Chapter 3

That evening, Tristan came home at seven for once, right when he got off work.

I was just finishing an interview with a company abroad when he walked in.

The hiring manager was very pleased with my performance and scheduled me to fly over and start next week.

"Next week? Do you have something going on next week?"

I calmly closed my laptop and lied without missing a beat. "Nothing much. Just meeting a friend for dinner."

Tristan nodded without comment and draped his coat over a chair. When he noticed the cake in the trash, he raised an eyebrow. "Still upset? Is this really worth it? You scratched my face and I didn't keep making a fuss about it. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

I replied calmly, "I'm not upset."

Tristan scoffed, clearly not believing me. "Not upset but you threw away the whole cake? I don't know why someone pushing thirty still has such a sweet tooth like a little girl. It's not even a special occasion and you bought a cake. I think you—"

Before he could finish, his eyes landed on the number 8 candle in the trash and he froze.

He stared at it for a moment, then looked up at me hesitantly. "Today is... our eighth anniversary?"

I'd originally thought the ring was a surprise Tristan had deliberately chosen to give me on our anniversary.

But he'd just carelessly given me something Willow didn't want.

He didn't even remember what day it was.

Tristan guiltily touched his nose, his tone softening as he moved closer to me. "Victoria, I've been so busy with work I forgot. The ring Willow has was just a reward for landing that big deal, nothing more. It's good that ring is gone anyway. I'll take you to buy a bigger one another day."

Over the years, Tristan had mastered this technique—insult then give a treat.

Like training a dog, keeping me firmly under his control.

But this trick only works on people still immersed in love.

A shattered heart can't be stirred anymore.

I turned my head to avoid his touch. "No need. You're busy. Work is important."

Tristan's body stiffened, his expression somewhat displeased, but he said nothing and handed me a box from behind him.

"Alright, Willow was worried you were upset, so she specially sent this to apologize. It's one she's been reluctant to wear herself. Try it and see if you like it."

He opened the box to reveal a lotus-shaped necklace.

Most of the small diamonds on the petals had already fallen off.

I glanced at it once and threw it back at him in disgust. "I'll say it again—I don't collect garbage."

An hour ago, Willow had posted a new gemstone necklace on her feed.

Hehe, traded some junk from the bottom of my drawer for a new necklace. Long live the boss!

Being rejected by me again and again, Tristan finally lost his patience. "Victoria, my patience has limits! Do you have to make things difficult for a young woman? Willow is a manager now. She's so busy every day but still considers your feelings. Can't you learn from her and stop making me angry?"

The "young woman" Tristan referred to was actually only two years younger than me.

But in his eyes, Willow was an innocent, highly capable young woman.

As for me, his words dripped with disdain.

He probably thought I was just a frumpy housewife doing nothing at home all day.

The figure who fought alongside him during the startup days had probably long vanished from his memory.