Chapter 2
The next day, Charles got home right on time.
He slid his key into the lock and opened the door.
The entryway light was on, and the savory scent of simmering pork filled the air.
Julia peeked out from the kitchen wearing an apron, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail.
"You're back? Go wash up, dinner's almost ready," Julia called out.
She smiled softly, as gentle as ever.
Just like she had for the past eight years.
Charles slipped on his slippers and sat down at the dining table.
Three dishes and a soup were set out, all beautifully plated and looking delicious.
Julia handed him a bowl and some silverware, then ladled some soup for him.
"How come you're home so early today?" she asked.
"Nothing special," he replied.
Charles took the bowl and took a sip.
Pumpkin soup. His favorite.
"Oh, by the way," Julia said as she sat down across from him, dropping a rib into his bowl. "My mom's birthday is next month. Should we go visit together?"
"Sure." Charles nodded.
"Oh, and," she paused, sounding casual, "Emily invited me to go down to Sunbay for a few days next week. Just three or four days, it won't get in the way of anything."
Charles's hand froze for a second.
Emily.
The one who posted that picture.
Sunbay.
Charles wondered, the last time she went to Paradise Isles, was she invited by Emily, too?
"Go ahead," he said.
Julia looked up at him and gave a gentle smile.
"Have you been working too hard lately? You've been so quiet," she said.
"The company's getting ready to go public," he replied.
"Going public, huh?" Julia set down her silverware, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at him. "Then you'll be a real big shot."
"Yeah," he responded.
"So, does that mean we could finally..." Julia started, her voice trailing off.
"What do you mean?" Charles asked.
Julia lowered her eyes, her voice soft with a hint of coyness.
"Maybe we can finally get married?" she said.
Charles looked up at her.
She looked so sincere, her eyes bright and a gentle smile on her lips.
If he had seen that look a week ago, he probably would have been too happy to sleep.
Eight years.
He had been waiting eight years to hear those words.
But now, his stomach just churned, as if he had swallowed a lump of iron.
The company was about to go public.
Now, suddenly, she thought the timing was finally right.
"Let's talk about it later," Charles said, lowering his head and going back to his food.
Julia paused, caught off guard for a moment.
For the first time in eight years, Charles had not jumped at her hint.
Her smile stiffened for a split second, but she quickly smoothed it over.
"Yeah, you've been busy lately. Let's talk about it after the company goes public," she said.
Charles did not say anything.
He knew there would never be a later.
That night, Julia went to bed first.
Charles sat on the living room sofa, going through every page of the file Jack had sent him.
Andrew Chenfield.
Twenty-nine years old.
The youngest son of the founder of Chenfield Realty.
He had three properties, two sports cars, and even a yacht to his name.
He first crossed paths with Julia three years ago at a wine tasting.
After that, they started showing up together at exclusive clubs and private parties all the time.
Last year, they went abroad together twice, once to Bari and once to Paradise Isles.
Every time, they were gone for three to five days.
Funny enough, those trips lined up perfectly with the "girls' getaways" Julia mentioned to him.
Charles set the file down.
His fingers clenched the armrest, his knuckles bone-white with tension.
Suddenly, a memory hit him.
Last year, after Julia got back from her so-called Bali trip, she had brought him a bracelet.
A wooden one, which she claimed she found at some local market.
He had actually worn it for six months.
Now that he thought about it, that bracelet was probably just something she grabbed at a duty-free shop without a second thought.
Maybe she bought it just to throw him off.
Or maybe just to ease her own guilt.
Charles looked down at his wrist.
He was still wearing the bracelet.
He slipped it off and left it on the coffee table.
Then he picked up his phone and texted his lawyer.
Charles: [Can you draft a property division agreement for me?]
Lawyer: [I thought you weren't married yet.]
Charles: [I'm not. But there's a property under her name, and she has a supplementary card linked to my account.]
The lawyer replied quickly: [I'll send you the draft tomorrow.]
Charles locked his phone.
He stood up and walked out onto the balcony.
The city's night breeze brushed his face, carrying the chill of late autumn.
Charles lit a cigarette.
The smoke was whipped away by the wind, fading into the night.
He just stood there, lost in thought, for what felt like ages.
He only tossed the cigarette when it burned all the way down to his fingertips.
When he got back to the bedroom, Julia was sound asleep.
She was lying on her side, one hand resting beneath her cheek, her breathing steady and calm.
Charles stood by the bed, watching her for a while.
There was a time when he believed she was the one he would spend his whole life protecting.
Now, only one question remained in his mind.
He wondered if she had ever felt even a shred of guilt when she was doing all that.
Probably not, he reasoned.
After all, she had been smiling sweetly while lying to him for three whole years.
She never slipped up, not even once.
Charles gently pulled the blanket over her shoulders.
He knew this would be the last time.
*****