Chapter 2
Time seemed to stand still until the sound of the door opening broke the silence.
Herbert stood at the door with a beaming face. After he warmed up a bit, he rushed over and hugged me tightly.
He said, “Honey, why did you come back early? Wasn’t your flight supposed to be
tomorrow? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have come to pick you up.”
I stared blankly at the lipstick mark on Herbert’s neck and reached out to wipe it off for
him. “Herbert, I don’t like this smell on you.”
There was a scent of women’s perfume on him that didn’t belong to him.
The glaring lipstick mark and the cloying perfume were like a silent challenge from that
woman to me.
Herbert’s expression froze for a moment. But then, he quickly regained his composure.
He took a step back, took off his overcoat, and threw it on the floor. Looking at me with a
remorseful face, he said, “Sorry, honey. There was a client at the meeting tonight whose perfume was way too strong. It’s my fault. I was in such a hurry to come back and see you
that I didn’t have time to deal with it.”
Herbert was so smart. He mixed truth and falsehood in his words. It was true that he was
eager to come back to see me, but the story about the client’s perfume was a lie.
A cold smile played on my face. My fingers wrapped around his tie, and I gave it a hard
tug.
With our faces just inches apart, I said slowly, “Herbert, you’re not fooling around with someone else behind my back, are you?”
Herbert’s pupils trembled slightly, and a look of panic flashed across his face. But years of experience in the business world had already honed his ability to stay calm in any
situation.
Sat, Mar 8
He quickly composed himself and looked at me with a pitiful expression, and there were even tears glistening in his eyes. “Honey, you’re the only one in my heart. Did I do something wrong to make you ask me such a question?”
Seeing how nervous he was, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud, saying, “Just kidding. Why are you so serious? Look, you’re even sweating. Go and take a shower.”
I reached out and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Herbert’s stiff body quickly relaxed. He kissed my lips and said in a soft, reproachful
voice, “Don’t say such things again. You almost scared me to death.”
He kissed me for a while before going to take a shower.
The moment he turned around, my smile disappeared, replaced by overwhelming
feelings of resentment and disgust.
Tears streamed down my face, and I wiped my lips vigorously.
The moment I saw the panic in his eyes, I felt that the man I had loved for nearly ten years was so unfamiliar and repulsive.
When Herbert came out of the shower, he wrapped his arms around my waist, attempting
to be affectionate.
I subtly moved away and curled up in the corner. “I’m tired.”
Herbert felt so sorry for me. He carefully adjusted the quilt for me and patted my back as
if he were coaxing a child.
He said, “You’ve had a long day, babe. Get some rest. I’ll spend more time with you
tomorrow”
Gradually, I heard his even breathing.
I stared at Herbert’s face in the dark, and my tears wet the pillow.
Even when he was sleeping, he would unconsciously mumble my name.
I couldn’t figure it out. How could he not love me anymore?
