Chapter 1 An Answer

I tightened my grip around my phone. My unsent text still sat in the chat window, but my heart had already frozen over.

Linda, my colleague, patted my shoulder. "What are you spacing out for, Wendy?"

My mind was a chaotic mush, but it quieted the moment Linda saw Chris.

"Whoa, that's Mr. Lawson, our technical partner. And that's his wife! I came here for work three years ago and ran into their wedding! They even gave me candy!"

"They got married three years ago?"

So… the long-distance relationship and the last eight years meant nothing to him? I blinked quickly and refused to let the oncoming tears spill.

Oblivious to my tears, Linda smiled and continued, "Yeah, and his wife used to be his secretary. They worked together all day. Can't believe he came to pick her up, even when he's busy."

Another colleague chimed in, "You have no idea how much he loves his wife. He and his wife handpicked her gowns, the venue, and the rings. They took 18 sets of wedding photos, and he didn't even get annoyed!"

I listened in stunned silence, my eyes on the couple sharing a warm embrace. Something had cut my heart open. I could barely hear anything they were saying. It just hurt so much.

I knew he was a busy man. I was in Bluelis, while he was in Imperia. We were separated for more than a thousand miles. Even worse, I couldn't go to Imperia.

Fortunately, Chris would video call me. He would patiently coax me and soothe my worries when the dark circles under his eyes were very visible.

"I'll go to you once my work is done, Wendy."

He didn't break his promise. The tickets from Imperia to Bluelis piled up, but he never stopped returning to Imperia either.

One time, he worked overtime until midnight for seven days straight, and he still took time to celebrate my birthday.

The candles burned, and his eyes shone like stars. "Happy birthday, Wendy."

My heart was filled with devotion back then. I was looking forward to ending this long-distance part of the relationship and marrying Chris.

Yet, he kept dissuading me and saying, "Give me some time. I'd like for my career to settle down a little so we can have a home."

'Some time' turned into three years. He couldn't even come over when I had gotten into a car accident and was hospitalized because he was swamped with work. I told myself it was fine and got back to work after I healed up.

I didn't even have the time to tell him about the miscarriage I had suffered during the car crash. I did all this for the beautiful future we envisioned. Unbeknownst to me, he had given his promise to someone else.

The words of my colleagues rang in my ears, "He would still give his wife a bouquet of flowers no matter how busy he gets."

Linda stopped her praise and turned to me. "I thought your boyfriend's in Imperia? Maybe we'll get to be at your wedding this year!"

I pulled a smile and turned around, trying to control my breathing. "Maybe." Then, I saw Chris leading the girl into a car, and I blurted, "I have something to handle. You guys get to the company without me. I'll catch up!"

I ran toward the airport's exit before my colleagues could say anything. The first thing that hit me was the winds of Imperia and the snow that came with it.

They were biting, freezing my whole body. It wasn't until I had entered a cab that I realized my scalding tears had drenched my collar.

"Follow that car," I said, my voice raspier than I thought.

Snow was howling outside the window. I had imagined watching snowfall with Chris many, many times, but my heart wasn't in it now.

My vision was blurry, and I only had one thought ringing in my head. I wanted answers.