- 10.
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Ten years later, it was our wedding night.
Sarah and I didn’t get much sleep. The next
morning, I went downstairs to throw away the
used condoms while Sarah was asleep. As
soon as I reached the first floor, I saw Tiffany.
She was standing next to her Ferrari, eyes
red, with a bunch of cigarette butts all around
her. She had probably smoked a pack or two.
She looked at the plastic bag in my hand and
turned away. Her voice was trembling, “Tao, I
waited all night. I saw your lights go off.” All
her pride had vanished. She saw the marks on
my neck and her eyes turned red. She stared
at me, like I had stolen her treasure. She was
desperate, “Tao, I’m sick, I feel terrible.”
In the past, I would have dropped everything
and rushed to take care of her, make her
food, give her medicine, take her
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temperature. But now, I could only say, “Go
take some medicine.”
Tiffany’s body wavered and her eyes filled
with tears. They fell to her face and she
looked at me. “Tao, I saw you smile at Sarah,
and I thought so much about it. I can treat
you like that too.” She closed her eyes, and
with so much effort, she told me something
that she didn’t want to, “Even if I am the
substitute, can’t I be your main person? Tao, I
cannot accept seeing you like that with
others…”
I was a little speechless. I shook my right
hand. There was my wedding ring. It wasn’t
expensive, but it was exactly what I wanted.
Tiffany’s face paled. “Tao, take it off, you do
it or I will?” She begged, her voice hoarse. “If
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you want a ring, I’ll buy you one, any price.
Just throw that one away, please.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. Tiffany. This is my
wedding ring.” I looked down at the ring,
“Sarah gave it to me. I love it.”
Tiffany sobbed. “Please, don’t say that, Tao.
It hurts.” She begged, “It really hurts.” |
sighed. I didn’t resent her. She was the face
that saved me wanted her to leave the past
behind and move on. I was trying to think of
something to say when I saw someone who
surprised me.
Chad had arrived. His handsome face was
ugly. He looked at me and then at Tiffany,
“Tiffany, everyone told me this, but I didn’t
want to believe it. You broke up with me in
the middle of the night, got a ticket and flew
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home. For him?” He saw the ring on my hand.
He looked disgusted. “You broke up with me
for him?”
Chad was very angry. In the past, if Chad said
something, she would have traveled half the
world to be with him. But this time, she didn’t
even look at him. She ignored him. She
looked at me, “Tao, I can’t do this without
you. I’m serious. I can’t sleep. It’s been days.
Can’t you come back? Honey, I’ll change. I
won’t ever look at another man.
Her voice was gone. She continued, “I can be
your main. A divorce isn’t the end of the
world. I’ll change. I’m begging you.” I was
dumbstruck. I’d never seen Tiffany like this
before. Even with her on–and–off relationship
with Chad, she would never beg him. Chad
was stunned, too. His face was red then
white. Finally, he said, “You’ll regret this. I
won’t give you another chance,” and walked
away.
Tiffany didn’t even turn to see him. I reminded
her, “Chad is gone.” Tiffany held onto me, “I
never planned to be with him for the long
haul. He was just something I had to resolve.
When it comes to marriage, you’re the only
person I think of.”
“Tiffany.” I rubbed my temples, and cut her
off. I knew that Sarah would be looking for
- me. I needed to lay it all out there for her. “I
haven’t always seen you as a substitute. I did.
feel something for you, too.”
How couldn’t I? We had spent the last six
years together. Tiffany’s eyes lit up. I sighed,
“But you’re the one who pushed me away,
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Tiffany. Don’t you remember? Every time I
was about to fall for you, you chose Chad.” I
laughed. “You were the one who pushed me
away. You’re the one who told me that Sarah
would never have treated me this way, you
were never as good as her.”
Tiffany’s eyes dimmed. She still tried to fight
back, “I’ll change, Tao. I’ll change.” I shook.
my head, “Tiffany, you don’t love me. You
can’t stand being rejected. You were like that
with Chad, and now it’s me.” I pointed at my
heart. “My wife is in here now. You don’t
have a place in here anymore.”
The light in Tiffany’s eyes was gone. I turned
away and went home.
I found Sarah standing there when I reached
the building. I was panicked. “You heard
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Sarah hugged me. “Don’t worry.” She said,
“Tiffany called me. She told me about you
two. And asked me to let you be with her.”
“And what did you say?” I was surprised.
“I returned all the money she gave to me, to
get me back here and treat me. And I sent her
a wedding invitation.”
“Oh, that is why…” I didn’t know what to say.
I finally understood how Tiffany knew where
we were getting married. She knew how to kill
someone without touching them.
