Chapter 2
703 Words
We'd been in an arranged business marriage for three years. Gary was always obedient, gentle, and considerate toward me, yet he never let me touch him.
Whenever I tried to hug him or even hold his hand, he would pull away, always offering the same explanation, "I'm asexual. I had a conservative upbringing."
He even placed a divider down the middle of our bed.
I believed him.
So I respected his boundaries. I loved him, understood him, and never pressured him.
But what did I get in return?
How was it that he could burn with desire for another woman?
I stared at my husband, the man I'd barely argued with in three years of marriage.
I waited.
I hoped for an explanation.
But none came.
After tossing out that cold remark, he simply walked away and lit a cigarette.
Instead, it was Anna who spoke.
Spreading her hands helplessly, she sighed, a trace of mock sympathy in her voice. "Sorry, Olivia. I was the one who insisted on coming along today.
"Your birthday was three days ago, right? I heard you waited for him at the restaurant all night. Is that true? I invited him to a hot spring resort that day, and we ended up playing ranked games together. We completely lost track of time. If you want to blame someone, blame me. You can scold me or hit me if it'll make you feel better."
My heart was already aching, but hearing that made it even harder to breathe.
That night, Gary had told me he'd missed his flight during a business trip and couldn't make it back in time.
And I had foolishly believed him.
The strength drained from my body in an instant.
Then, without warning, Anna grabbed my hand and slammed it against her own face.
She staggered backward and collapsed to the ground as though I'd struck her with all my strength.
"Olivia!" she cried. "You've hit me now, so you've gotten it out of your system, right? Please don't make things difficult for Gary anymore. He's already exhausted from work. I don't want my presence to cause problems between you two."
I'd had enough.
I drew my arm back and delivered a real slap across her face.
"That first slap wasn't from me," I said coldly. "This one is."
"Olivia! Have you lost your mind?!" Gary immediately threw away his cigarette and rushed over. He shoved me aside before pulling Anna protectively behind him.
"You're completely unreasonable!" he snapped. "Since you enjoy hitting people and throwing tantrums so much, stay up here on the mountain and think carefully about what you've done!"
With that, he grabbed Anna's hand and walked away without looking back.
The last thing I heard before they disappeared was Anna's sickening display of concern.
"Gary, it's freezing up here at night. We took the signal beacon and the heater from the car. Won't Olivia freeze out here?"
Then came Gary's cold, merciless reply. "You're too kind. Let her freeze. Maybe that'll cure that ridiculous temper of hers."
At that moment, a question suddenly surfaced in my mind.
How had I ever mistaken a man like this for my sun?
I continued down the mountain path alone.
Before long, snowflakes began drifting from the dark sky.
The wind sliced through my clothes, making me shiver uncontrollably.
In a daze, I found myself remembering the day we first met three years ago.
My father had insisted that I meet Gary.
I'd quietly mentioned that I wanted a roasted sweet potato, only to be immediately scolded.
"Mind your status," my father had snapped. "Don't embarrass yourself in front of him."
But Gary had quietly gone downstairs and bought one for me. Then he'd smiled and said, "Eat whatever you want. After we're married, you can always be yourself."
Back then, I'd thought he was a good man.
The kind of man who would make a good husband.
Now, I knew better.
And that certainty only deepened when a message from Anna arrived while I was making my way back.
Anna: Olivia, you must be bored up on that mountain. Why don't you scroll through my social feed? Maybe that'll warm you up a little.
- Writer
