Six years after our divorce, I ran into Jeffrey at a cake shop.

The moment he walked in, the shop assistant greeted him with a familiar smile. "Professor Johnson, are you here to get strawberry cake for your wife again? Same as always, right? I'll wrap it up for you."

Jeffrey simply nodded.

Then, when he saw the two packed mango cakes in my hand, he told the waiter. "Please, add hers to my bill."

I politely refused as I took out my card to pay, but he was faster and swiped his card first.

"This cake is almost a hundred dollars apiece. You used to save up for ages to buy one. I'm a university professor, after all. My financial situation is a little better than yours, so don't be so polite."

However, I still refused to accept it.

He glanced over my outfit and sighed softly. "Annabeth, it's been so many years. Are you still holding a grudge?"

I smiled faintly. "You're overthinking it."

My fingers unconsciously brushed the wedding ring on my left hand.

The truth was, I already had a new husband and child. So, I didn't have time to hold a grudge against another man.

——

Still, Jeffrey was too quick. He'd already swiped his card to pay for me.

Unwilling to accept it, I insisted on paying for it myself.

The clerk smiled apologetically. "Miss, I'm so sorry, this gentleman has already paid for you. Perhaps … you could transfer the money to him?"

I turned to him and said politely, "Please give me your bank number. I'll send it to you."

He sighed helplessly and handed me the packaged cakes instead. "Annabeth, just take it. Your birthday is in three days. Consider these two cakes my birthday gift to you."

Jeffrey's voice was sincere. I didn't speak, but I just opened my payment app. "Just type your bank number. I don't want to owe anyone."

Especially not over two small cakes, which were just enough for an afternoon tea with my daughter.

Seeing my stubbornness, Jeffrey remained silent for a long time before finally pulling out his phone. "You're still the same as before."

I didn't speak, lowering my head as I transferred the money to him.

Jeffrey tried to stop me. "Annabeth, you really don't need to take it so seriously."

His gaze drifted to my worn-out coat, as if he wanted to say something but held back. "I don't need this money. You should use it to buy yourself a couple of new outfits instead."

I froze for a second, then smiled a little.

The reason was that I had given my jacket to a young girl who unexpectedly got her period while I was doing volunteer work earlier today. Since it was already autumn and the weather was getting cooler, I just borrowed a cleaning lady's coat on the way back.

Jeffrey probably assumed I was struggling financially now.

I didn't offer any further explanation, only saying, "Thank you," before turning to leave.

Unexpectedly, the person behind me grabbed my arm.

"Let me give you a ride," he offered.

I stiffened and shook off his hand. "No need. Your wife will misunderstand if she sees this."

Jeffrey's hand, which had reached out to hold mine again, froze in mid-air. He knew that his wife, eight years younger than him, was the best at being coquettish and jealous.

"Annabeth ..." he began, still holding onto my sleeve. "Should we exchange numbers?"

I looked down, remaining silent.

When we divorced six years ago, things got ugly. Not only did I delete and block all of Jeffrey's contacts, but I also swore we'd never speak again for the rest of our lives.

I shook my head. "Forget it."

"Annabeth, there's no need to hold a grudge against me. After all these years, I just want you to be happier," he said.

That man told me he wanted to add my contact info and transfer some money to me. "Consider it … compensation for what happened back then."

I suddenly wanted to laugh.

Back then, I had created a huge scene and thrown away all my dignity.

Even so, Jeffrey didn't even let me have a single penny in compensation.

Now that I no longer need him, he suddenly came running up to me, offering to compensate me voluntarily.

"Honey, I called you just now. Why didn't you answer me? Who were you talking to?"

Just as I was momentarily stunned, a girl in a pink coat skipped over and excitedly hooked her arm through Jeffrey's.

When she saw it was me, her smile froze for a second before quickly returning. "Annabeth, it's you! We haven't seen you in a long time. How about we get a meal together?"

Before I could even react, Selena Walter affectionately grabbed my arm and spoke in a bubbly, loud voice. "Annabeth, we've been searching for you these past six years. We never heard from you, even your former colleagues thought you'd gone abroad. Where did you go?"

I quietly looked at the girl before me. She had changed so much that I almost didn't recognize her.

The once poor student with frizzy hair, simple clothes and eyes like a frightened fawn, after six years under Jeffrey's meticulous care, had blossomed into a dazzling red rose.

I smiled aloofly yet with dignity. "I did go abroad."

Selena's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But Annabeth, I went to see you several times back then and they all said you were going back to your hometown after the divorce … "

She seemed to speak without thinking, but Jeffrey cut her off before she could finish. "Sweetie, let's not bring up the past."

Jeffrey affectionately ruffled her hair. "I bought you a little cake. If you don't eat it soon, it'll melt."

