The next morning, Maria woke me with a kiss.

Half-asleep, remembering her words from last night, I felt repulsed and pushed her away.

She seemed unaware of my discomfort. "Honey, breakfast is ready, all your favorites," Maria kissed my cheek again. "I have to run to the office, lots to do."

Her voice was as tender as ever. After she left, I stared at the steaming food and milk on the table, my thoughts drifting back seven years...

I first met Maria on the day of my freshman registration. My suitcase was knocked open by hurried students, scattering my belongings.

She helped me gather my things and led me to my dorm.

I thought our interaction would be brief, but over the next three months, I kept bumping into her around campus, and she teasingly called me "junior." During a PE class, I hadn't eaten breakfast and got a stomach ache.

She stayed with me in the infirmary.

From then on, she would wait under my dorm with breakfast every day.

My roommate envied, "She's so nice to you and so pretty. Why not just accept her?"

I shook my head. It wasn't that I minded her being older.

I just didn't feel capable of protecting and caring for a girl yet.

After she graduated and started working, she often returned to visit me and bought clothes and shoes for me.

On weekends, she'd invite me over, cooking meals herself.

Whenever I bowed my head in shame, feeling I couldn't match her, she would smile. "There's no pressure. I just want to be good to you."

After six years of meticulous care, I eventually fell for her.

Maria once said she wanted to make me breakfast for a lifetime.

Look!

How considerate!

How gentle!

Her heart was no longer with me, yet she still remembered her promises.

If not for the photos in her album with that young guy and the large transactions, I might even doubt that last night's revelations were just a nightmare.

That evening, for the first time, Maria came home on time.

Seeing the empty fridge, she paused, then smiled, "Let's eat out tonight. I know a popular restaurant—"

I shook my head, cutting her off, "I've already eaten."

Only then did she notice a bowl of leftover instant noodles on the table.

Feigning anger, "Junk food is bad for your stomach. Aren't you afraid of ending up in the hospital again?"

Due to irregular meals during my studies, I developed chronic gastritis, often rushing to the hospital in the middle of the night due to stomach pain.

I gave a wry smile, "Doesn't matter anymore." Maria snuggled into my arms, still beautiful as ever, as if time hadn't touched her, although she was twenty-nine now, she was just as beautiful as in her college days.

She cooed, "Don't worry. You're my husband. Even if you're not well, I'll never leave you!" She tiptoed to kiss me.

Feeling her intense need, I subtly dodged her advances. "I'm tired, not in the mood." Maria froze, clearly unhappy, yet she restrained herself from losing her temper. While I was washing dishes in the kitchen, she took a call.

Then, she picked up her bag from the sofa and said, "Something urgent at the office, I need to go. Don't wait up."

After taking a shower and just lying down on the bed, my phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar local number.

I answered, only to be met with silence at first.

Thinking it was a prank and about to hang up, I suddenly heard the laughter of Maria. ''Do you miss me after just one day?'' the boy's voice, hoarse, came through. ''Thinking about you having to return to accompany your boring husband made me feel uneasy. Then the sound of kissing breaths came.

Maria's breathing became more rapid. ''Let's not talk about him now.''

''Tonight, you are all mine, sister.''

Their subsequent conversation left me speechless.

Thankfully, I had started recording as soon as I heard Maria's voice.

Later, I searched for this number on social media and unsurprisingly, it belonged to Maria's kept man.

I casually added him, and he quickly accepted, clearly knowing who I was and evidently trying to flaunt it.

Arriving at the office, I received a nutritious breakfast ordered by Maria.

She called me. ''Honey, I've been called away on a sudden business trip and won't be able to come home for a few days. I've ordered your favorite lean meat porridge. Eat it while it's hot.''

''OK.''

After hanging up, I browsed my social media where the young man had also updated his status, showing a lavish breakfast with a caption, ''Someone who makes breakfast for you truly loves you.''

I once thought Maria loved only me. A colleague, eyeing the porridge on my desk, couldn't hide his envy. ''Where can you find such a caring and gentle wife?'' Indeed, to outsiders, having a capable and considerate wife like Maria seemed a stroke of luck. She was beautiful, capable, favored by her superiors, and had a promising future.

I wasn't too shabby either.

During my school days, I was the top student and the most handsome guy on campus.

After graduating, I leveraged my solid professional knowledge and hard work to enter a leading company and climbed up the ranks quickly.

Seeing my colleague salivating over my bowl of porridge, I offered, ''Didn't you have breakfast? Take it then.'' His face lit up. ''Mr. White, you'd give me your wife's gift, wouldn't you?''

I smiled. ''Go ahead. I've already eaten.''

This kind of insincere love, I, Calvin, could do without. From the young man's frequent updates, I kept tabs on their activities. Maria took him to an amusement park, played on roller coasters, giant swings, and drop towers, all things she claimed to fear and swore she'd never try.

She even rented an apartment for him near the university town.

I remembered our early dating days when we visited an amusement park.

I wanted to ride the roller coaster and pulled her along, but she refused, terrified. Yet now, she broke her principles for him.

I wasn't angry or sad but saved all the evidence of Maria's infidelity.

When Maria contacted me again on the third night, saying, ''Honey, I found a great Japanese restaurant. Let's go together next time.''

It was laughable because she had just taken her young lover there. Should I have been moved?

I pretended to be surprised. ''You're back in Sea City, aren't you?''

She hesitated, then unnaturally laughed, ''Not yet. A colleague recommended it. I thought we could try it together.''

''When will you be back?''

Her voice softened. ''Honey, do you miss me? I'll be back tonight.''

I noncommittally grunted.

In fact, I had already moved out of what was supposed to be our ''home'' during Maria's ''business trip.''

The company provided us with an apartment, so I wasn't homeless.

When Maria returned home full of anticipation only to find me gone, she was somewhat angry. ''Calvin, what time is it, and why aren't you at home?''

''Oh, I'm on a business trip out of town.''

She gritted her teeth. ''Why didn't you tell me this morning?''

Indeed, if I had told her in the morning, perhaps she would have extended her ''business trip'' to stay a few more days with her young lover.

''I was only assigned the trip this afternoon.''

She exhaled, her voice softening. ''Can you make it back by tomorrow night?''

''Why?''

It's Judy's birthday, and she invited us to celebrate.''

I indifferently replied, ''Tell Judy I can't make it.''

''OK.'' Maria's voice was neutral, ''Let me know when you'll be back earlier. I'll pick you up.''

''Okay.''

That night, the young man sent me a selfie.

In it, he wore a men's pajama that was mine, against the backdrop of my bedroom.

I suppressed my disgust and took out the divorce papers I had prepared earlier, making some revisions.

The next evening, the young man sent another photo.

It showed a group celebrating Judy's birthday. Clearly, Maria had taken him to the party.

Then, he sent a provocative message. ''Brother, you really can endure.'' I smirked, put on my jacket, and headed out.

I wondered what expression Maria would have when she saw me later.