It struck me that it was not because it's unnecessary to buy the ring, but not for me.
In the chat groups, our several mutual friends joked.
Friend 1: [Hey, are you taking Hilary to travel abroad?]
Chasel: [I am with Serena.]
Friend 1: [Today? Are you crazy?]
Chasel: [No big deal. It's Hilary who are unwilling to get divorce.]
Chasel did it on purpose.
Today was our sixth wedding anniversary.
I mocked myself and watched popups generated from the group chat.
I knew it's no longer appropriate for me to stay in that group chat and clicked exit silently.
The moment I exited the group chat, Chasel seemed to have also left my world.
I felt so calm that I thought I had gotten over it.
I was no longer obsessed with our affections, no longer obsessed with Chasel.
Joyce Lewis called me, and she was silent for a long time on the other end of the phone before she started to ask, "Hilary, are you okay?"
This was not the first time that Chasel had an affair in public.
But I wavered and forgave him again and again. My best friend Joyce gradually turned from being indignant to remaining silent.
My suppressed emotions collapsed under Joyce's sudden concern.