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Love is Fading
NovelShort
Completed
On New Year's Eve, my wife said she had to work overtime. I bought a bouquet of flowers and a custom-made high-end ring, planning to surprise her at her office. But I personally witnessed her new male assistant pressing her against the desk. The man's voice was heavy with panting as he said, "Celine, if someday you get pregnant with my child, would you be willing to keep it?"
Chapters (6)
第1章
On New Year's Eve, my wife said she had to work overtime. I bought a bouquet of flowers and a custom-made high-end ring, planning to surprise her at her office.
But I personally witnessed her new male assistant pressing her against the desk.
The man's voice was heavy with panting as he said, "Celine, if someday you get pregnant with my child, would you be willing to keep it?"
Immersed in pleasure moments ago, Celine suddenly turned cold and terrifying. She looked down at Jericho, gripping his neck, "I warn you, don't try to use this against me and don't even think about stirring up trouble in my marriage with Ruben! If I really get pregnant afterward, I'll make sure you disappear from this world completely!"
The man froze, panic flashing in his eyes, "I won't ... Celine, please don't be angry. I use protection every time, I assure you nothing will happen!"
My hands and feet went ice cold as I watched this scene, my heart sinking into despair.
Quietly leaving through the main door, I took out my phone at the office building's entrance and made a call, "Mr. Dellson, suspend all support from Caresso Corporation to Celine's company immediately!"
——
In the biting winter cold, I squatted by the roadside, silently smoking one cigarette after another, letting snowflakes cover me until I became a snowman.
I stared into the pitch-black, deep night in a daze, with the scene from earlier constantly replaying in my mind.
Celine's joyous laughter echoed in my ears. I never expected my wife, someone usually so gentle and elegant, to do something so outrageous. Every movement of her body was like a sharp knife stabbing into my chest.
When I returned home from the office, my parents' concerned gazes fell on me, "Why do you look so pale? Where's Celine?"
I came up with a random excuse to deflect, "She's too busy with work to join us for New Year's Eve dinner."
Mom immediately chimed in, worried, "She's just a woman, working so hard during the holidays. Be more understanding of her."
Dad also added a comment, "How long do you plan to keep this from her? The enormous Caresso Family business, the entire Caresso Corporation, with assets worth billions, she could easily just stop working and relax as a well-taken-care-of wife."
I remained silent, quietly taking out a small brocade box from my pocket. When I opened it, a dazzling light filled the room.
I had commissioned this wedding ring from a world-renowned jewelry designer, who spent a year crafting it. Tonight, I had planned to confess my identity as a wealthy heir to Celine and make her a truly happy woman.
But what I saw tonight shattered my dream completely. The meticulously planned dinner ended in utter disarray.
As my parents left, their aging figures looked so lonely amidst the snowfall.
I glanced at the 'home' we now lived in and the wedding photo on the wall, falling into a long daze.
It's funny when I think about it. The first time Jericho Simmons visited our home, he admired the photo and envied the deep affection between Celine and me. He said we were a match made, a dream couple to real life.
I still remembered when Jericho was first hired at her company. He was clumsy and inexperienced, constantly getting scolded and criticized by her.
She scolded him, "Is your brain made of mush? Can't you think before doing something? What a waste of such a good-looking face!"
"You're more trouble than you're worth! Even a pig would be more reliable than you!"
Celine was utterly exasperated at the time and I was the one who calmed her down, "Don't wear yourself out getting angry. He's a college graduate fresh out of school. It's normal to lack experience."
At that time, she said, "If he doesn't improve during the three-month probation period, I'll have him fired!"
第2章
Celine's tone was firm and unquestionable. Anyone who heard it would be convinced that she would definitely fire Jericho after three months.
But when the three months were up, not only was Jericho not fired, he got promoted with a raise and even started driving a supercar.
I casually took down the wedding photo. My phone buzzed.
It was a voice message from Jericho. When I played it, all I could hear were sounds of pleasure and gasping. I couldn't be more familiar with that voice, it belonged to Celine.
Immediately, another message followed: [Ruben, I saw you in the office earlier. Are you surprised? Did it make you shock?]
My fingers trembled slightly. In my daze, a text from Celine came through: [Honey, I might be home late tonight. You and Mom and Dad should go ahead and eat dinner. Don't wait for me. Eat well and rest up, okay? Love you.] She even sent a kiss emoji.
Celine thought she could fool me flawlessly. But I had no intention of exposing her.
I called my assistant to inquire about divorce proceedings and instructed him to freeze the assets supporting Celine's company.
"Mr. Caresso, freezing the assets will take five days to process," he said.
