As expected, Richard came to pick me up on time that day.

He even arrived half an hour early and waited downstairs at the company.

"Ruby, I'm here. You can see me as soon as you go out."

I didn't reply.

After getting off work, I worked overtime for half an hour and my cell phone rang several times.

I finished all the work before I limped downstairs.

Richard saw me from afar and got out of the car to help me open the passenger door.

"Ruby, are you hungry?"

"Do you want to go to that hotpot restaurant? I just learned the recipe for the sauce and I'll make it for you to try."

On the way, I was looking at my phone without saying a word, but Richard was particularly talkative today.

"Just do as you please."

I replied perfunctorily.

While waiting for the traffic light, I turned my head and looked at the snowman out the car window that others had made.

I remember that year in college, Richard made a big snowman to please me with his hands frozen red.

I blamed him for being stupid and not wearing gloves.

Richard smiled foolishly, "When I think of my Ruby, I don't feel cold at all."

But it snowed last year, and I wanted Richard to wear gloves and help me build a small snowman.

But he rejected it with a cold face.

"Ruby, I'm very busy right now. If you like, go and make it yourself! You are not a child anymore, why are you still so childish!"

After finished speaking, he lowered his head and busy himself with work matters.

His fingers were typing away on the keyboard quickly, but when I glanced over, I saw a cute emoticon sent by the girl opposite me.

Since then, I have never made any requests to Richard again.

Seems notice my cold reaction.

Richard was a little flustered. He asked me tentatively,

"Ruby, are you angry?"

I looked away and raised my head blankly, "No."

The green light was on, but Richard was in no hurry to leave. His eyes were on the snowman I was looking at just now.

He smiled. "Do you want a snowman, too? I'll make one for you when we get home."

I smiled faintly.

"You are so childish. There is no need to tire you out."

Richard was silent.

Because he remembered that last year when I was looking forward to him helping me build a snowman, he said that I was childish.

The car did not drive to the hot pot restaurant.

Richard softened his attitude and said that he was wrong yesterday and that he would go home and cook for me to make up to me.

He bought a lot of vegetables and carried them into the kitchen.

"Ruby, wait for me for an hour, and I will definitely give you a delicious meal!"

I responded calmly, took out my laptop and continued studying the financial knowledge I had been reading recently.

Suddenly, Richard's cell phone on the table rang.

I glanced at Richard who was busy in the kitchen, worried that something urgent might happen in his company.

I clicked it and took a look.

It is a very cute avatar, and the remark is Jessica.

I had a bad feeling.

Really.

"Richard. Today you're so strong that you hurt me..."

Although I tried hard not to care, when I saw these words, my heart still felt deeply hurt.

I took a deep breath and called towards the kitchen.

"Jessica is looking for you."

Richard immediately turned off the fire and came out.

"How can this intern be so ignorant? She's already off work, but she still disturbs me while I'm cooking for my wife..."

He was muttering something, perhaps just pretending to do it for me.

He quickly took the phone.

When Richard saw the line of words sent by Jessica, his body suddenly froze.

His body tensed up and he subconsciously looked up at me, trying to explain.

"Honey, she said her shoulder felt uncomfortable during the day, so I pressed it for her. Don't get me wrong!"

My eyes were always fixed on the computer screen.

I'm a little annoyed by his explanation.

"I didn't misunderstand you, why are you so nervous?"

I looked up at him and smiled.

"Didn't you say that? Husbands and wives should have trust. I believe you won't betray me, right?"

Richard was stunned for a moment, then quickly agreed.

"Right!"

He came over and wanted to hold my hand, "Ruby, I will only love you forever and will never betray you..."

Richard's eyes looked very affectionate.

If I didn't know that he and Jessica had been flirting with each other for so long, I might have believed it.

I smiled and pulled my hand away calmly.

"Go and cook, please."

Richard returned to the kitchen. Heard the sound of cooking, but I was distracted.

I can't help but think that the current living conditions of Richard and I can be described as superficially harmonious but spiritually alienated.

When did it become like this?

About a year ago, a young intern who had just graduated came to Richard's company.

At first, Richard thought she was clumsy and complained to me when he got home.

"Jessica is really speechless. I really don't know what she learned in college. She's a loser who can't even use Excel!"

