Chapter 3
Zoe was angry.
She put on her underwear stiffly and stomped out in her high heels.
In the past, when she acted like this, I would have rushed after her, apologizing and trying to smooth things over.
But this time, watching her slam the door shut, I found I had no desire to move.
The sunlight outside was bright and energetic.
I sank into my chair, closing my eyes in exhaustion. At some point, Sophia’s face popped into my mind. Lately, I seemed to be frequently recalling our past together.
Sophia was a biology teacher at a public high school.
She was small and slender, with skin a few shades paler than most. She spoke softly and always wore a faint smile.
Her eyes were actually quite beautiful. When she focused on someone, they were liquid and bright, reminding me of a celebrity crush from my youth.
But in recent years, she always wore glasses. Through the reflective lenses, I often found it hard to discern certain emotions in her eyes.
I remembered how she looked when I first met her.
On that hiking trip, I had been bitten by a snake. My foot was so swollen I couldn’t walk. I was in the middle of nowhere, feeling desperate and helpless.
Then Sophia appeared, wearing a black windbreaker and carrying a backpack, descending the mountain path with light, graceful steps.
I felt both joy and disappointment.
She looked so small and fragile, not at all like someone who could help.
But after carefully examining my injury, she calmly told me it wasn’t a venomous snake bite. Then she left for a while, returning with a handful of herbs. She chewed some up and applied the paste to my wound.
An hour later, my foot, which had swollen to the size of a bun, gradually returned to normal. I could walk again, albeit with difficulty.
I asked her in amazement who she was, saying she must be an angel sent from heaven to save me in my time of need.
She smiled and said, “I’m a high school biology teacher.”
That day, I leaned on her slight frame as we slowly made our way down the mountain.
…
My affair with Zoe was a secret, separate from my ordinary life.
Men, after all, have many facets.
When I first entered the workforce, I was a green rookie. I couldn’t hold my liquor at business dinners or assert myself in negotiations. One day, after a meal, an industry veteran patted me on the shoulder and said:
“Act the part for whatever situation you’re in. The sooner a man understands this, the more successful he’ll be.”
It was an epiphany for me.
From then on, I put this advice into practice. Sure enough, as the veteran had said, my career took off, and I found myself living a more relaxed and uninhibited life.
As for Sophia.
I played my part as a husband well, to the fullest.
That made me a successful husband.
And her a happy wife.
My affair with Zoe was a different aspect of my life, one Sophia had no need to be involved in!
But paper can’t wrap up fire forever, and Zoe was never one for discretion.
Six months later, Sophia found out.
As luck would have it, Zoe and Chloe shared the same birthday.
Zoe was big on celebrations, and it was our first birthday together, so naturally I had to be with her.
I apologetically told my wife and daughter that I had to go on a two-day business trip and would miss the birthday.
Chloe was 8 at the time, a quiet girl just like her mother.
She came up to me, shyly kissed me on the cheek, and said in a soft voice:
“It’s okay, Daddy.” “Take care, Daddy.”
We had originally planned to spend two secluded days in a hotel, but Zoe suddenly had a craving for a particular dessert and insisted on going out to buy it.
At the dessert shop, as Zoe was playfully smearing cream on my nose, I looked up and saw Sophia and Chloe.
They were standing there hand in hand, looking surprised.
Their first reaction wasn’t suspicion or anger, but delight.
“Honey, you’re back!”
“Daddy, did you come to buy my birthday cake too?”
Zoe glanced at them, then sauntered to the side, casually eating her cake with a spoon.
I quickly composed myself and smiled, “Yes! I came back early to surprise you.”
Mother and daughter joyfully came to take my hands.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Chloe’s face bloomed like a flower.
Zoe suddenly spoke up in a casual tone:
“Mr. Chen, didn’t we agree to work on the project all night? Have you forgotten?”
Sophia turned to look at Zoe.
Her expression slightly clouded.
Zoe met her gaze with a smile.
I made a quick decision. In that situation, denying Zoe’s words would only raise suspicion. So I slapped my forehead, exclaiming, “Oh no, how could I have forgotten about that!”
I looked at Sophia apologetically.
Sophia stared at me for a moment, then quietly asked:
“Honey, do you really have to go?”
I nodded solemnly.
“Yes, this project is crucial. I can’t skip it.”
I ordered the most expensive princess birthday cake for Chloe, making her clap her hands in delight.
“Thank you, Daddy! You’re the best!”
As Zoe and I were leaving, I glanced back.
Sophia stood on the busy sidewalk, holding Chloe’s hand, watching us silently.
The setting sun behind her created a blinding halo.
I squinted.
Her face was a bit blurry.
That night, I punished Zoe severely for her careless words earlier.
She squirmed and laughed.
“Hah, looks like all those thousands you give her every month are wasted. You don’t even have the guts to stand up to her!”
An inexplicable anger burned inside me, and I became even rougher.
The next afternoon, I really did receive an urgent assignment requiring a week-long business trip. I rushed home from the hotel to pack some things.
On the way, I called Sophia, wanting her to prepare some clothes for me in advance.
She didn’t answer.
I called again, and this time she hung up on me.
Irritated, I returned home with a dark expression.
But the house was empty and quiet.
During summer vacation, Sophia rarely went out, usually staying home to tutor Chloe.
Yet today, of all days, she was nowhere to be found.
Fuming, I hastily packed a few clothes myself.
As I went into the study to get my laptop, I noticed the screen wasn’t fully closed.