Though I couldn't wait, I could only endure, "Alright. In the meantime, book me a flight and visa for five days from now to any random country." A destination even I didn't know, where no one could find me.
That night, I left that cold house and returned to the Caresso Family mansion to spend the New Year with my parents and join in the New Year's Eve countdown.
The warmth of my parents' care and the festive cheer slightly alleviated the darkness in my heart.
It wasn't until dawn that Celine called, "Honey, where are you? I came home and you're not here. Your baby misses you."
'Baby' had always been my term of endearment for her. It used to sound sweet and blissful, but now it made me feel nothing but disgust.
I only replied: [I'm on my way home.]
The moment I saw Celine, I had mixed emotions. Though she wore makeup deliberately, it couldn't hide the lingering flush on her face.
"Honey! I missed you so much. You're finally back." She jumped into my arms, as excited as a schoolgirl in love for the first time.
A strong, suffocating scent of perfume invaded my nose, making my stomach churn. Beneath the strong perfume, there was a faint smell of some privet flowers.
I glanced at her inside-out stockings and immediately guessed that she had just experienced an intense encounter moments before.
Celine thought she had disguised everything well, but I still caught the faint trace of uneasiness behind her innocent smile.
Feeling the awkward tension, I forced a smile, "Why have you been so busy lately?"
Celine froze for a second, clearly not expecting such a question from me, "Yeah, with employees on holiday, I have to handle some things myself." She answered without hesitation.
I couldn't help but chuckle. By "hands-on," she meant being on top of her assistant, right?
Seeing my laughter, Celine visibly tensed. She quickly clung to my arm, trying to change the subject, "We haven't seen each other all day. Did you miss me?"
I glanced at her without showing emotion and deliberately nodded. How could I not think about her? Every hour, I was thinking about how to divorce her.
When we got home, Celine took off her coat and sat on the couch. I wanted to watch TV and reached for the remote under her. Celine jumped away as if she was facing a formidable enemy.
Seeing my surprised expression, she immediately switched to a dejected look, "Sorry, honey. I've started my period. I'm afraid I won't be able to give it to you this week. Also, I've had some discomfort in my lower abdomen lately, so you'll need to bear with it for a while."
第3章
She thought my gesture was an attempt to be intimate with her.
Hearing her lie so casually, without a hint of guilt, a sharp pain pierced my heart. Ah, Celine, you really put a lot of effort into covering up one lie with multiple lies. Are you afraid I'll discover traces of another man on you?
Seeing me remain silent, Celine immediately took a gift box from her bag and said, "I brought this back for you on a business trip." I opened it, a Patek Philippe watch.
But instead of feeling surprised or delighted, I was overcome by a sense of anger, as if I were being toyed with. Two months ago, I had seen this same watch in Jericho's social media post, something he had dismissed as an unwanted freebie.
It wasn't until now that I realized the watch he flaunted on social media was a gift from Celine. If not for this cast-off watch, I might never have known how long their relationship had been going on.
I chuckled bitterly. My wife's love for me is truly profound, giving me a gift that someone else had discarded.
"Let me put it on for you," she offered. Thinking I was smiling out of happiness, she didn't wait for me to refuse and fastened it to my wrist.
Looking at this watch, which felt more like a shackle, I said nothing.
Fireworks exploded outside and Celine suddenly spoke, "Honey, I have a surprise for you tomorrow night."
I played along, asking, "What surprise?"
She acted shy, like a bashful little wife and smiled sweetly, "If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore."
I said, "How coincidental, I also have a surprise for you. But you'll have to wait a few days."
Hearing that, Celine beamed with excitement, "I'll take a quick shower, wait for me, okay?" She ran into the bathroom with her phone, locking the door behind her, acting all secretive.
At that moment, my phone vibrated again. It was another message from Jericho: [Ruben, take a guess, will Celine spend this New Year with you or me?]
I glanced at it indifferently and ignored it. Passing by the bathroom, I vaguely heard Celine laughing joyfully inside. In all these years, I had never heard her laugh so freely.
Soon after, she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, as I sat on the couch watching TV. She walked directly toward me, sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. Although her body exuded the fresh scent of shower gel, I still felt nauseated.
"Honey, I have to go on a business trip for a few days. You know, it's a crucial period for the company. Even during the New Year, I have to visit clients personally to secure their business." Her pleading gaze was full of earnestness, almost making it hard to refuse.
Thinking about the divorce planned for a week later, my eyes dimmed, "When are you leaving?"
She said, "The day after tomorrow, early morning."
"Can you not go?" I tried to plea. She shook her head.
In my memory, she had always been obedient to me. But this time, she was surprisingly firm, "You have to give me some freedom. Besides, I'm not going on a vacation, it's just work. If you're worried, I can video-call you to check in every day."
