“Alfred, how are you doing over there?”
It was a simple message with no hidden meaning, purely asking how someone she knew was doing. But to Clara, it felt nerve-racking. Anxiety enveloped her.
What if Alfred didn’t reply? What if Alfred replied with only a few words? Or what if Alfred got annoyed because she was interrupting his time?
All kinds of questions kept circling through Clara’s mind. And because of those feelings, all she could do was sit back down, ignoring Louisa, who chuckled silently.
“I’m heading out.” The girl in the tight black dress gave a casual wave and sauntered away without a hint of guilt.
Because as far as she was concerned, she hadn’t done anything wrong. She was helping her friend, if anything.
Clara snorted in annoyance. “After making me a complete mess, she just leaves like that.”
Still, there was no denying that Clara was waiting for a reply from Alfred, too. She kept checking her phone and even turned up the volume so she could hear the notification, even when she was busy.
Unfortunately, several days passed without a reply from her ex-husband. He hadn’t even read it, let alone responded.
Clara was disappointed, but more than that, she felt sad. Not wanting to dwell on it, she tried calling him. But Alfred didn’t answer that, either. Clara called twice, and he still didn’t pick up.
“So I really have lost him,” she murmured, lowering her limp hand. Tears welled in her eyes. “He’s really gone from my life.”
“Louisa was right. This is the consequence. I can’t be selfish. I made my decision, so I have to accept all the consequences,” Clara said, wiping her wet eyes.
Before deciding to get divorced, she had asked Louisa for her opinion as someone she trusted. Louisa had opposed her decision because, in her opinion, Alfred was one of those ideal men who were becoming increasingly rare these days.
Clara explained everything. And as a neutral party, Louisa tried to lay out both sides of the situation. Seeing that Clara had seemingly already made up her mind and only needed support, all Louisa could do in the end was accompany her to meet with a lawyer.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Alfred was enjoying himself as he chatted with several new friends at a classic restaurant.
“With talent like yours, why didn’t you start sooner? I’m sure you’ll be hugely successful,” one of Alfred’s friends said with a laugh, followed by the others.
They nodded in agreement. Alfred responded with the same laughter.
“I still need a lot of guidance from all of you,” Alfred replied.
“You’re being too modest, buddy,” another said.
“Exactly. Hahaha, you’re making us feel embarrassed.” Someone else chimed in.
Alfred burst out laughing. “No. I truly need your help and guidance.”
“Well, in that case, this senior will help you.” The first friend to speak proudly thumped his chest.
Alfred immediately raised his glass and stood. “Accept your junior’s greetings, Senior.”
Everyone laughed and stood as well, raising their glasses before shouting, “Here’s to a bright future!”
After the gathering ended, Alfred returned to his apartment and immediately sank back onto the sofa. His eyes fell shut, but then he sat upright and pulled out his phone. He remembered that he still hadn’t replied to the message from the person he loved.
He quickly typed a short reply. But after waiting a long time, Clara still didn’t respond. In the end, he got up and headed to the bedroom to clean himself up.
Just then, his phone chimed. Not once, but several times.