Chapter 1

Henry's POV

I knew Jasmine Gunner, my wife, had heard what I said, and I wasn't in the mood to repeat myself. "You can just tell me if there's anything you want. I'll have someone buy it and deliver it to you, Jasmine."

Jasmine gradually furrowed her brow. She then chuckled faintly after a moment's silence. "What are you up to this time, Henry?"

I flashed Jasmine a puzzled look, wondering what had suddenly gotten into her. I then replied calmly, "I'm not pulling anything. Why are you being so strange, Jasmine? Haven't you always been indifferent to the gifts I send you?"

I remembered that the gifts I got her would either end up in the doghouse or would be passed along to others, with her telling them that anything they wanted was up for grabs.

Jasmine seemed to arrive at some conclusion, her tone turning gentler. "You're actually blaming me for that, huh? I swear I'll keep your gift properly this time, then. You should get up and get ready, Henry—everything should be just like it used to be."

I treated her birthday as the highlight of the year in the past. I would ask around, both openly and discreetly, to see if anything had caught her eye lately. I would handle everything thoughtfully, from selecting the gift to delivering it.

I shook my head, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I'll pass on that. I've been out hiking all day, so I'm exhausted right now."

Jasmine was taken aback. "You weren't waiting for me at home, even though it's my birthday?"

I smiled faintly and retorted, "You didn't exactly tell me to wait for you either."

In the years since I had followed Jasmine to Harborough, I was well aware that her friends didn't welcome me, yet I always braced myself and joined in on her birthday each year.

She would sometimes throw a second party with her friends later, and since no one invited me, I would simply return home to wait for her.

I would then plead with Jasmine once she returned, "You should try some of the food I prepared for you. I've also prepared a cake for you, too, Jasmine."

Jasmine would take a couple of bites, then set it aside. "Is that enough to satisfy you? Am I allowed to go upstairs and rest now?"

I had once waited for her for so long that I accidentally drifted off to sleep. I later woke up shivering, only to find out that the living room window was still open and that I had been lying on the couch in my pajamas while cold gusts kept sweeping over me.

Jasmine, on the other hand, was already asleep in the bedroom.

I glanced at the cake beside me, left there untouched and forgotten. I picked up a fork, took a bite, and murmured, "It actually tastes pretty good…"

It was such a shame that Jasmine didn't get to try it.

Jasmine still stood there, not budging, which left me feeling a bit helpless.

"You're the one who said that I'd embarrass you if I went, that you don't like the gifts I give you, and that I should stop doing things just to satisfy myself. I'm just doing exactly what you told me to do, Jasmine. Why are you suddenly insisting that I give you a gift now? What exactly do you want from me, Jasmine?"

Jasmine's eyes flashed with that familiar ridicule again as she scoffed. "You think too highly of yourself, Henry—no one is begging for your gifts. It's just that you didn't come running over to wag your tail like a lapdog this time, so I assumed you were cooking up some trouble.

"You'd better do as you say and leave me alone, rather than pleading with me to take your gifts later, Henry."

I smiled faintly and said, "You can rest assured that I won't do that later."