I was Julian’s wife.
“If you don’t want to be known as the mistress everyone despises, then leave Julian quickly. I won’t make things difficult for you.”
From the moment I met her, I observed her.
Her clothes had no designer labels, and her perfume was a bit too strong, suggesting it was cheap.
All of this indicated that she wasn’t doing well financially now.
I then offered her money.
w
“If you’re unwilling to give him up because you need money, I can offer you a sum.”
After I spoke,
Her face only showed a cold, sneering sarcasm.
“Aubrey, why don’t *you* step aside? I don’t care about being called a mistress. As long as Julian cares about me, what’s a bad reputation?”
Her words completely overturned my perception.
I suppressed my anger.
“I always thought you cared about decency and propriety.”
“That’s because I’ve suffered before. Can decency and propriety get me what I want? No. You two have been married for six years and have no child. Haven’t you figured it out yet? He never intended to grow old with you.”
She stood up, picked up her bag.
“If you want me to leave willingly, have Julian talk to me. I only listen to him.“”
I sat in the coffee shop for an hour.
How ridiculous.
Those suspects attempting vehicle theft on the street, whom I chased for three blocks and brought to the station, would tremble just seeing me after they were released.
Yet I was powerless against a defenseless mistress.
Only because Julian was supporting her.
Journal Entry 14
On the matter of divorce,
Julian and I were at a standstill.
Failing to persuade Celeste to leave,
11:02 AM
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Julian and I were at a standstill.
Failing to persuade Celeste to leave,
I played my last card: I went to Julian’s father.
I revealed to Julian’s father that Julian was entangled with another woman outside the marriage.
Julian’s father did try to help me. He called Julian back and
him to break off relations with the other woman.
But Julian was so stubborn; he wouldn’t easily listen.
During their argument, his father suffered a heart attack.
That incident completely pushed me to Julian’s opposite side.
He came back, pulled me up from the sofa.
“Aubrey, you disgust me.”
That single word, “disgust,” haunted me for a long, long time.
Journal Entry 15
I knew my actions regarding his father were inappropriate.
I felt incredibly guilty.
But I was also deeply wronged.
Wasn’t all of this his fault to begin with?
He was the one who went too far first.
Yet I still lowered my head and apologized to him.
But his decision to divorce was final.
My apology only earned me his request for an amicable separation and divorce.
Twenty years of unspoken love, six years of marriage–he wanted me to cut it all off instantly.
It felt like he was taking a stone and grinding it against my chest.
