Chapter 9
My hand eating a burger froze midair as I lifted my eyes to glance at Joseph.
During the previous get–togethers at the research institute, his usual excuse for showing up by himself was, “It’d be awkward if you come along.”
He even avoided me in group photos.
Now, out of nowhere, he was the one asking me to go out with him. It was like he’d completely changed.
If this had been before, I would’ve excitedly pulled out pretty dresses hidden in my closet and checked my hair and makeup over and over.
But now, I simply kept eating the burger, keeping my voice cool, “Forget it. If I show up, I’ll just ruin the mood for everyone.”
Joseph’s hand, which was halfway to passing me a drink, stopped mid- motion; his fingers became stiff and pale with discomfort.
He cleared his throat and, for once, spoke with a surprisingly serious. voice, “This time’s not the same. Diana said she wants to meet my wife.”
His eyelashes quivered slightly, and I caught a rare trace of sincerity in his gaze.
Suddenly, old memories hit me.
At that one party, when people made snide remarks about my ‘low education‘, Joseph had just sat there, playing with his phone.
Later, he brushed it off, saying I was making a big deal out of nothing. Why can’t I just let it go? He even said my education level wasn’t great, and they were just speaking the truth.
But deep down, he was well aware of the quiet approval behind those harsh comments.
I finished my burger and threw the paper into the takeout bag and spoke in a flat voice, “I have plans tomorrow. You can find someone else to keep you company.”
That’s not just an excuse. The unfinished study abroad visa application. materials were still sitting on the computer.
Each punctuation mark on the screen feels like a reminder that I need to start thinking about myself now.
All of a sudden, Joseph got to his feet, and the chair scraped loudly. against the floor.
“What’s more important than us? I can go with you, and afterward, we’ll head to the party together.”
The mix of fear and frustration in his eyes reminded me so much of the expression he wore the last time I pleaded with him to stay just a bit longer.
I quietly threw the takeout paper into the trash, speaking as if I were just mentioning the weather.
“I need to go to the embassy for an interview tomorrow, and the process is quite complicated. The celebration banquet is a big deal, so
you should stay and accompany the leaders. I can manage things by myself.”
Joseph rubbed his thumb along the side of his phone, his gaze drifting.
“So… should I bring Hailey with me?”
In the past. I probably would have demanded to know why he wanted to bring an ambiguous woman with him.
But now, I just bent over to tie my shoes and said, “It’s fine. She’s your assistant, right? Sounds like a good choice.”
He leaned in slightly, trying to catch the subtle shifts in my expression. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
I thought back to last month when he snapped at me, “Stop acting like a nagging wife, you’re always checking up on me.”
Even though my chest felt tight, I still forced a smile and said, “Why would I mind? You’re colleagues, and she’s good–looking. She makes you look good in front of others.”
Joseph opened his mouth, hesitating, and finally said, “I’ll drive you to the embassy in the morning. It’s on my way.”
When I nodded, he paused, then reached out to touch my shoulder, but I shifted away.
A flicker of disappointment crossed his face.
I just pointed toward the guest room and told him, “I need to go over the documents again. You should get some rest.”
The next morning, I saw my favorite pastry and milk waiting on the
table.
When I sat in the front seat of the car, the feel of the leather felt so unfamiliar, like I had stepped into a stranger’s car.
Suddenly, a memory came back, a stormy day during the second year of our marriage
I had once asked him to give me a ride, but he said, “You’re not a child, don’t act so dramatic.”
At the same time, Hailey was posting on her Facebook, showing him. holding an umbrella for her from behind.
After that, it took me three months to get my driver’s license, and I eventually bought a car myself.
While we were in the car. Joseph was messing with the music, pulling up the playlist I had saved, and randomly chatting about the news.
As we drove out of the neighborhood. Hailey’s phone call suddenly came through.
He glanced over at me nervously, his finger pausing over the answer button, unsure of what to do.
“Go ahead and answer it,” I said, watching the shadows of the sycamore trees flickered past the window.
Hailey’s sweet and playful voice immediately filled the car. “Joseph. I can’t figure out where the party is. Can you come around and pick me up?”
Joseph’s throat moved as he swallowed, and for once, his voice
sounded cold, “I’ll send you the address. Just grab a taxi, I’m busy right
now.”
I turned my head in surprise and caught a glimpse of his pale tightly pressed lips in the rearview mirror.
Hailey was clearly caught off guard, too. She paused for a couple of seconds before snapping sharply, “That night you swore you’d come whenever I needed you. How can you just turn your back on me now that you’ve gotten what you wanted?”
