When Love Is Gone

The half-smoked cigar in the ashtray still emitted tendrils of smoke.

I don't smoke. Thats for Richard, Olivias childhood friend who just returned from overseas. He enjoys a good cigar.

Olivia emerged from the study, following my gaze to the ashtray. Her eyes flickered, and she quickly stubbed out the stub.

"Richard was just here. His company ran into some trouble, so he came to iron out a contract."

I nodded, picking up the air freshener and spraying it around the room.

"No need to explain. I just genuinely dislike the smell of smoke."

Richard was Olivias golden boy, her cherished "friend," even in bankruptcy.

And because of him, on my thirtieth birthday, I sat in that restaurant all night, feeling like a complete fool.

Since that night, I'd extinguished every last spark of hope I had for Olivia.

Olivia watched me expertly clean the ashtray, her brow furrowing deeper with each swipe.

"Why aren't you angry? You used to hate him coming over."

Why should I be angry?

This used to be my home, yes, but now, it was nothing more than a place to sleep.

I didn't answer Olivias question.

She followed me into the living room, a puzzled look on her face.

Her gaze scrutinized me. "Whats wrong with you?"

I forced a smile. "Isn't this the kind of relationship you always wanted?"

Olivia was speechless for a moment, then rephrased her words. "Richard is in serious trouble. That contract is crucial for his comeback, thats all. Why would you"

She didnt finish her sentence.

I already filled in the blanks in my mind.

Why would I taint their friendship with such sordid thoughts?

She seemed to realize her words were a bit harsh, her tone softening.

"I haven't done anything behind your back. He was in the study for work, nothing more."

"Beyond being friends, I'm his legal counsel, and he's my client. Its that simple."

I remained silent.

Olivia's composure faltered, revealing an unmistakable frustration.

"James, what exactly do you want from me?"

I looked up at Olivia.

"I dont want anything from you."

"And you don't need to explain any of this to me." Catching sight of a lighter on the table, I pointed to it. "Why dont you take this back to him now? He might not be able to sleep tonight if he can't have his usual smoke."

Olivias face fell completely.

It wasn't the first time Richard had shown up late at night.

The first time, his creditors were trashing his company.

It was midnight, and he showed up at our door, voice cracking with tears. Olivia, still in her nightgown, went back to the office with him and stayed all night.

About a month later, I saw a brand-new photo frame on Olivias desk.

Inside was a picture of her and Richard from middle school, both in school uniforms, looking young and awkward.

Olivia casually explained, "Richard gave it to me. Said it was to thank me for helping him out that time."

She placed it prominently, as if it were a treasure.

I suppressed the storm brewing in my chest.

In the end, I said nothing.

But within a few days, Richard was at our door again late at night.

He said, as if it were the most natural thing, "Liv, I brought some late-night snacks. Join me for a drink, I'm so stressed out."

Olivia walked past me, taking the bag from his hand.

Her voice was full of familiarity and concern.

"Come in, quick. What's happened now?"

Richard gave her a wry smile. "Only you can help me."

He seemed to completely ignore my presence, walking straight into the dining room.

I stood rooted to the spot.

That was the first time Olivia and I had our most explosive fight.

By the end, her eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at me. "James, not everyone is like you. Please don't waste your energy on these pointless suspicions."

"Richard is different from you. He's a man of ambition, and he's really struggling right now."

The anger was still a hard knot in my chest.

I stared blankly at Olivia.

But Olivia turned away from me and walked into the study.

Snapping out of my memories.

Olivia's gaze remained fixed on me, as if searching for some familiar emotion on my face.

She was disappointed.

My expression was completely unreadable.

As I was about to head upstairs, Olivias voice drifted from behind me.

"James, tomorrow is your thirty-first birthday."

"I ordered you a cake."

If Olivia hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten my birthday entirely.

Ever since Richard returned, she'd missed every one of my birthdays, always with the same excuse.

Can't get away.

Last year, for her birthday, I'd excitedly booked two tickets, hoping to spend a romantic getaway in Switzerland.

I called Olivias phone, but it wasn't her who answered.

It was Richard.

"James, Liv is in the middle of an urgent dispute for me. I'll have her call you back when she's free."

Hearing Richards voice, my mind went blank for a second.

Olivias phone was always with her, and she hated anyone else answering it.

In our first year of marriage, I once used her phone for an emergency.

When she came back, she didn't say anything, but her expression was anything but pleased.

After that, I never touched her phone again.

Yet, Richard could answer it so casually on her behalf.

This incident led to another heated confrontation between Olivia and me.

She thought I was being unreasonable.

All those meticulously planned travel itineraries sat untouched in a drawer for a year.

