The Gilded Cage

Riverdale was located next to the capital, once a booming industrial city, now long past its prime.

Stepping into a computer company in Riverdale, I pushed open the glass door.

The receptionist, a young woman, was scrolling through a social media app with the volume on.

“Breaking news from the elite circle—Daniel Sterling is getting a divorce!

“They were straight out of a novel. His ex-wife was a Langston University student. Their love was an intense push and pull, with him chasing while she tried to escape, only to find herself trapped. All because of their families disapproval.

“Rumor has it that the infamous cancellation of Flight U8420 years ago was actually orchestrated by him, just to stop her from leaving!

“And yet, now they’re divorced. Marrying above your station is like swallowing needles—crossing class boundaries never ends well.”

The receptionist was so engrossed in the video that she didn’t notice me.

So, I stood there and listened along for a full three minutes.

It felt like a recap of my past life.

When she finally looked up and saw me, she fumbled to lower the volume.

“Oh, sorry! Are you here for an interview?”

“Yes. I have an appointment with Mr. Lee at ten for the algorithm engineer position.”

She suddenly brightened. “Oh! Please fill out this information form.”

Recalling the video she had just watched, she became curious.

“Mr. Lee mentioned that you also graduated from Langston University. Did you ever meet Mrs. Sterling? I think her name was… um…”

After being married to Daniel for so long, I had lost my own name.

I smiled and told her, “Elaine Warren.”

“Yes, that’s it—Elaine Warren!”

She sighed wistfully. “To have won over the prince charming himself, she must be a stunning, sophisticated beauty.”

A beauty?

I curled my lips into a faint smile.

But just last week, my daughter complained about the extra weight around my waist, saying I wasn’t as slim as a young girl in her twenties.

“Ma’am, have you finished filling out the form? I’ll take it to the interviewer.”

I handed it to her.

The receptionist took it and said, “Alright, this way, Ms. War… Elaine Warren.”

Then, as if she had seen a ghost, her head snapped up in shock.

…

The interview went smoothly.

Desmond Lee, who was in charge of the technical department, glanced at my résumé.

“Top science student in the province, first in your class at Langston University’s Computer Science program, lead author on three top-tier conference papers. Ms. Warren, your résumé is quite impressive.

“But I’m curious—why did you stop working after graduation?”

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my pants as I answered softly, “To take care of my child.”

I had gotten pregnant by accident at twenty-two.

Daniel’s mother never approved of me.

In her vision of his future, he was supposed to marry a wealthy heiress from a family of equal status, certainly not a penniless girl like me.

To force me to leave, she resorted to extreme measures.

That wealthy, elegantly dressed woman, lips painted a deep red, had looked at me with cold indifference.

Behind her stood a line of bodyguards.

The sky was pitch-black.

The seawater was freezing, biting into my skin like shards of ice.

Standing on the edge of the towering cliff, I took a step forward and leapt.

At the time, everyone believed I was dead.