Only After I Was Gone

While packing my luggage, I found the outfit I had hidden deep in the closet. It had been meant as a birthday surprise for Charles this year.

The only reason I even knew his birthday was that I had secretly checked his ID.

The first time I prepared a surprise for him, the house was filled with balloons and a cake. He had looked at everything and said he had never celebrated his birthday on that day.

His mother had died giving birth to him, and his father had never recovered from it. I thought that was why, so I softened and promised that from then on, I would celebrate with him every year.

For seven years, I ran around making plans, preparing everything. He never once corrected me on his birthday.

Only now did I understand that his real birthday was reserved for someone else, and the date he gave me was a fake.

I had been blind to the truth all along.

The doorbell rang, and when I opened the door, my mother, Jessica Shaw, was standing outside. She was supposed to be thousands of miles away in Cascade City on business.

Jessica always said we were family. However, the way she acted, distant and polite, was no different from how she treated her clients. She opened several jewelry boxes and pushed them toward me. "Shirley, these are for you.

"Can I ask you for a favor? That perfume design competition… Can you let Melissa take your place? I'll compensate you with ten times the prize money. Alright? After all, Melissa once saved your life. I don't want her talent to go to waste."

At that moment, it felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. This was the real reason she had flown all the way back. This was the third time tonight someone had asked me to give up.

I suddenly remembered when I had just returned to the Jones family. People used to say I did not look like the eldest daughter of the Jones family at all. They said I looked like someone desperate to make money to support my adoptive parents.

Then, I finally understood. Even my biological mother thought the same way.

Without saying it outright, each of them was lifting Melissa up in their own way. Together, it felt like a full-scale siege against me.

Sometimes, I wanted to defend myself, but I knew it would only drag things out endlessly. Besides, no one would believe me anyway, so I let it go.

I looked at the priceless jewelry in front of me and said softly, "Okay."

Jessica seemed surprised. She had clearly expected me to refuse.

I smiled faintly. "Ms. Shaw, if there's nothing else, I'll head upstairs."

Ever since Melissa lost her memory, my own mother had told me to call her 'Ms. Shaw' in front of others. Maybe because the windows were closed, but she suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Shirley, it's just the two of us here. You can call me—"

A sudden ringtone cut her off. It was my adoptive mother, Teresa.

I walked quickly to the window. "Mom, you're still up this late?"

On the other end, Mom sounded excited. "Shirley, your dad and I made all your favorite seafood. Send me your flight details. We'll come pick you up."

Listening to their cheerful voices, I could not help but laugh. "Okay, okay, I know."

We talked for half an hour, and when I turned back, I realized Jessica was still sitting on the sofa, her expression hard to read.

I glanced at the time on my phone. "It's late. I'll have the driver take you home."

I used to try so hard to make her stay longer. However, not anymore. I still had to pack my suitcase.

By the time Charles came home, I had already turned off the lights and gone to bed. Before, I would always stay up until midnight, just to be the first one to wish him a happy birthday.

Thinking I was asleep, he whispered an apology, "I'm sorry. Just wait a little longer. I'll come back to you completely, soon."

It was not until that day outside the hospital room that I found out Melissa had once saved his life when they were kids. She struggled after she lost the good life she had in the Jones family. Hence, Charles was now trying desperately to make it up to her.

It was then that I realized his promise had been based on only one thing—that I would not stand in the way of Melissa's perfume competition. However, I did not want to wait anymore, so I chose to walk away.

The next day, I played the role of a good wife one last time. Just like before, I helped him straighten his tie and saw him off to work.

Charles stood there, stunned for a moment. He probably thought I had finally come to my senses. He smiled and reminded me, "Wait for me to come back from work."

What he did not know was that I was saying goodbye to the past ten years of my life. From a college crush to seven years of marriage, it all ended in that moment.

…

Charles had not gotten off work on time in a long while, and as he stepped out of the office building, he could not help feeling a little excited, wondering what kind of birthday surprise he would get.

This mistaken 'fake' birthday had somehow become something he was looking forward to. He glanced at the fresh bouquet of flowers on the back seat.

'My wife at home will like these,' he thought.

During the drive, Melissa called him. "Didn't you promise to come with me to Nebula City for the competition?"

He replied calmly, "Maverick and your mom can go with you. I've already done enough for you." Charles then hung up without hesitation.

Standing at the front door, he suddenly felt a little nervous, but when he walked in, there was no sound of party poppers. The silence was overwhelming. Even the house looked exactly the same as usual.

"Shirley?" he called softly, several times.

He searched everywhere. I was usually on the second floor, but now, I was nowhere to be found.

Finally, when he stepped into the bedroom, he noticed something was wrong. The closet held only his clothes, and his gaze shifted to the dressing table, where some pieces of paper sat, painfully obvious.

He walked closer and realized what it was. It was a divorce decree.