Pulling myself back to the present, I turned to her. "My birthday? I completely forgot."

Olivias expression froze, her face etched with disbelief.

"You forgot your own birthday?"

I didn't answer her again.

I went upstairs and into the guest room.

Late that night, I was jolted awake by the insistent ringing of the phone downstairs.

I vaguely heard Olivia speaking in hushed tones.

Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I heard her changing shoes.

"I'm on my way to the police station. Don't worry, just talk to the officers calmly for now."

"It'll be okay, I'm coming. Wait for me there."

"If it's their fault, I won't let them off easy."

By the end, Olivias voice had taken on a soothing quality.

Richard was Olivias neighbor, growing up together.

From kindergarten to elementary and middle school, they were always in the same class.

Perhaps that was why she always helped him without reservation.

Even at my in-laws house, Richard, an outsider, was a perpetually hot topic.

Soon, Olivias voice carried up.

"James, I have to go out."

"Right," I said, a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "My regards to Richard."

"Richard? Were you listening to my call?"

"Who else in this world could make you rush out in the middle of the night?"

"..."

Richard had called her away again.

I slowly walked downstairs.

Olivia was already in her coat, frantically searching for her car keys by the door.

I glanced at her but said nothing.

I bypassed her and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

She nervously ran a hand through her hair, explaining in a rapid rush of words. "James, it's not what you think. Richard had too much to drink and got into a fight. I have to"

I turned my head, a smile playing on my lips. "I get it. No need for so many words."

"Go quickly. Don't keep Richard waiting. And be quiet when you come back, don't wake me."

Olivia looked like she wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words. She grabbed her car keys and hurried out.

After Olivia left, I sat in the living room for a long time.

"James," she called out, tired, after an unknown amount of time, "Is something wrong with our relationship? We should talk."

I smiled. "What do you want to talk about?"

"About Richard?"

Olivia fell silent.

I sighed, my gaze unnervingly calm, as if I were looking at a stranger.

"Olivia, I don't feel there's anything to discuss. Richard is your friend, and your most important client."

"It's only natural for you to help him with his troubles. I won't be upset about these things, and you don't need to account for yourself to me every time."

"You don't need to explain anything. I can understand, I can sympathize."

Olivias face instantly drained of color.

These were the very words she had thrown at me during one of our countless arguments over Richard.

Now, I returned them to her, word for word.

She was about to speak again when her phone rang. It was Richard.

Olivia glanced at me, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

Finally, right in front of me, she answered and put it on speaker.

Richard's drunken voice slurred from the other end. "Liv Liv, Im almost home, thank you. Ugh..."

"Hey, kid! Don't throw up in the car, hey..."

It sounded disgusting.

But Olivias expression wasn't disgust; it was anxiety.

"Richard, Richard, where are you? Are you home?"

The call disconnected.

Olivia looked down, lost in thought, before finally raising her head to look at me a few seconds later.

She stared at me, at a loss for words.

I spoke first. "You should have stayed out if it was going to be like this."

Olivia was silent for a long moment before she spoke. "Who cares about him? He's just a child who will never grow up."

I curled my lips into a small smile.

My conversation with Olivia ultimately went nowhere.

She went back to the master bedroom, and I went back to the guest room, but I couldn't sleep.

About half an hour later, the door opened, and a car engine started again.

The sound faded into the distance.

She went to him after all.

Lying in bed, I suddenly felt like laughing.

Olivia and I met on an architectural design project.

I was the one who pursued her.

We dated for three years, and as soon as the project ended, we got married.

For the first two years of our marriage, Olivia and I were very happy.

I won the prestigious Carpenter's Award for that project and started my own studio.

I became the most talked-about rising star in the industry.

Olivia also started getting very busy.

Daily meetings, frequent client consultations for various casesI accepted it all.

Even on my birthday, she only had her assistant send a gift.

Despite a hint of dissatisfaction, I still texted back with a smile.

Thanks, wife. Career comes first.

I understood her struggles as a law firm partner.

Worried about her erratic eating habits, I'd often drive to her office to pick her up for dinner when I had time.

After a year of this, she suddenly said, "Don't bother with me anymore. I can just order takeout myself. It's too much of a hassle for you to drive back and forth."

Later, I found out that Olivias childhood friend, Richard, had returned to the country.

When I asked about it, she said, "He had no choice. His partner screwed him over. I can't just abandon him."

I agreed, not pressing the matter further.

Until I noticed Richard frequently appearing in our lives.

He was down on his luck, yet his conversation remained witty, and he was particularly adept at playing the victim.

Olivia, who hated social gatherings, was surprisingly willing to accompany Richard to dinner and drinks with investor after investor.

Our first rift appeared when he gave Olivia that old childhood photo.

