Chapter 4

The moment I heard that, my mind was instantly filled with a stampede of utter chaos.

I knew it. I had no idea how she did it, but she always managed to find more work for me.

"This is a market research report I organized recently. It should be useful to you. Take a look when you have time." Veronica handed me a document.

I froze for a few seconds. My brain failed to process it right away. I never would have expected Veronica to proactively help me.

"Isn't this what you want?"

"I do, I do, I do…" Free benefits like this were not something I would ever refuse.

I took the document, thanked Veronica, and left the office.

On the way, the future Veronica sent another message.

"Hubby, I miss you…"

Just reading it gave off an overwhelmingly sweet, almost cloying feeling.

I pulled my thoughts back and could not help asking, "Do you remember that time my performance was bad, you criticized me in public, and afterward you gave me a very detailed market research report? Why did you help me then?"

I asked because Veronica had never helped any other colleague like that. From her perspective, everyone handled their own problems.

Everyone was an adult at work, not a three-year-old child. The workplace was a battlefield, and everything depended on yourself. With that mindset, there was no reason for her to help me.

I walked while staring at my phone screen.

After more than a minute, future Veronica finally replied, "Because… because I already liked you back then. I felt you were different from the other people at the office."

That message shattered me completely.

She already liked me back then?

Shock.

I could feel my eyes widen in disbelief.

Different from the other colleagues?

"Hubby, why are you asking this? It is really embarrassing to answer…" Future Veronica sent another message.

My brain shut down entirely.

After a few seconds of blankness, I typed, "You really liked me back then?"

I could not believe it, no matter how I thought about it. Liking me, yet targeting me everywhere?

"Of course. Otherwise, how would I have given birth to our baby, Iris Cole?" Her reply was absolute and without hesitation.

After a short pause, future Veronica sent another message. "Hubby, something is wrong with my phone. The time looks strange. The messages you sent are showing as 2025."

The moment I saw that, I knew she had discovered the time discrepancy on her end as well. We were talking across five years.

"The timestamp isn't wrong. I am Andrew from 2025. It looks like we are communicating across time."

Even as I sent that message, I felt a little unhinged. It all felt unreal.

Future Veronica immediately sent several large question marks.

"???!" She was clearly just as stunned.

After that, we talked things through and more or less accepted this reality.

I had originally thought Veronica would react cautiously. Instead, she became even more excited.

"Wow, I never thought I would get to talk to my past husband. This is so interesting, hubby…"

She kept sending messages, calling me "hubby" over and over.

I stared at the word on my screen. At the same time, the image of Veronica’s cold, distant face surfaced in my mind. It all felt unreal, like a hallucination.

"Hubby, I just heard the door open. Are you home already?"

She quickly corrected herself. "No, it's the 2030 version of you who just got home. I am going to greet him. Let's talk later."