Before getting married, Declan Garcia said that we should enjoy our time as a couple and not waste our lives on children.

So we remained childless for seven years.

But on our seventh wedding anniversary, I received a prenatal test report.

It was already half a month ago.

1

While Declan was taking a shower, his mother Miranda called and I answered the phone for him.

After hanging up the phone, I was about to lock the screen and accidentally clicked the photo album.

A photo popped up, showing Declan and his assistant Jacqueline Gray cheek-to-cheek.

It looked like the official announcement photo young couples would take when they were together.

For a moment, I was lost in thought and continued flipping through Declan's photo album.

Surprisingly, there wasn't a single recent photo of us together.

In recent years, every time on a meaningful day, I wanted to take photos with him, but Declan would be a little impatient.

"I'm not photogenic. Just take selfies yourself."

Declan thought taking photos was a girly behavior.

In the past two years, every time I asked him to take photos for me, he would say he was terrible at it.

But his album was full of photos of Jacqueline with makeup or without, smiling or crying.

It turned out that he could take good photos, but he just didn't like taking any for me.

But actually, his album was filled with our photos, and even on every anniversary, he would remind me to take photos for memories.

"Let's wait until we're eighty years old and look at them. These photos will become antiques. They are our best memories."

When did our photos get replaced?

The seven-year itch was indeed true.

Jacqueline was a fresh graduate who just joined the company as an intern this year.

Declan told me more than once that she was smarter and more capable than other interns in the same batch.

He even made an exception and let her be his assistant.

I didn't care very much.

The first time I saw Jacqueline was when she came to deliver documents to Declan.

She saw me and greeted me by saying, "Hi, Winnie."

Jacqueline was young, beautiful, and competent. Not to mention that she was in her prime. No one would dislike her.

But I had always trusted Declan.

In the past six months, Declan had been away on business frequently. I thought it was because the company was doing well that he was busy with work.

But now, I had a serious expression on my face.

My trust made him reckless.

"Honey, honey, get me the towel."

Declan's voice from the bathroom interrupted my thoughts.

After he came out, I threw the phone at him.

"Explain it."

Declan nervously took the phone.

"Why did you look at my phone?"

Cheaters often used the same trick. That was putting the blame on others.

Clearly, he said, "You can look at my phone. We are husband and wife. We should not have secrets."

I didn't say anything.

Declan looked at the photo on his phone and was flustered.

Then he quickly returned to normal and pretended not to care.

"It's just a photo with a colleague. Why are you jealous?"

"Then why didn't you take photos with other colleagues?"

I crossed my arms and stared at Declan's face. He was trying to defend himself.

"The girl insisted on taking a photo with me, and I didn't have the heart to refuse. Besides, I'm much older than her. I treat her like a younger sister who just started working."

After speaking, Declan quickly put away his phone.

"Alright, I think you've been watching too many TV dramas recently, so you suspect me. Stop being paranoid. I'm going to work."

In the end, he still didn't delete the photo.

I looked away, wondering if it was just my imagination or if he was hiding something from me.

He used to cuddle with me before going to work, but now he didn't even give me a glance.

After Declan left, I followed him to the company.

The people in the company all knew me, and there was no obstruction or notification.

So I saw Declan just arrive at the office door.

Jacqueline skipped happily over to him with the documents in her arms.

"Mr. Garcia, you are ten minutes later today than yesterday. You should be fined."

Unexpectedly, Declan didn't get angry, but instead affectionately flicked Jacqueline's nose.

"I am the boss. Who dares to fine me?"

Jacqueline pouted, "Oh, I am the boss."

"Haven't you heard that rules and laws apply to everyone? Pay the fine now!"

Jacqueline coquettishly stretched out her hand to Declan, her eyes shining brightly at him.

No one would have the heart to refuse her.

It reminded me of the year when Declan and I were sophomores. We had a date and he was a little late because of an experiment.

I knew he was busy with his studies and I understood him.

I couldn't help but jokingly ask him for compensation for my mental distress.

"9 dollars in total, via WhatsApp or PayPal?"

That day, I was acting like Jacqueline, my face expectant.

That day, I was also as young as her.

"PayPal."

In my memory, Declan rubbed my hair affectionately and transferred money to me.

But Jacqueline and I were different.

"No PayPal. I want cash!"

"Give me cash, or I will report you to the finance department!"

Declan was a bit reluctant, but skillfully took out cash from his wallet.

