingly. Audrey, what are you even hoping for? You already know it's irreversible. Why do you keep letting yourself hope again and again? I shook my head with a bitter smile, then left with the box. I took a taxi to the villa. After ringing the doorbell, Chloe opened the door shortly after. Seeing me, Chloe pulled me inside without a word. David was on the spacious balcony, having tea and chatting with his friends. Seeing me being led in by Chloe, they all looked at me with disdain, not bothering to acknowledge me. It was as if I were nothing more than a clingy, attention-seeking mistress, unworthy of their notice. Seeing me, David spoke coldly. "Give me the box." I stared at his cold expression, momentarily lost in thought. Seeing I wasn't reacting, David simply reached out and snatched the box from my hand. Chloe saw this and frowned. "Uncle, be nicer! Audrey is my best friend, after all!" David merely pursed his lips, uttering a simple "Hm," and offered no further explanation. The box opened, revealing the property deed for the villa. Seeing the deed, he finally relaxed, closing the box and calmly addressing me. "Audrey, thank you." I didn't say a word, just lowered my head and waved my hand, feigning nonchalance. Seeing my reluctance to speak, David immediately frowned. "What? Still angry?" "You promised me an explanation yesterday." I stated my demand, devoid of any emotion. But David reacted as if I had stepped on a landmine, angrily saying, "Audrey, it's Daisy's birthday today! Do you have to make me miserable?" Seeing David's anger, I didn't immediately try to appease him as I usually would. Instead, I gave a calm smile. "No, I'm not. I just came to break up with you."
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