Bella, irritated, slammed the mouse down. Ugh, this client was a nightmare—the wine promotion poster had been revised five times and still wasn't satisfactory! The client, a rather attractive woman, always showed up overdressed and smelling like she'd bathed in perfume, enough to make anyone sneeze. After several interactions, Bella’s four-word summary for her was—beauty without brains, totally clueless about design. But, the customer is always right, even if their taste is all wrong.
Dealing with clueless clients wasn’t new for Bella, but Calvin’s sudden bout of madness had left her too frazzled to handle them. Sighing resignedly, she grabbed the mouse again. Her marriage was teetering on the edge, but she couldn’t afford to lose her job. At that moment, the sound of a swivel chair sliding nearby was followed by a face peeking over the partition. Glancing at her screen, she was somewhat surprised, “You've only changed the background color of the poster all morning? That woman is coming for inspection this afternoon, and you're giving up? Impressive defeatism!”Bella rolled her eyes, “I’m close to death here, can you say something nice?”“I’ve always said, go with what’s tacky! The background should be red, bright red! Use the kind with the national flag flying, the national emblem shining, and the Great Wall majestic. Place the wine on top, add a couple of grape bunches with dew on them on the side, slap on a slogan, and done!”Bella pictured it, noncommittal. After a thought and a push with her feet, sliding her chair back, she whispered, “Fiona, I need to ask you something.”Fiona wasn’t a Huang nor a manager of any sort; she got her nickname from fooling around on QQ, hence Fiona. Her intrigued by Bella’s secretive manner hoped for some juicy gossip—her favorite. Bella glanced around; although no one seemed to be paying attention, she still felt uneasy and pointed at the computer, “Let's talk on QQ.”Fiona, disdainful but curious, retreated, yet her voice floated over, “Wanting to distribute yellow (adult content) under the broad daylight, make it clear, I’m not chatting if it’s not yellow.” Before she finished, QQ pinged with a message. Opening the chat, Fiona nearly bit her tongue. The message read—What do you think counts as sexual incompatibility?That’s yellow enough! She quickly typed back—Are you experiencing incompatibility?Bella: No!Fiona: Don’t lie. If it was compatible, you wouldn’t ask. Come on, I have a sexual compatibility quiz here; I'll ask, you answer.Bella: …Fiona: How many times a week?Bella: …A minute later, Fiona: What, so frequent you can't keep count? Remember to control yourself, wild girl.Bella frowned deeply, thinking. How often? She had to recall the last time they were intimate—was it two or three months ago? Hesitating, she typed: Not frequent, but quality is alright, I guess…Fiona: By the way you say it, sounds ominous. Men are always eager unless there’s an issue. Your husband... Hmm? Catching it early for treatment is key; don’t shy away from seeking help. Remember, nights are as long as life itself; it’s hard to pass the time without doing something.Bella: Long my foot! He works overtime at least three days a week, not getting home until 10!Fiona: Are you sure it's just overtime?Bella had never doubted this before. Calvin's career was on the rise; of course, he was busy. But since he proposed divorce, she began to question—was all his effort for a mountain of gold or a mountain of silver? It seemed it wasn’t a sudden whim for divorce; she had been naïve not to think deeper. Now, she braced for the worst, typing rapidly: Okay, truth be told, I suspect he has someone else.Fiona, taken aback, only asked in jest, not expecting real suspicion. Jumping up, she peeked over the partition, “You’re not joking, right?”Without looking up from her furious typing, Bella heard the QQ ping again—Last week, he proposed divorce citing sexual incompatibility.Fiona, eyes wide and mind in disarray, muttered, “Bella, your husband is bold…”Bella didn’t want a divorce, even if Fiona’s quiz indicated incompatibility. It wasn’t that she was particularly fond of Calvin—he was dull, and aside from his looks, there wasn’t much she liked about him. Ah, no! His dullness and busyness meant he was almost invisible, which Bella found liberating. Think about it, a handsome husband providing strong financial support and lacking presence—how could she let go?In summary, she didn’t love Calvin, but couldn’t bear to lose him either. Who would support her for life if they divorced? She couldn’t let go of such a golden sponsor, even if hanging on felt like a tug-of-war. With the way he was stabbing