Jade blocked me in the underground parking lot.
She was a shadow of her former self-her face haggard, much thinner, with sunken eyes.
The moment she saw me, a flicker of light returned to her otherwise dull eyes.
She handed me a box she was holding and said, “Happy birthday.”
It was only then that I suddenly realized today was my birthday.
No wonder Elizabeth had called me earlier, telling me to get off work early because her family was waiting for me to have dinner with them.
“That’s not necessary, but thank you.”
I politely declined and was about to get into my car, but she stopped me again.
“Corey, I’ve been thinking about you a lot these past few weeks, but I was too scared to come see you. I was afraid you’d say something I didn’t want to hear again.”
“I once promised you that I’d spend your birthday with you, so I mustered up the courage to come.”
As she spoke, she opened the box, revealing a watch inside.
It was the same watch I had once joked about liking. Unfortunately, it was way too expensive-hundreds of thousands of dollars.
At the time, Jade had scoffed, saying that men liking watches was the same as women liking handbags-just vanity in the end.
I hadn’t argued with her, but ever since we had been together, she hadn’t worked a day.
All her expenses were covered by me, and even though that was the case, whenever she liked a bag, as long as I could afford it, I would buy it for her.
Whenever she got a new bag, she would sweetly say she loved me.
But when it came to me wanting to buy a watch for myself, she mocked me, calling me vain.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice trembling. “I was so immature back then, spending your money but not letting you buy something you liked. Now, I’m making it up to you.”
I shook my head and told her it wasn’t necessary.
“Jade, my life doesn’t need these things for decoration. You don’t need to feel guilty.”
“The money I spent on you was my choice, so don’t think too much of it.”
With that, I got into my car and drove away.
In the rearview mirror, I saw her collapse onto the ground, clutching the box and sobbing into her hands.
Two weeks later, a friend told me that Jade was getting married.
The groom was none other than her ex-boyfriend, Ashton.
I felt no emotion at all and responded flatly,
“I don’t need to hear about her anymore.”
My friend sighed and said, “It’s not what you think.”
“She is getting married, but she doesn’t look happy about it.”