I nodded resignedly, concealing the coldness in my eyes. In a week, you won't see me anymore.
On New Year's Day, we had no groceries at home and decided to eat out. As Celine held my arm and we walked out of the neighborhood, a familiar neighbor approached us, "You two couple are such a loving couple. I recall you've been married for seven years now, right? While others hit the 'seven-year itch,' you two are still as affectionate as ever."
第4章
"Isn't that right? All the couples in our neighborhood are so envious of you two, unlike my son who got divorced at such a young age. His wife cheated on him and ran off with someone else." The old man said.
Hearing these compliments felt like blatant sarcasm to me.
Celine pretended to be affectionate, tightly holding my hand and resting her head on my shoulder and said, "I love my husband so much, I would never cheat on him like your son's wife did."
While we were having dinner, she went to the restroom and her phone was left on the table. As soon as she left, the phone buzzed. I picked it up casually and it was a message from Jericho.
I had never looked through Celine's phone before, but over time, she had let her guard down and never set a password.
I scrolled through their conversation with trembling hands: [Celine, are you coming tonight?]
[Didn't I tell you not to contact me for the next few days?]
[I miss you. Do you want to see my chest muscles?]
Jericho had sent a provocative selfie showing off his toned chest. In the photo, his sunny, handsome face was teasing, licking his lips and his eyes carried an enticing, almost predatory look.
Celine, apparently moved by the photo, had replied: [You're my naughty troublemaker. I miss you too. Tonight, I'll show you the brightest fireworks in the city.]
[Thank you, Celine! I have a little gift for you too!]
The next photo showed a set of seductive lingerie on a bed, next to a condom.
I marked the message as unread. When I put the phone down, Celine had just returned.
Seeing my actions, she hurriedly shoved her phone into her pocket, "Did you look at my phone?"
I shook my head and said, "A message came in and I wanted to check it for you, but then you came back."
Celine nervously smiled, "It's probably just a New Year's greeting from a friend. You know, this time of year, messages flood in." I coldly nodded.
During dinner, Celine was distracted, frequently glancing at me. Only when she saw that my expression remained unchanged did her anxious look ease somewhat.
That night, Celine put on a delicate makeup look and changed into a tight-fitting dress with high heels. She quickly dragged me to the balcony.
She kept checking her phone, counting down the time and said, "Honey, let's count down together! Three! Two! One! Happy new year!"
A loud boom rang out through the night sky as dazzling fireworks lit up the entire city. The bright lights illuminated our faces and I felt dazed.
I remembered, the night I proposed to Celine, the fireworks were just as brilliant. At that time, I didn't have 999 red roses or a diamond ring as big as a pebble, only a 'ring' I'd fashioned from a soda cap.
I asked her, "I have nothing. Will you marry me?"
Celine's eyes brimmed with tears and without hesitation, she nodded, "I do! I'll only love you in my life!"
The vow, just like the fireworks above, was fleeting and short-lived. We, too, had once cried together, tightly embracing, watching the fireworks bloom in the night sky.
Back then, my eyes were fixed only on Celine, my mind filled with dreams of endless happiness for the future. But now, I was numb, filled only with deep disappointment.
This fireworks display didn't belong to me. The woman standing in front of me didn't belong to me either.
When Celine saw the tears in my eyes, she suddenly froze, "Honey, what's wrong?"
I wiped my eyes and shook my head.
第5章
"It's nothing, just a little moved, thank you for the surprise." For the first time in all these years, I said something insincere to her.
Celine suddenly went silent. I saw a trace of guilt and remorse in her eyes.
But the next moment, she revealed her true self once more because of an incoming message.
Celine turned away quickly, took a quick glance at her phone, then turned back to me and said, "Honey, you should go to bed early tonight. My best friend has invited me out to a party. You won't mind, right?"
I smiled. "Of course not, you have your freedom."
Celine hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek, "Thank you! You're the best, baby."
She couldn't wait to leave. She thought I wouldn't notice the message she had just received, but I had already guessed it was from Jericho.
If you want freedom, I will give you freedom. A kite with a broken string can only fly freely.
After Celine left, I found myself lost in thought, gazing at the fireworks in the night sky. But not long after, she sent me another message, with a location and room number: [Honey, could you bring me some stomach medicine?]
The moment I saw the message, I furrowed my brows.
I had intended to ignore it, but then I thought, as her husband, I might as well do this for her as the last favor.
I grabbed the medicine she wanted and drove to the location she sent, which was a private restaurant.
When I arrived at the private room, I was about to knock when I suddenly heard a burst of laughter from inside, "Celine, you lost! It's your turn to answer!"
