Chapter 2 — The Toast That Ended Ten Years of Marriage

I used to desire nothing more than to present myself before him in the most flawless state imaginable, though in truth, he likely never cared for such trifles. Now, that necessity has vanished. With only ten minutes remaining before the concert, I sent a message to Gu Yunye. The message sank into the void like a stone cast into the sea, met with absolute silence. I shook my head, no longer waiting for him as I once would have, and instead simply joined the queue to enter the venue. Just then, a social media post by Jiang Lesong flashed across my phone screen. To ensure I would see it instantly, she had even tagged me.

“Someone knew I disliked tedious concerts, so they specially changed our plans to an amusement park. The moonlight tonight is truly beautiful!”

Below the caption was a photograph of a man and a woman locked in an embrace. The man’s face was obscured, but having known him for over a decade, I recognized him instantly as Gu Yunye. So, this concert had never been intended for me after all. Yet, fortunately, I found I no longer cared. After all, if he could betray over ten years of devotion, what did one more slight matter? As long as he was willing to sign the divorce papers, he was free to sleep with whomever he pleased thereafter.

After the concert, I enjoyed a leisurely dinner before driving home. I could not remember the last time I had spent an evening with such tranquility. On the way back, I spoke via headset to my lawyer, hammering out the finer details of the divorce. Gu Yunye and I had been intertwined for over a decade; our lives were tangled in a complex web. Our shared assets were not something easily divided. The lawyer hesitated on the other end of the line.

“Ms. Lam, I have reviewed the records. The initial capital to establish the company came primarily from your parents' inheritance. Legally, you have every right to demand that Mr. Gu leaves with absolutely nothing.”

She paused for a moment before adding softly, “But after ten years of history between you two, are you truly certain you want to proceed this way?”

At that moment, I pulled into the driveway. Through the villa’s floor-to-ceiling windows, I saw a man and a woman sitting inside. The woman had draped her legs over his lap, teasing him with deliberate intimacy, and the man allowed her the freedom to do as she pleased. Unable to restrain myself, I laid on the horn. The pair inside startled, immediately pulling apart. I cleared my throat, my voice steady and resolute as I spoke to my lawyer:

“I am certain. Please, ensure that Gu Yunye leaves with nothing.”

I stepped into the house and was immediately met with a demand from Gu Yunye.

“What is the matter with you? Why are you only just returning now?”

So, he had been waiting for me? To entertain his mistress in our home while waiting for his wife to return—Gu Yunye, you truly are a man of unique character. I pulled my arm away from his grasp, speaking with icy calm:

“After the concert concluded, I went out for dinner.”

Upon hearing me mention the concert, Gu Yunye perhaps recalled his broken promise. A flash of guilt crossed his features. He pressed his lips into a thin line, retrieved a small box from his jacket, and tossed it toward me.

“I bought this especially for you today. Open it and see.”

I was not particularly surprised. After all, he had broken his word, and he always felt compelled to offer a crumb of compensation. Gu Yunye had always been this way. Whenever he committed a transgression, he would follow it with a bit of sweetness. In the past, I would have waited with bated breath, hoping for his attention. I did not need his gifts as a consolation prize; I only ever wanted him to stay by my side a little longer. I took the box and tossed it carelessly onto the sofa.

“Thank you, but it is unnecessary.”

My tone was polite, distant, and utterly detached. The smile froze on his face, as he finally realized the depths of my indifference.