No Going Back

Maybe because I’d gotten used to going along with him these past few years, Sean Roth had never seen me look at him like this before.He fell silent in an instant and slipped back into his usual act, lowering his voice to sound gentle.“Jane, I was just messing around with her. I only did it to make you jealous, that’s all. You know no one could ever take your place in my heart.”I stared at him quietly, already guessing he’d probably try to smooth things over with some flashy gift.Sure enough, the very next second, Sean pulled out the latest limited-edition purse from a luxury brand and held it out to me.One glance at the tiny scratches on the bag told me it wasn’t new, probably one that his mistress had already used.Besides, if he’d paid attention at all, he’d know I never kept anything pink in my closet.When I didn’t take the bag, Sean’s face darkened with impatience.“Jane, you’re getting harder and harder to please! Fine. How about I take you out tomorrow for a date, j

Sean froze at my words, looking at me with slight confusion. “Jane, don’t talk nonsense. Is your leg hurting that badly? Here, let me blow on it for you.”He kneeled on one knee and gently blew on the burn.Back when I was learning to ride a bike and fell, he used to do this—smiling and coaxing me out of my tears.However, the wounds on the body can heal, but not the ones in the heart.I stopped him and met his eyes seriously. “Sean, I mean it.”“Why?”He could not seem to accept it. Standing up, he looked down at me from above. “Just because I spoke up for some waitress?”I nodded, too tired to argue anymore. “Let’s just call it that.”I was sure he already knew the real reason and wasn’t about to tear off that thin veil between us. It would only make things uglier.Seeing that I wasn’t budging, Sean’s expression darkened.“Jane,” he rasped, “are you sure about this? You’d throw away seven years of us over something so small?”My fingers curled slightly. Then I thought of

After the plane landed, I found a local female tour guide to explore Silverlake.Breathing in the fresh local air, the gloom that had been weighing on my chest for so long gradually began to fade.After getting married, I lost touch with most of my college friends. One or two had heard about my divorce and reached out to ask a few questions.When my marriage to Sean first began to show cracks, I tried desperately to mend our relationship. I would often overcompensate, making a point of showing off how good Sean was to me.It was like the less someone truly has, the more they feel the need to flaunt it. As if by doing so, I could prove to others that, in Sean’s heart, my place as his wife was still secure.However, now, when they sent me intimate photos of that girl with Sean, their faces full of righteous indignation, I only felt relief.“Yes, Sean and I have decided on a divorce. We’re in the cooling-off period right now,” I said to an old roommate of mine. There was a pause o

The next morning after breakfast, I sat downstairs at the B&B, reading.Mrs. Stone had gone out, so Samantha and I were left to watch the B&B for the day.Samantha loved sweets, so I set my book aside and took her into the kitchen to teach her how to bake my specialty cookies.As the freshly baked cookies had just come out of the oven, Samantha’s eyes lit up and she came closer.I brewed a pot of tea and carried it out to the little courtyard when Sean pushed open the door and walked in.His gaze lingered on me, his eyes flickering for a moment.Then, the girl behind him suddenly stepped forward, grabbed a cookie from the table, and took a bite.“Wow, Mr. Roth, these taste exactly like the ones you shared with me before! After I tried them at the office, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I can’t believe I get to have them again today!”My hand trembled slightly as I poured the tea.Only then did I realize why Sean had acted so out of character during that time. He, who norm

The next day, I booked a flight home.Samantha was reluctant to see me go and insisted on taking me all the way to the airport.I hugged her tightly. Over these past days, I truly had drawn a great deal of strength from her.When I returned home, the first thing I saw in the living room was our wedding photo.The wedding ring Sean had taken off still lay alone on the table, making that portrait feel all the more ironic.Marriage can’t hold down an unfaithful man, but it can trap a woman still struggling in love.I slipped off my own ring and placed it beside his.After three years, the band had left a clear mark on my finger. However, I believed time could fade everything, both memories and scars.On the last day of the cooling-off period, Sean rushed home holding a huge bouquet of roses. I hurled the flowers back at him and moved out for good.The last time I’d seen so many rose petals scattered on the floor was when we first moved into our new home, right after we got marr