Five years after our divorce, I ran into Kelly Jackson at a luxury boutique. She came when the salesgirl was wrapping up the silk scarf I had picked out for my wife.

The salesgirl's tone turned warm. "Miss Jackson, you're here. The evening gown your husband has chosen for you is ready."

Kelly nodded slightly, her eyes resting on the silk scarf in my hand, then she said, "Put it on my tab as well.”

I declined politely and placed the cash on the counter.

She sighed. "Mac, after all these years… you’re still angry with me.

I smiled without saying anything.

Who has the time to stay angry that long? I had let it go a long time ago.

——

I took the bag, tossed it into my canvas tote filled with groceries and turned to leave.

The early autumn wind howled, stinging my eyes shut as I walked down memory lane to the bus stop.

When I lifted my gaze again, Kelly’s car was parked right in front of me.

Seeing my reddened eyes, her brows furrowed.

“Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”

“No need, thanks. I'll take the bus.”

She scanned me from head to toe. When her gaze fell on the canvas bag slung over my shoulder, she asked cautiously, “Have you… been doing well these past years?”

“It's pretty good.”

Kelly obviously did not believe me. "Get in the car. At least, let me give you a ride."

Behind us, the bus kept honking, but she didn't move.

With every eye on us, I had no choice but to get in.

"The Serenity Residential Area," I said casually.

Silence fell. Then, when she spoke, her voice was tense. “Why do you live in that kind of place? It's long been abandoned, not to mention you ....”

Although she didn’t finish the sentence, I knew exactly what she wanted to say.

That was the place where my mother died. It had been ten years since she refused to attend me and Kelly's wedding. Instead, she jumped from the rooftop of a ten-story building.

The backseat was spacious, but the heater was cranked too high. So, I rolled down the window slightly.

“You always start coughing when you catch a breeze,” she reminded me. “Close the window, I’ll just turn the temperature down if you feel hot."

I shook my head and smiled. “Not anymore. Do whatever you like.”

She said nothing anymore.  Moments later, her phone rang.

“Honey, did you get the clothes? Where are you now?”

The voice from the car speaker was familiar, yet tinged with an unfamiliar warmth and brightness.

“Got them. I ran into Mac just now, so I'm giving him a ride.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Is Mac back? It's been a long time. Why didn't you say earlier that you're having a reunion? Why didn't you invite me?"

I had known Leo Jobb for over ten years and I had never heard him speak like that.

Back then, he was a reserved and quiet man who was pouring himself entirely into painting. When someone stole his spot in a competition, he would just hide away and cry.

It was I who publicly smashed that person's entry with a baseball bat, wrote a letter exposing the competition's corruption and served three days in juvenile detention to get him justice.

Indeed, absolute favoritism breeds deep affection.

“It was just a chance encounter. He has things to do. I'll be back after dropping him off.”

“A chance encounter means we're meant to meet. What's wrong with treating an old friend to a meal?”

"Leo, stop it!"

Silence fell on the other end of the line.

Kelly was always gentle when coaxing people, but once she made up her mind, no one could stop her. He should know this better than I do.

The call ended abruptly just as the car pulled up beneath the apartment building.

“Thanks.”

After thanking her politely, I got out of the car and left.

Kelly withdrew her gaze from the surroundings and called after me. "Mac, may I ask, who did you buy that silk scarf for?"

“My wife.”

Kelly pressed her hand on her forehead and smiled wryly, as if thinking I said that because I was trying to provoke her.

“You used to buy the same brand and style for me all the time, five years ago.”

"So?" I met her gaze calmly.

"You don't have to pretend in front of me. All these years, all I want is for you to be happy, not acting like this."

Huh? Like what?

The glass of the residential area gate showed my reflection.

A casual suit, plain flat shoes and a canvas bag full of groceries. The outfit of someone who was scrambling to make ends meet.

But for someone accustomed to high-end custom-made clothes like me, this look wasn't so bad at all.

I smiled and was not angry. “I think it's pretty good.”

For a brief moment, Kelly's expression softened.

"Mac, you're not the same as you used to be."

“Well, many people say that.”

After speaking, I turned around and left. Without ever looking back, I climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and opened the door.

The interior was still exactly the same as it had been a year ago.

Next to the old television sat my mother’s portrait; the candle before it had long since burned out.

I skillfully placed new candles, then put on an apron and headed into the kitchen.

Soon, three dishes and a soup were ready. Across the table, a bowl of mashed potatoes was left untouched. So, I ate it slowly.

"Mom, I met Kelly today."

“Don’t get angry, okay? She can’t hurt your son anymore. And besides, I'm not as foolish as I used to be.”

But only silence answered me.

Losing my appetite, I put down my fork, walked into the bedroom and pulled out an old photo album.

"Well, looking at your stunning beauty in black and white is so boring."

