My husband and I had planned a ski trip for Christmas. It was supposed to be our getaway. But then, he bailed. He rented out an entire ski resort for the "one who got away"—his first love. She sent me a video from the slopes, her voice soft and feathery in the background: "I had no idea Julian would ditch you for me. I feel terrible. Maybe next time, I’ll tell him to make it up to you." I replied calmly: "Have a blast. Don't worry about the cost." Oh. She probably didn't know that the resort Julian rented out? I own it. 1 When Julian came home, I was reviewing the resort’s quarterly revenue on my laptop. He walked in and handed me a gift box. "Chloe, I brought you a present." It was a green box. The standard complimentary souvenir for anyone who spends over $15,000 at the resort. I didn’t even need to open it to know it was the limited-edition Christmas snow globe with the green glitter. I looked up. "Did you have fun with Bella?" Panic flickered in his eyes for a second, followed by a sigh of relief. "So, you know. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to overthink it. Bella is going through a messy divorce. She’s depressed. I just took her there to clear her mind. It meant nothing." "Okay," I nodded, my eyes returning to the spreadsheet. He stared at me, brows furrowing. "Are you mad? Over this?" His tone shifted to impatience. "Chloe, drop it. I just got back. I’m exhausted." He turned and went into the bathroom to shower. His phone, left on the coffee table, lit up. A message from Bella. [Julian, is Chloe mad? Should I explain it to her?] [I’m scared she’ll be even angrier if she sees me.] It was the first time I saw the contact name he had for her: Little Fragile One. Unlike mine. In Julian’s phone, I was permanent and static: Chloe Yu. Full legal name. 2 I picked up his phone and replied to Bella. [No need to explain. An apology will do.] [Cash transfers show the most sincerity.] I sent it as a voice memo. Bella didn’t reply for a long time. She didn’t send any money, either. When Julian came out of the shower, he checked his phone. Then he glanced at me. Just then, Bella finally replied. She sounded cautious and timid. [Chloe? Why are you replying? Are you guys fighting because of me? Please... don't fight. It was my fault for asking Julian to keep me company...] Julian listened to her message, then clicked on mine. "No need to explain. An apology will do. Cash transfers show the most sincerity." He listened to it twice. His face darkened completely. "Chloe, is money the only thing you care about?" "What else should I care about? You?" I looked at him, genuinely surprised. I opened the green box he gave me, tracing the cheap green roof of the snow globe. "Should I care about the free gift you got for spending money on another woman?" Julian froze. His anger stalled, replaced by awkwardness. "The flight was tight... I didn't have time to shop. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." "Okay," I nodded. "Cash is fine too." "Chloe!" His voice rose. I looked at him, perplexed. I didn't understand where his sudden indignation was coming from. We stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Julian gritted his teeth. "You're unbelievable." He stormed into the guest bedroom and slammed the door. Psycho. 3 Early the next morning. I was packing a bag for a business trip. Julian opened the guest room door, his face instantly sour. "Chloe, what are you doing? Running away from home first thing in the morning? Are we doing this?" I frowned. "I have a business trip." Julian’s expression softened slightly, but he stayed silent. He turned and went to brush his teeth. By the time he was ready, I was dressed in my suit. "Let's go." He blinked. "Where?" "To your office. I need to pick up the bid documents." He finally remembered. The original plan was for us to go skiing because I had a bid meeting for the Snow Village development project in Aspen. Halfway there, Julian signaled to turn left. The car's display screen lit up. Incoming call: Little Fragile One. He glanced at me instinctively. "Inconvenient to answer?" I asked, not looking up from my tablet. "Don't be passive-aggressive," he snapped. He answered via Bluetooth. A woman’s voice, bright and cheery, filled the cabin. "Julian, where are you? I've done my makeup and I'm waiting!" Julian cleared his throat. "You should call a heavy Uber. It's not convenient for me right now." Her voice paused, then turned frantic. "Julian, what's wrong? Did something happen?" In the car, the atmosphere solidified. I chuckled softly. "Yeah, something happened. His wife is sitting in the passenger seat." Dead silence on the other end. Then, Bella’s panicked voice. "Chloe? Oh god, I'm sorry to cause trouble, I really didn't mean anything by it, don't misunderstand..." "Enough." Julian interrupted her, frowning. He paused, then his voice softened. "Just call a car. Go to the office first." He hung up. At the red light, he glanced at me, hesitating before explaining. "Bella lives in a remote area now. It's hard to get a cab." I laughed. "Do you want a gold star for being so considerate?" Julian’s face shut down. He didn't say another word. 4 I was printing the bid documents in Julian’s office. While I was drinking tea, the office door burst open. Bella stood there, eyes red-rimmed. "Julian, I still couldn't get a car..." She looked at him with wet, puppy-dog eyes, hesitating. "Did Chloe throw a tantrum today? Can you... can you still come pick me up?" She looked down, dejected. "And... can I still work at your company?" I was sitting on the sofa with my back to the door. I set my teacup down on the saucer with a crisp clink. "Good tea," I said aloud. Bella’s face went pale instantly. She looked at Julian for help. "Chloe." Julian’s voice was low, warning. "That's enough." He called his secretary right in front of me to settle Bella in. Then he locked the door and rubbed his temples. "Stop treating her like an enemy. She's divorcing, unemployed, and homeless. I'm just looking out for her." I laughed out loud. "Just looking out for her?" "Familiar enough to barge into your office without knocking? Are your security guards and secretaries dead? Do they just let strangers waltz in?" Julian’s face twitched. "Save it, Julian. It's disgusting." I sneered, grabbed my documents, and walked out. Bella was standing by the secretary's desk. Our eyes met. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly. It was a look only another woman would understand. It said: Look, I'm stealing your man. I stopped walking and raised my voice. "Miss Yao, what are you smiling at? Are you proud of yourself?" Her expression shifted to panic in a split second. Julian pulled the office door open behind me. Bella nervously tugged at the hem of her shirt. "I... I wasn't smiling..."
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