But Olivia thought I was overreacting. "Darling, he's just an old friend. You don't need to be so jealous."

And so, our disagreements grew.

Our cold wars became more frequent.

All because of Richard.

We even discussed divorce, but ultimately, it never happened.

Olivia disagreed.

During that time, I was almost spiraling out of control, obsessively tracking her schedule. If she didn't answer her phone, I'd become restless.

She accompanied Richard out of town to meet with investors.

I frantically messaged her, asking for updates.

Until Richard used her number to text me back:

"Liv is in a meeting, can't pick up."

"James, I know you care about her, but you also need to understand her work."

"Could you please not bother her for today?"

I couldn't hold back and sent Richard many rude messages.

Olivia finally called back, but it led to another furious argument.

"James, why have you become like this?"

"What will Richard think of those messages you sent? If my colleagues saw them, how could I face anyone at the firm? What would your friends say behind your back?"

"You're being unreasonable every day. Have you considered the consequences?"

Olivia completely avoided mentioning her and Richard's boundary-crossing behavior, only seeing my actions as irrational.

The ICU door opened, and I was told my mother was gone.

Looking at Olivias disconnected call, I burst into tears.

Sadly, my mother never got to see her daughter-in-law one last time.

Richard's company reportedly secured crucial investment.

He posted several messages on social media, expressing his gratitude to Olivia.

After all, during the seven-day negotiation in the city, a tug-of-war between three investors, Olivia had been by his side the entire time, clearing all legal hurdles for him.

I didn't ask a single question.

I worked when I needed to, and I rested when I could.

I didn't give Olivia even an extra glance.

Several times, Olivia seemed about to speak, but didn't know how to begin.

In the evening, Olivia stopped me.

She spoke to me with a hint of uncertainty.

"For this financing negotiation, as lead legal counsel, I have to be involved every step of the way."

I paused.

I thought Olivia was going to say something else, but it was just about this.

I looked up, a polite smile on my face. "I understand. Don't worry, I won't disrupt your work. Is there anything else?"

Olivia seemed to reach her breaking point, her voice trembling as she snarled,

"James, have you caused enough trouble?"

"Enough."

After Olivia returned from her trip, she started to change.

Aside from necessary collaborations, she stopped meeting Richard privately.

She would voluntarily place her phone in front of me, reporting all her engagements.

But I no longer cared.

It was too late.

Besides, I had already accepted a job offer in Singapore.

I stopped paying attention to Olivia. With my mother gone, I had no more ties.

Three days before my departure, Richards company held a grand press conference, announcing successful funding.

It was live-streamed.

When the camera focused on Olivia, as the lead counsel, she simply said,

"I want to thank my loving partner for his years of support and understanding."

The media showered her with praise, applauding her ability to balance family and career.

"You and Mr. Richard truly are a golden couple, a perfect match."

"No, you're mistaken. My husband's name is James, and he's an architect! From now on, I'm giving up all social engagements to be a good wife and mother."

Richard's smile faltered for a moment, but he still went along with the press conference.

I turned off the live stream and continued packing my luggage.

After the press conference, Olivias phone rang.

As soon as I answered, I heard Richards excited voice on the other end.

"Liv, you were amazing today! Your presence captivated everyone."

"Tonight, we've booked out the entire hotel to celebrate our future!"

Olivia instinctively tried to muffle the phone, afraid I might hear.

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.

Richard happily grasped her wrist. "Then it's settled, Liv."

Olivia looked at her phone, only then realizing the call had already disconnected.

When Olivia came home late that night, she found a file folder for her on the table.

Inside was the signed divorce agreement.

She threw the divorce agreement onto the table.

"How much longer are you going to treat me like this?" she said. "I've changed so much. What more do you want from me?"

Olivia looked at me.

"Are you blaming me? I'm sorry, Mom was sick, and I didn't visit her. Let's go to the hospital to see her tomorrow."

I looked at Olivia with an icy gaze.

"Shouldn't I blame you?"

The next day, I took Olivia to see my mother.

All the way there, she kept texting on her phone; I knew it had to be Richard.

It wasn't until we arrived at the cemetery that she realized something was wrong.

I led her to my mother's grave. She froze, then knelt down and burst into tears.

I dusted off my mother's tombstone.

"Mom, I'm going to Singapore. I won't be able to visit you often anymore. Take care of yourself."

I handed Olivia the divorce agreement. "Sign it. This way, Mom won't have to keep worrying about you, her daughter-in-law. Let's not argue in front of Mom."

"No, James. Give me another chance. I won't disappoint Mom."

"I'll cut all ties with Richard right now and come with you to Singapore. We can start fresh there."

Just then, Olivia's phone rang.

It was Richard calling.