"How long have you and Jericho been secretly seeing each other?" The room burst into laughter. Celine's friends kept urging her on.
Celine's face held a smug smile, "We got together shortly after he joined the company."
The others teased her, "Looks like Ruben been kept in the dark, huh? He must be pretty foolish."
Celine's expression instantly turned cold, "Don't talk about my husband like that. Just keep this between us. If he finds out, I'll sever ties with all of you."
"Okay, okay, we get it. You're so protective," they laughed.
When I heard this, I silently pulled my hand back from where it had been suspended in midair and a wave of sadness swept over me. My indulgence was rewarded with betrayal.
Just then, someone asked, "Jericho said he was coming to pick someone up. Why is he taking so long?"
At that moment, I heard footsteps coming toward the door and I quickly hid in the corner. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jericho enter the room, holding the hand of a young girl.
The girl was familiar to me, she was a recent intern at Celine's company, a pretty girl who had just graduated. I had heard that she was even Jericho's junior at university.
I hadn't intended to stay, but the angry shouting from inside made me want to sneak a peek.
"Jericho, did you ignore everything I said? The company explicitly forbids office romances!" Celine's eyebrows furrowed in anger and her whole body trembled with fury.
She pointed at the girl beside Jericho and scolded, "Get out! After the New Year, you'd better submit your resignation!" The young girl, frightened, left the room in tears.
What happened next shocked me, I witnessed Celine slap Jericho across the face in front of everyone, "You get over here!" Then, the two of them left the room together and entered a dark, secluded corner.
I followed, but the sounds of arguing suddenly stopped. The next thing I saw was the two of them passionately kissing each other.
"Celine, are you jealous?" Jericho's voice rang out.
Celine snorted coldly, "You're trying to embarrass me on purpose, aren't you? Don't play these little tricks and bring trouble upon yourself."
第6章
Jericho kissed her neck while saying, "Celine, you still care about me."
Celine gazed at Jericho with a blurry look in her eyes, her voice tinged with some sadness, "The slap I gave you earlier must have hurt, right? You should punish me."
Jericho grinned with malice, "Well, that's what you said yourself!" Their interaction became more intense.
I thought I would feel anger, but I realized I had become numb. I couldn't be bothered to stay and watch their passionate exchange. I threw the stomach medicine into the trash and drove home.
On the way back, I received several messages from Jericho: [Ruben, I know you were watching just now. Are you angry?]
[I'll be honest with you. The stomach medicine message was sent by me using Celine's phone secretly.]
[Just now, Celine said she'd give me company shares and promised to get a custom wedding ring, one like the one you have.]
[She told me that you're a conservative man and being with me excites her. We've tried things you two never did before.]
[She also said that next time, she wants to secretly try things in your house, imagining it excites her. I can't wait to experience that with her.]
[Ruben, you're destined to lose. What I gave to Celine is something new and exciting. You couldn't give that to her.]
Then he sent over a dozen videos. Each video contained explicit footage of him and Celine in passionate moments that were too painful to watch.
I knew he was trying to anger me, to provoke me, but he had no idea that I wasn't affected. When there's no love, there are no vulnerabilities.
I went to bed early and didn't even know when Celine came home.
When I woke up in the morning, she had already prepared a lavish breakfast and packed her suitcase and said, "Honey, take your time eating. I need to head out to catch a flight."
I watched her leave, smiling, "Goodbye."
Hearing my words, Celine's heart suddenly tightened. We'll never see each other again.
She dragged her suitcase down to the parking garage, feeling a vague sense of unease. As she recalled the earlier scene, she finally understood where her unease came from.
My smile and my eyes when I watched her leave, it was cold, with no hint of emotion.
"Celine! Let me help you with the luggage." Jericho got out of the car and volunteered.
Celine turned around and glanced behind him. After seeing no one, she scolded him in a reproachful tone, "Didn't I tell you not to come pick me up? What if Ruben sees?"
Jericho didn't care, "Celine, isn't this the kind of thrill you like? Come on, hurry, or you'll miss your flight."
As soon as Celine got into the car, she stared at her phone screen saver. It was the first photo we took when we were dating. She hadn't changed it in all these years.
She said, "Jericho, when I return from this trip, I'll make you the department director. As for our relationship, it should come to an end."
Jericho paused for a moment, then forced a smile, "Whatever you says."
He said this, but deep down he felt bitter. He was determined to make these last few days a time when Celine would be completely immersed in the joy, unable to forget it.
***
After Celine left, I threw all the breakfast on the table into the trash. Then I made a call, instructing them to clear out all my things from the house.
The place was rearranged, spotless. This home no longer held any trace of me, not even a single strand of hair.