Many times after getting off work, Jessica would cry and call Richard to ask him about work problems.

Richard is always very impatient.

"If I wasn't responsible for taking care of her, I would have fired her right away!"

I even advised him considerately, "She's just graduated, it will be fine as long as she learns it."

But gradually, he rarely complained about Jessica in front of me.

After getting off work, he no longer sat on the sofa with me to watch TV, but hid in the study to work overtime.

One time when I brought some fruits to him, I pushed the door of his study and saw a smile on his face and his eyes were so gentle that they could drown someone.

He has many more cute emoticons and is becoming busier and busier.

Later, I secretly installed surveillance cameras in the study.

Many times when Richard was "working overtime" in the study, he was video chatting with Jessica.

Once, Jessica was wearing a low-cut camisole and making a cake opposite.

Richard kept looking at her with a smile, but he was very sensible and hung up the video after only five minutes. "I have to go accompany my wife."

And the way of Jessica addresses Richard.

At first it was Mr. Cleman, and later it was Richard.

I don't know when it started to be his full name.

She called him Richard.

I remember when I was in college, every time I saw Richard with joy, I would throw myself into his arms and act coquettishly, and I liked to call him that.

It's like a confident declaration of sovereignty.

Richard prepared a large table of dishes with great care.

I didn't have a good appetite, so I ate a few bites and went back to the bedroom with my laptop.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

Richard's voice was a little hesitant, "Ruby, may I come in?"

Before I could say anything, Richard walked in with a beautifully wrapped gift box.

He handed it to me and looked at me tenderly.

"Honey, I'm sorry for last night. The road was blocked by the snowstorm and the car broke down, so I didn't have time to pick you up."

"This is a gift for you, don't be angry..."

I looked at his sincere expression calmly.

I don’t know when it started, but his lies became so real that they sounded like the truth.

But I still accepted the gift.

After all, before the divorce, every penny he spent was our common property.

I opened it and saw that it was a white bag, also the latest limited edition of a big brand.

"How do you know I like this bag?"

Richard scratched his head and smiled. The mattress sank, and he moved closer to sit next to me, gently holding me in his arms.

"I have to know what my wife likes."

At that moment, it seemed like we were back to the time when we first started dating.

No matter how angry I get, Richard is always very gentle and patient with me.

He stroked my head like he was petting an animal.

He said, "My Ruby is the best girl in the world. If I let you down, I will die miserably!"

There are always moments when I want to deceive myself. What if he is just confused for a moment?

If he is willing to come back, will I give him another chance?

I didn't let Richard sleep in the study room anymore.

Today he was particularly conscious of putting down his phone, lying next to me and falling asleep quickly.

Put the bag away and casually checked my Moments.

But I was stunned for a moment.

Just five minutes ago, Jessica updated a post on her Moments.

The picture is of the exact same bag I have.

The post reads, "Thank you to someone for giving me my birthday present. I said I liked it, and he bought it for me. But the one I bought before was defective and couldn't be returned, so he bought me another one."

It was like a bucket of cold water was poured over my head.

I still didn't want to believe it, so I took Richard's phone from the bedside table and looked through the purchase records.

I took the bag again, examined it carefully, and found that there was indeed an inconspicuous flaw.

I smiled sadly.

It turns out that this bag was not bought specifically for me by Richard.

Instead, it is a defective product given to her that she didn’t want.

I looked at Richard who was sleeping soundly, and the softness that remained in my heart just now disappeared in an instant.

I took the pillow and quilt then went to the living room.

Ever since I found out he and Jessica were having an affair, we've been living apart in a cold war.

Laying on the sofa and I told myself.

Just bear with it a little longer, and I’ll be relieved when my leg heals.

This weekend, I had a follow-up doctor's appointment and asked Richard if he had time to drive with me.

He said, "Of course, I have to accompany my wife."

But just before leaving, he received a call from Jessica.

Although the speakerphone was not on, the sweet voice from the other end still reached my ears clearly.

"Richard, what should I do? My water heater is leaking and I'm worried it will explode!"

"I'm so scared that I'm crying, please come and help me..."

I looked down at my phone.

Richard looked a little embarrassed.

"Ruby, Jessica is a girl out alone, she doesn't know how to deal these things, I'll go help her first..."