This wallet was the first gift I gave him when we signed the big contract.

It had been with him all these years.

There was a photo of him and me in the wallet, which used to be romantic but now seemed ironic.

Jacqueline snatched it away as if she had discovered something new.

"Wow, you were so young and handsome and Winnie was so beautiful."

Declan looked at the photo and shook his head. "She was indeed, but now she isn't."

Declan smiled bitterly.

Jacqueline seemed to have noticed something.

"Although I haven't been in a relationship or married yet, I understand you. Being with the same person for a long time can be tiring."

"It's okay, Mr. Garcia. If you're tired, you can talk to me. Although I don't have experience, I am the love expert in our dormitory."

Declan smiled, rubbed Jacqueline's head, and replied, "Okay."

He gazed at Jacqueline as lovingly as when he looked at me back then.

He gave all his patience and understanding he had for me back then to another girl.

That day, I didn't disturb them.

After leaving the company, I wandered aimlessly in this strange yet familiar city.

I realized that I seemed to know nothing about this city, even though I had been living here for more than ten years.

I had been living here since I went to college, and I met Declan here.

The first time I met Declan was not very pleasant.

My family cut me off financially, so I had to work two part-time jobs a day.

It was raining that day, and I didn't bring an umbrella. I was busy going to do the next part-time job, so I just ran into the rain.

The rain was heavy, and I couldn't see the road ahead clearly. I bumped into Declan and both of us fell to the ground.

I got all wet with the rain and mud.

I quickly helped Declan up and apologized.

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry. Are you okay?"

Declan was holding an umbrella, and I could finally see what he looked like.

It was love at first sight and mutual affection.

After that, we got in touch closely.

When Declan had no classes, he would go with me to do part-time jobs.

But at that time, due to family reasons, I didn't believe in love.

Both my parents were from the countryside, and they heavily favored boys over girls.

I grew up almost in the midst of their quarrels.

To prevent me from going to college, they cut me off financially.

"What's the use of a little girl going to college? It's a proper thing to make money for your younger brother."

After being brainwashed by them over and over again, I finally couldn't stand it and cut off ties with them.

Until I got together with Declan.

He made me improve my relationship with my parents. "I don't want you to regret it in the future."

Then I got back in touch with my parents.

After that, Declan treated me even better.

It was Declan who made me believe in love and the notion that there were still people in this world who loved me.

As soon as we graduated, he proposed to me. Everything went according to plan.

We had never argued since we got together. Our friends all said that we would definitely respect each other until we passed away.

I thought so. Declan was a perfect lover, and I tolerated his flaws in our lives.

Moreover, he knew about my childhood trauma. At the wedding, he said in front of all the elders that we didn't want children.

"Winnie and I don't accept any form of pressure to have children. We just want to enjoy our time together!"

At that time, I thought he was so handsome and I was very moved.

So even when Miranda picked on my faults later on, I didn't mind.

But now, I couldn't stand it anymore.

I added Jacqueline on WhatsApp through the company's group.

And it seemed that she didn't hide her status from me yet.

Each post was about Declan.

[Today is the first day of my internship. Mr. Garcia is so charming!]

[The first time I went on a business trip with Mr. Garcia, I was so nervous, but he was very nice and even helped me with my luggage.]

[Mr. Garcia is so handsome when he works seriously. I declare hereby that he is my idol.]

Declan commented under this post.

[Don't slack off during work. Please bring a cup of coffee for your idol.]

...

I read each post and felt like there was not a superior-subordinate relationship between them. It read more like a teenage girl's diary.

But it was not unrequited love. At least Declan responded to her.

I looked up at the wedding photo of me and Declan hanging in the middle of the house.

Tears stood on the rims of my eyes.

That night, Declan called and said he had a social engagement and asked me to go to bed early. I didn't mind.

After a while, Jacqueline posted the first photo.

[Mr. Garcia drinks for me. What a man of great charm!]

Declan didn't come home that night.

I stayed up all night until dawn.

I thought about our experiences over the years and got emotional, but I wouldn't tolerate being cheated.

Even though Declan didn't actually cheat, he no longer loved me.

Or he still loved me, but the old me.

No one could stay young and beautiful forever, but there would always be someone young and beautiful.

Now it was Jacqueline. Who would be next?

I didn't know.

But I didn't want to be on guard like this.

In thirty years of life, I learned to be decisive.