Chapter 4
"Sophie Photography Studio, the car, the education fund—explain all of it," I said.
Henry's eyes darkened.
"You've been snooping around about me?" he asked.
I smiled.
"You lied to me for ten years, and I only checked up on you for three days. Does that seem unfair to you?" I asked.
He fell silent.
I pointed to the first entry.
"When I sold my gold bracelet to help you with your project expenses, you were opening a photography studio for Sophie."
"While I was scrambling to pay my rent, you were out buying Sophie a car."
"On my birthday, all I got was a cheap mug, but you set up a six-figure trust fund for her daughter."
"Henry, I was the one who stuck with you through the tough times, and she got all the good times, right?" I asked.
Henry's lips quivered.
"Sophie didn't have it easy, you know. She's had her share of hardships too," he said.
[Henry's lie count: 12]
I stared at that line.
"She's had her share of hardships? Or is it that you just couldn't bear to see her suffer?" I asked.
He suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Emma, I admit I've looked after her too much, but you're the one who matters most to me," he said.
[Henry's lie count: 13]
I slowly pulled my hand away.
"Henry, don't say things like that again," I said.
"I'll see right through you," I added.
He frowned.
"See what?" he asked.
I didn't explain.
The hallway light outside suddenly went out.
Standing there in the dark, I told him: "I can see you lying, and I can see how disgusting you really are."
*****
Three days later, I went back to Willow Court Residence to pick up the rest of my things.
Henry wasn't there.
He texted me, letting me know he had a meeting at the office.
Henry: [I'll be home tonight so we can have dinner together.]
The next second, the notification popped up.
[Henry's lie count: 14]
I stared at my phone for a few seconds. Turns out, even messages were tracked.
Every time a lie appeared before my eyes, it got tallied.
I locked my phone right away.
In the master bedroom drawer, there was some of my jewelry and a few documents left.
When I opened the bottom drawer, I found a custom jewelry order form.
The design sketch was tucked under the contract.
It was a teardrop-shaped diamond, and in the bottom right corner, I saw my handwriting.
It was a sketch I'd drawn for Henry six years ago, just a quick doodle of a wedding ring.
But on the order form, the final product was a brooch.
Recipient: Sophie.
He once told me that when he finally had the money, he'd make me a wedding ring just like that.
I laughed at him back then.
"Does this even look like a ring?" I asked, grinning.
Henry just shrugged and said: "Who cares if it doesn't look like one? If you drew it, I'll wear it for the rest of my life."
But once the company took off, he always said he was too busy.
The wedding ring kept getting postponed, over and over.
It wasn't until now that I finally found out.
The ring I'd waited six years for became a brooch for Sophie at her birthday party.
Olivia sent me a photo on my phone.
It was from Sophie's birthday party last year.
She was wearing a black dress, with that teardrop diamond brooch pinned to her chest.
Henry was standing next to her, straightening the hem of her dress.
Under the photo, Sophie had written as her caption: [Some people remember the things you say without thinking.]
I stared at it for a long time, my fingers tingling.
As I kept packing, I came across the company's anniversary album in the study.
The first page read: [Thank you, Sophie, for being there for RiversTech Solutions when things were at their worst.]
My hand paused, unable to turn the page.
The lowest point?
Back when things were truly at their worst, Sophie wasn't even part of the company yet.
My name wasn't in the album at all.
That night, Henry came home.
When he saw the custom jewelry order form and the anniversary album in my hands, his expression froze for a moment.
"Emma, please, let me explain," he said.
I asked, "Did you use my sketch for this brooch?"
He swallowed hard.
"Yes," he said.
No lie notification popped up this time—he was telling the truth.
I asked again, "Did you review the anniversary album?"
"Yes," he said.
Still no lie notification.
I nodded.
"So it wasn't a mistake," I said.
Henry stepped closer. "Sophie really was a big help to the company during those years.
"Raising a kid on her own isn't easy. I just wanted to help her keep her dignity."
I looked at him.
"And what about me?" I asked.
He frowned.
"Emma, you're the one I want by my side for the rest of my life," Henry said, his voice low and sincere.
[Henry's lie count: 15]
I felt sick to my stomach.
He continued, "Sophie deserves to be noticed."
There was no lie notification this time—he really meant it. He genuinely believed Sophie deserved to be acknowledged.
Me? I'd been by his side for ten years already.
After all, I was the sensible one, the strong one, the one who never needed anyone to notice me.
I closed the custom order form and pushed it toward him.
"Henry, you know how to be romantic—you just never thought I was worth it," I said.
His face darkened.
"Emma, do you really have to say it like that?" he asked.
I said, "You're the one who's truly cruel. All those years I endured, you turned them into her achievements."
Henry went quiet, unable to say a word.
I stared at him, the words slipping out before I could stop myself, "Did you ever love me?"
He answered almost instantly, "Of course."
[Henry's lie count: 16]
I pressed him again, "Do you love Sophie?"
"No," he replied.
[Henry's lie count: 17]
Finally, I asked, "If one day, both Sophie and I were in danger, who would you save first?"
Henry didn't answer right away. The only sound in the study was the ticking of the clock.
After a long silence, he finally said, "Emma, don't make me choose."
This time, there was no lie notification.