While eating the small cake, Selena mumbled and insisted on stopping me from leaving. "Annabeth, we finally met again. Let us treat you to a meal, okay? I know you hate us because of what happened back then, but you saved me. At least you funded my entire university education. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today … "

She looked utterly sincere, as if refusing would make me the ungrateful one.

I glanced at my watch. It was still early.

"Alright then. I only have an hour and a half," I said.

Ultimately, they were the ones who chose the restaurant.

Along the way, the girl chattered nonstop, even feeding Jeffrey bits of cake with her mouth.

Jeffrey, perhaps conscious of my presence, seemed a bit stiff and held her restless hand. "Behave yourself. Annabeth is watching."

Selena stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Sorry, Annabeth. We've just gotten used to being like this after years of marriage. Sometimes we can't help kissing even in public. Please don't laugh at us."

I quietly watched the fleeting provocation and smugness in her eyes, then just smiled.

"It's fine. After all, you couldn't even help but do it with him in my house when you were still in university. I'm used to it."

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Selena and Jeffrey's expressions turned slightly unpleasant, but my face remained calm as I continued walking forward.

Before reaching the restaurant, we passed a fireworks shop.

Selena's interest was immediately sparked and she insisted on dragging Jeffrey inside to look around.

"Honey, didn't you promise to light up the whole city with fireworks for my birthday in three days? I want to pick out the designs first. Annabeth, you don't mind, do you?"

I smiled. "Not at all."

Jeffrey shot me a meaningful look before turning to select fireworks. "This one then, the Ocean Tears."

I froze. Those distant memories, almost forgotten, suddenly flooded back.

Jeffrey used to love me deeply. We were together for four years and married for six.

Everyone said Jeffrey was the most famous "wife-obsessed maniac" in our circle.

As a university professor, he absolutely refused to attend social gatherings outside of work and he would coldly reject female students who asked for his number.

Among the stack of academic books he had published, there was one odd title mixed in: "Love Confessions." Yes, it was written just for me.

I remembered that the entire Yale University celebrated our picture-perfect love story.

Even on my birthday each year, he would arrange grand fireworks displays across the city.

However, everything changed when I was tidying up the bookshelf and unexpectedly discovered an intimate photo tucked inside one of Jeffrey's books.

The girl looked very young, wearing a miniskirt, straddling his lap and smiling at the camera.

I recognized her instantly.

It was none other than Selena, the student I'd sponsored for three years, who always sweetly called me "Sister."

She was also in Jeffrey's class.

It all started on a rainy day when a group of thugs cornered and harassed her in a dead-end alley and I intervened to save her.

Afterwards, I brought her home, helped her shower and gave her clean clothes to wear.

When she first saw Jeffrey, she was terrified.

I laughed softly and comforted her, saying, "Don't be scared. Professor Johnson doesn't bite."

Later, she gradually became bolder. She even started cautiously going to his study to ask him questions.

Watching them interact so happily, I couldn't help but feel pleased.

It wasn't until later that I found their intimate photos on Jeffrey's computer.

After discovering them, I stormed into the study hysterically. Sure enough, I saw the very same "teacher and student" who were supposedly seeking advice, now passionately entangled and lost in each other, right on his desk.

Seeing me burst in, they panicked and frantically tried to cover themselves with their clothes.

I lost all dignity and composure, screaming like a madwoman. I demanded to know why Jeffrey would cheat on me right under my nose.

But he only focused on shielding the woman beside him, covering her completely before looking up at me with a gaze that was both icy and furious.

"Get out!" he yelled. "Annabeth Sanchez, you have no shame, but we do."

Indeed, men were truly heartless and cruel creatures. When they loved you, they could offer you their very lives. But the moment that love was gone, they could skin you alive.

I smashed everything I could grab in the room to pieces.

I simply could not believe it. One was the man I had loved for nearly ten years and the other was the poor student I had sponsored for three years and treated like my own sister.

How could they brazenly make love right under my nose, in the study, while I was cooking in the kitchen?

It turned out they were using the pretense of discussing academics to carry out their shameful affair.

My body trembled violently and my eyes were bloodshot. I absolutely refused to accept any of this.

Jeffrey looked at me with disgust while stubbornly protecting Selena behind him. "Annabeth, you're acting like a lunatic! You'd better calm down. If you dare hurt Selena even a little bit, I won't let you get away with it."

Selena hid behind him, the red marks on her neck still visible as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I know it's wrong, but I've fallen in love with Professor Johnson."

"Please, I'm not asking for any commitment, just please let me be with him, okay?"

I was shocked, sneering, "But do you know you're a homewrecker?"

"I don't care!" Selena screamed just as loudly, as if fighting for her freedom.

"We have a physical attraction, Annabeth. Even if you hadn't saved me, I had already fallen for Professor Johnson on campus and he felt the same way … "