After He Took Our Honeymoon Trip with His Mistress

I had just settled into bed when my phone buzzed with a message from Elias Franklin:

"Winifred, knowing everything I do about you, I need to ask again—are you genuinely committed to relocating to the UK?"

"Even though I truly want you to go, you've turned me down so many times because of Jack Harvey. I feel uneasy, so I'm checking once more."

I chuckled softly and replied, "Don't worry, Elias."

"This time, I'm truly determined."

A year ago, our company opened a branch in the UK, but the managerial position has been vacant ever since. Elias has suggested it to me countless times, insisting it's an incredible opportunity not to be missed.

The prospect has tempted me for some time, as relocating would mean not only a promotion but also doubling my salary. Yet, the thing holding me back was Jack Harvey.

When Jack was a child, his mother went abroad, leaving him behind, and his father rarely paid him any attention. When they moved next door to us, Jack was only eleven.

It was Thanksgiving Eve, and he sat quietly at the entrance, all alone. As I went outside to set off fireworks, I noticed him huddled in a corner, staring wistfully at the sky. Seeing me watching him, Jack lowered his head, masking his emotions with a blank expression.

As I gazed at his frail silhouette, I remembered my mom's empathetic words about his situation earlier that day, and I suddenly felt a pang of pity:

"Want to join me in setting off fireworks? I'm too scared to do it by myself." I handed him a sparkler.

He raised his head, stared blankly for a moment, then reached out to take it. We set off the fireworks together, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw his lips ease into a faint smile.

Later, I insisted he come over to our house for Thanksgiving dinner. He stayed until his father returned home, drunk from gambling, then went back next door.

During those teenage years, a time when pride is fiercest, I was always there for him.

That lasted until we went off to different universities. Jack suddenly cut off contact.

It wasn't until our graduation year that I came home and saw him waiting under the streetlamp outside our building.

As I watched him approach me with calm, steady steps, everything around me seemed to freeze.

His clear, handsome face melded with the image I'd held in my memories:

"Winifred, it's been a while."

"It's been a while."

I looked at him, unsure of what to say.

Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed me. My heart stopped, then began racing uncontrollably.

After a long moment, Jack pulled away, staring into my eyes as he asked, "Winifred, will you be my girlfriend?"

I swallowed hard, "Okay."

I was annoyed at how quickly I agreed, but he had always known about my secret crush on him. He did it on purpose.

Just like that, it seemed inevitable that we got married.

I remember the day I told him about the job transfer that would require me to move abroad; he was silent for a long time. That night, he drank endless cups of coffee, his eyes red as he looked at me, murmuring, "Winnie, are you going to leave me too..."

Fearing it would remind him of the pain of being abandoned by his mother, I dropped the subject.

But in the end, it was me who was left behind.

I bit my lip, feeling my heart slowly breaking.

Sensing something, Elias cautiously inquired, "Did something happen between you and Jack Harvey?"

I didn't reply, which was confirmation enough.

After a while, he sent another message:

"Flowers bloom forward, people move onward. Winifred, trust in your choices."

"I'll give you a month off once you arrive, so you can relax and gather your thoughts."