Chapter 3

The doorbell rang.

Orion went to open the door.

Natalie stood outside.

She wore a white dress and held Orion’s phone in her hand. She lifted it slightly and waved it.

“Why are you here?”

“I came to return your phone. Your grandmother called me and asked me to bring it over.”

Orion’s tone was light.

The corners of his mouth lifted. It almost mirrored Natalie’s smile.

In just three years, they already looked like a couple.

But I was his lawful wife.

Orion’s eyes landed on her bare shoulders. He frowned.

“Wait here.”

He walked past me, crossed the living room, and went into the guest room.

He came back with a shawl in his hand.

“I’ll take her back. Go to bed first,” he said to me.

“Are you coming back?”

“Of course.”

He shook out the shawl and placed it over Natalie’s shoulders with practiced ease.

The warm yellow fabric was covered in small flowers.

It was Natalie’s favorite color.

“It looks nice.”

Natalie said, “Orion bought it. He has good taste. Next time you go shopping, you should bring him along.”

“Did he pick your white dress too?”

“Yes. Does it look good?”

“Yes, it does.”

A week before we registered our marriage, I told him I wanted to buy a white dress and asked him to go with me.

He kept making excuses and refused every time.

When I pressed him too much, he said, “What kind of man goes shopping?”

It turned out that he only went for someone else.

The elevator arrived.

Orion left with Natalie.

Once again, I was left alone in the house.

After a while, I sent him a message.

[Come home early. I have something to say.]

[What is it? Natalie is afraid of the dark. I might be back late. Just tell me now.]

[Are you in love with Natalie?]

[What are you talking about? She’s just a friend.]

[You go shopping with her. You bring her to see your grandmother. But you’ve never gone shopping with me, and you’ve never taken me to see your grandmother. Compared to me, she looks more like your wife.]

A few seconds passed before Orion called me.

“Is this really what this is about? Are you misunderstanding us over something like this?”

“It’s not a misunderstanding.”

“It’s my fault. Natalie told me before that you don’t feel secure. We’ve been apart for three years. I don’t blame you for misunderstanding.”

“She told you that?”

“That’s not important. What matters is that I married you. We still have a very long time ahead of us. We’ll always be together.”

His voice grew more urgent.

“Natalie just finished buying food. We really have to go.

“Don’t read too much into it. I’ll be back soon.”

A very long time?

Was three years considered long?

He spent three years with Natalie in South City. I spent those same three years alone in North City.

I went home alone. I worked alone. I took care of his grandmother alone.

I whispered, “That’s long enough.”

That night, he did not come home.

The next day, I went to work and submitted my resignation.

Orion walked in from outside.

“You didn’t come home last night?”

“It got too late. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I stayed on her couch for the night. You’re not mad, right?”

“No.”

“By the way, it’s my grandmother’s birthday today. She invited Natalie. You don’t mind, right?”

“No.”

“You’re really generous.”

I was not generous. I just did not care anymore.

At 6 p.m., I got off work and returned home. Ruby and Natalie were already there.

Natalie sat beside Ruby, and Orion sat on the other side.

I froze for a moment.

The door was still open. A cold wind blew in through the gap. Orion frowned and placed his coat over Natalie’s shoulders.

“Close the door,” he said sharply.

I closed the door and sat as far away from them as I could.

“Two Natalies?”

Ruby’s memory was starting to blur again.

“Madam Young, I’m Natalie.”

Natalie smiled and corrected her.

“My memory really is failing me. Natalie, you’re finally back. Orion has been waiting for you for a very long time.”

“Yes. I’m back.”

“When are you two getting married? I’ve already prepared your wedding gift.”

“Madam Young, you’re mistaken. Yvette is Orion’s wife.”

Natalie had enunciated it clearly and patiently.

Even so, Ruby still held their hands together.

“Dinner is getting late. I’ll cook. What does everyone want to eat?”

Orion stood up. He asked each of us in turn, but his eyes remained on Natalie.

“I want garlic shrimp,” Natalie said.

Orion’s expression darkened.

Natalie had a weak stomach and could not eat seafood.

She shrank slightly and forced a gentle smile.

“Whatever you cook, I’ll eat it.”

Orion’s expression softened again. He gave her a look that was both warning and indulgent.

Their exchange looked natural and intimate.

It felt like they had already made this place their home in North City.

Natalie turned to me.

“You haven’t asked Yvette what she wants to eat.”

“She’s not difficult. She doesn’t have any particular preferences.”

I did not have any particular preferences?

He simply never had the time to know what I liked.