2,
Jone Smith’s divorce hit him hard. Words spread among their mutual friends, and Janet became the topic of gossip. Jone’s mom was furious, and for a while, Jone was walking around with a clear handprint on his face. His mom had even called Janet once, saying in frustration, ‘If he wants to leave, let him go! Why didn’t you try harder to stop him? And the kid? That child is part of our family. Who does that Abby think she is? If the child comes into our family, I’ll accept it. But her? She doesn’t deserve it!’
Then she softened her tone, trying to comfort Janet, ’Sweetheart, I know you’ve been wronged. Let me help you.’ But Janet cut her off, ‘Mrs Smith…’ There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Janet continued, ‘ I’ve already agreed to the divorce.’ That single word, ‘Mrs Smith,’ broke the older woman’s heart. She had genuinely liked Janet, treating her almost like her own daughter. After a long pause, she sighed and hung up.
After all the drama, it only took about a month for the Smith family to soften their stance. No matter how angry Jone’s mom was, she couldn’t resist the little child standing in front of her, shyly calling her ‘Grandma.’
Jone personally delivered the divorce papers to the Brown family. Janet’s parents, the Brown couple, were both distinguished scholars at their field, and they would never stoop to yelling or fighting. Even at their most upset, they only raised their voices a bit. Jone knelt in front of them for an entire day before Janet’s mom finally called her back.
Jone was the golden boy, and when Janet returned home, she saw him standing under the ginkgo tree in their yard. He looked exhausted from everything that had happened, but soon enough, he would see the light at the end of the tunnel. The golden ginkgo leaves rustled on the branches, falling in layers. Janet stood behind him and called out his name. He turned around, and she even managed a slight smile. ‘Didn’t you say you’d just mail it to me?’ she asked. Jone stayed silent and said, ‘I had to come and apologize to your parents.’ Then, looking deeply into her eyes, he added, ‘And I owe you an apology too.’
Janet quickly turned her head away, blinking back tears. Then she reached out her hand and said, ‘Okay, give me the papers.’ She signed them and sent them to Jone’s assistant. Not long after, she received a text from Jone saying that the divorce certificate was at the entrance of their condo. She could pick it up whenever she wanted. She politely replied, ‘Got it, thanks.’
Their social circles were so intertwined that, despite their best efforts, they couldn’t completely avoid each other. When they met at a private party, they nodded and smiled, and people’s eyes were on them. Jone asked her, out of courtesy, ‘How have you been?’ Janet smiled back, ‘Good, thank you. And you?’ ‘I’m good too,’ he replied.
It was as if those three years of being together—three years, five months, and six days—had never happened. But the traces of those years weren’t completely gone. Around the time of their divorce, Janet hadn’t been feeling well. After the divorce, she dealt with a long period of insomnia, no appetite, and nausea. She thought it was just exhaustion and stomach issues from lack of sleep. But after more than half a month of this, she went to the hospital.
The test showed she was pregnant, no idea what to do, she sat on a bench in the hospital garden for an entire afternoon. The late summer sun was still hot, but she felt cold. She wrapped her arms around herself, thinking how cliché this all was, but she couldn’t help the faint, bitter smile that crossed her face.
She saw Jone when she was picking up her takeout. After the divorce, she moved into the apartment she had bought for herself. Jone had come once before, probably after searching every place he knew she might be. When Janet, in her slippers, walked back with her seafood rice, she saw Jone’s car downstairs. He was leaning against the door, smoking, with several cigarette butts scattered on the ground.
Janet realized that the hospital she went to was one where the Smith family had invested heavily—they were the major shareholders. After she got married, she’d had regular check-ups there, so it made sense that Jone found out so quickly.
Jone was the most controlled and restrained person Janet had ever met, probably due to how he was raised. His controlling mother had made him suppress his emotions, and he had an incredible amount of self-control. He rarely smoked, but in such a short time, he had gone through several cigarettes. Janet could almost feel his anxiety, like it was something tangible hitting her in the face.
She unconsciously stopped walking, and Jone looked up at her, quickly extinguishing his cigarette. He waved away the smoke and looked at Janet. They stood there in silence, facing each other.
After a long while, Janet heard him ask, in a strained voice, ‘What are you planning to do about the baby?’
They had been married for over three years, but they spent more time apart than together. Jone had a strong sense of responsibility, and if he hadn’t initiated the divorce, she would never have known he had someone else in his heart. He had always fulfilled his role as a husband—considerate, patient, and steady. He remembered every anniversary and birthday, knew her preferences and tastes. The only thing he didn’t do was love her. Other than that, he was like the perfect husband.
Now he stood before her, struggling to ask, ‘You’re not thinking of keeping the baby, are you?’
Janet didn’t know how to respond to Jone’s question, so she tried to stay calm and replied, ‘We’re divorced, aren’t we? This is my decision, Mr. Smith.’
Jone looked down at her. He was tall, and looking at her like this gave him an air of superiority. But the streetlight cast shadows in his eyes, and something seemed to be brewing in those deep, dark eyes. But he held it back.
Looking back, the only thing that made Janet feel a bit better was his low, hoarse voice. It sounded like he was apologizing for his decision or maybe mourning the unborn child. He said, ‘You know, Janet, if our families find out about this baby…’ He didn’t finish, but Janet instantly understood. If their families knew about the baby, they would be dragged to the civil affairs bureau to remarry, and Jone’s first love, who had left in sorrow, and her child would never have a chance to step into the Smith family’s home.
The choices were clear, and the decision was easy. Jone didn’t need much time to think about it, so as soon as he heard the news, he drove straight over.
The Janet who didn’t say a word during the divorce, the Janet who smiled through all the gossip, the Janet who could still maintain her composure when she saw Jone, finally raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face, a slap that had been months in the making.
Jone took it in silence.