Before I could open the photo album, a photo fell out onto the floor.

When I bent to pick it up, I finally saw the faces in it. They were mine, Kelly's and Leo's.

Three young faces beaming with carefree smiles in front of the camera. I stood in the middle, arms linked with the other two. I was smiling the brightest, but a gap where my right canine tooth should have been made me look a bit silly.

It was the middle of summer when I was 13 years old.

Debt collectors stormed into Kelly’s home, shouting threats of violence. None of the neighbors dared to help her, including my own parents, except me.

The punch that was meant for her face, unexpectedly, landed on mine.

My teeth shattered instantly and my face swelled for over half a month.

Heartbroken, my mother forbade me from seeing the Jackson Family again.

But unexpectedly, Mrs. Jackson, Kelly's mother, dragged her crippled legs, knelt before my parents and bowed her head repeatedly in gratitude. And so my mother's heart softened.

For nearly ten years, through spring, summer, autumn and winter, Kelly's eating utensils frequently appeared on our dining table and during holidays, new girly clothes added to our wardrobe.

When my mother had free time, she would help Mrs. Jackson run the stall. If anyone dared bully them, she'd unleash a torrent of curses that scared them away for good.

They even called each other sisters.

But no one could have imagined that the timid, insecure younger sister—who even stuttered when speaking—would climb into her elder sister’s husband’s bed.

When I got home, everything was smashed to pieces.

My mother stood in the middle of the room, uncontrollably. A clear, gruesome five-finger marks were printed on her cheek. Meanwhile, my father was holding the woman tightly in his arms.

“Let’s divorce. You can have everything. I only want Emily.”

Kelly, who was standing next to me, panicked and tried to pull Emily Summer's hand.

But my mother slapped her twice.

So, I shoved my mother and watched her fall to the floor.

She stared at me in disbelief. At that time, while crying, I also said the cruelest words.

"Mom, why did you hit Kelly?"

The memories jumbled chaotically, frozen in a small photo in my hand.

That year, after divorcing Kelly, I burned all the things related to her, but I didn't expect there was still one left here.

Just as I was about to toss it into the trash, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

I thought it was Candice. She used to visit at this time of year, so I opened the door.

But instead, it was Leo with his arm around Kelly. He grinned widely.

“Mac, long time no see! You haven’t changed a bit after all these years.”

"Kelly could not say no to me. We hope our sudden visit won't bother you, right?"

I looked at the two calmly. “I won’t invite you in. What do you want?”

Met with a curt reply, Leo looked at the woman beside him with an aggrieved expression.

"Leo just wanted to see you and give you a gift, that's all."

Then she put the gift in her hand on the entryway cabinet.

Leo immediately began to introduce the product enthusiastically.

“This set of men's skin care products has become my favorite recently. It just so happens that there is one more set at home. We used to share our own things, so I wanted to give it to you.”

When I glanced at it, it seemed it was the same as the one Hans, the butler, used.

Leo looked at the photo I was holding and suddenly, his eyes welled with tears. "Mac, after so many years, you still can’t let go, huh?”

I crumpled the photo and tossed it into the trash casually. "Don't flatter yourself."

It seemed he was about to take my hand, but he stopped midway.

“I know you still have grudges. If you and Kelly were still together, it so happened that today would be your wedding anniversary.”

“What happened back then … was beyond my control.  If you really don’t care anymore, let us treat you to dinner. If there’s anything you need help with, tell us. After all, we're old friends."

I hardly needed to think and was ready to refuse … but suddenly, the candles in front of the shrine flickered. So I smiled faintly and changed my mind.

“Okay.”

Leo was more talkative than before. His small movements also became more frequent.

While talking about a romantic trip with Kelly in Turkey last month, he used his fingers to apply her own lip balm to her lips while waiting for the traffic light.

“Every fall and winter, I have to remind you to use this. Last time, when I kissed you a bit too hard, it bled. When will you learn?”

Kelly swatted his hand away, as if a bit irritated. “Stop fooling around.”

"Ah, Honey. I completely forgot about it. Mac, you don't mind it, right? Kelly and I always act like this."

I interrupted him with extreme patience. “Of course not.”

“I've already seen the two of you rolling in bed back then. Why would I mind something this mild now?”

Silence filled the car.

Finally ... it’s quiet.

I looked at the scenery along the way and remembered that if my mother were still there, she would be amazed by the changes now.

Back then, when my father insisted on divorcing my mother for Emily, it almost drove her insane.

And the fact that I married Kelly behind her back—killed her.

At first, I hated my father and Emily because they betrayed my mother and forced her to change from an invincible woman to a resentful woman who made a fuss about a trivial matter in a short period of time.

Time seemed to pass on her with extra force, taking away her vitality bit by bit.

Later, I hated myself.