01. She’s Back
Today marks the second anniversary of my marriage to Liam. To celebrate, I booked a rooftop venue with a beautiful river view. I decorated the space and ordered his favorite fruit cake, a strawberry cake adorned with cartoon images of Liam, me, and our cat. It was soft and cute, just like he likes.
However, as I stood looking at the cake and the carefully decorated venue, my excitement faded. I knew Liam wouldn't be coming back tonight. Ten minutes ago, he sent me a message: "I have a social event this evening, so you don’t have to wait for me."
Over the past two years, Liam has taken over the family business and is always busy with various social events. I understand his commitments and have tried to be a supportive wife, managing our home and taking care of his needs. But today's social event was different. It wasn't a business meeting or a public event. He was meeting his ex-girlfriend, Emma.
I have always known about Emma, Liam's unforgettable ex-girlfriend. But it was me who was engaged to Liam. Our families are old friends, and our marriage was arranged when we were very young. His mother often hugged me, saying, "Lily, grow up quickly. When you grow up, marry our Liam as your daughter-in-law." So, I always knew Liam would be my future husband. But Liam didn’t feel the same. He resented arranged marriages and the lack of control over his life. Still, he didn’t dislike me initially.
When did things change? It was the day Emma went abroad. I loved him deeply, even though I knew he loved someone else. I kept telling myself that it was okay, that love wasn't the same as marriage, and that he was meant to be with me. Maybe I was deluding myself. The day Emma left, she called me, crying and sarcastic: "Those who are not loved are redundant, Lily. Even if you snatch him away, his heart is not with you!" I replied, "I didn't steal him. He was my fiancé."
Liam's mother always reassured me, "Lily is so beautiful. Liam must be blind not to like you. Women outside are just passers-by. Don’t mind them." I believed her.
After I graduated, Liam’s company faced financial losses, and our families quickly arranged our marriage. Liam’s mother manipulated Emma into leaving, and within half a month of their breakup, I married Liam. For the past three years, I have tried my best to win Liam's heart. His feelings toward me were unpredictable, sometimes warm and sometimes cold.
Despite my efforts, I believed that one day I would truly win his heart—until Emma came back.
Emma and I have always stayed in touch. After she and Liam got together, Emma added me on social media but never sent any messages. She didn’t hide her posts, though. After she left, she stopped posting until today, when she shared a photo of an airplane with the caption, "I'm back..."