her, she feared she might just agree to divorce in a fit of anger.Then she remembered the credit card Calvin had given her, which she had barely used, adhering to her principle of spending her own money when she had it. Today, she decided to break that rule—saving him money would only benefit the other woman, right? Humph! She intended to max out his card, leaving him broke, unable to woo anyone else.Fiona was lucky to participate in this spendthrift campaign, watching as Bella dragged her straight into the city’s most upscale mall, her heart racing. They were just small-timers with modest salaries; what could they afford here? She hadn’t met Bella’s husband or known what he did for a living, but she doubted he was rich enough for this kind of splurge.The mall’s air conditioning gave Fiona a chill. She grabbed Bella, “Don’t go overboard; you’re spending joint assets here.”Bella looked around, deciding where to start, “Let’s max out this card and go home; I can’t let that vixen have the last laugh.”Fiona, seeing Bella’s sliver of sanity, didn’t argue. Looking around cluelessly, she asked, “Where do we start?” She only visited the mall during sales, and could count on one hand the number of times she had bought anything. Everything here was priced high enough to bankrupt her.Bella thought for a moment, “Clothes!” She usually shopped sales too, but thinking about how she had scrimped and saved, only to benefit the other woman, fueled her rage. She was determined to reclaim what she had lost over the years.She shopped without blinking, the phone pinging non-stop with transaction notifications. Fiona, heart pounding, estimated at least fifty thousand spent. Would her husband have a heart attack? Laden with bags, Bella’s vengeance seemed appeased.“Let’s call it a day,” Fiona suggested. “Wrecking the finances is a marathon, not a sprint. Let’s grab a bite and head home.” They couldn’t carry any more.Bella agreed but with a thought, “The card’s not maxed out yet. Let’s check out the jewelry.”Jewelry? Fiona was stunned. A woman scorned knows no bounds, it seemed today wouldn’t end until they were bankrupt.The saleslady at the jewelry counter greeted them warmly, showering Bella with compliments before making recommendations. These clerks could gauge a customer’s spending ability by their appearance and tailored their suggestions accordingly. Bella glanced around and pointed at a ruby necklace, “I want to try this.”The saleslady hesitated; the necklace wasn’t cheap. Fiona glimpsed the price tag—ninety-eight thousand? Alarmed, she whispered, “Bella, are you sure? Don’t make your husband sell his organs.”Bella’s eyes nearly glowed red at the rubies, “Selling his body should suffice, not yet to the point of selling organs.” Calvin’s looks wouldn’t leave him wanting for sugar mamas.The necklace, naturally exquisite at ninety-eight thousand, saw Bella reaching for the card, thinking this would do it. Indeed, the saleslady informed her with a subtle smile that the credit card was over the limit. Fiona tugged at her sleeve, advising, “Let it go, we can come back another time. Let’s go.”Bella was determined, ready to choose something cheaper rather than let Calvin off easy. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang—Calvin calling. She sneered, impatient now? Swiping to answer, she wondered if he was fuming. Instead, Calvin’s tone was as neutral as a weather forecast, “Wait, I’ll increase your limit. Is two hundred thousand enough?”“…” Bella was stunned by his response, seething with anger. What was he thinking? That this would make her agree to a divorce? No way! The phone’s volume was loud enough for Fiona to hear everything, leaving her grinding her teeth too. What a model ex-husband, so generous even when planning a divorce, not money-burning, what is?Calvin waited for Bella’s response, “How much do you need?”Bella took a deep breath, “Don’t think this will appease me! I won’t let you and your little vixen have your way!” She hung up without waiting for his reaction. The room fell silent, the saleslady and Fiona exchanging looks, wordless. After a pause, the phone rang again, still Calvin.“Hello…” Bella’s tone was exasperated, her revenge plan foiled by his indifference, even eager to finance her spree. Ridiculous!Unfazed by her irritation, Calvin’s voice remained steady, “The limit’s now three hundred thousand.” Bella heard the rustle of him gathering his things, then him offering, “I’m off work. Need me to pick you up?”Bella frowned, “Calvin, why the pretense at this point? If it weren’t for the divorce, I might’ve thought you loved me deeply. What’s the reality?”Calvin, grabbing his coat, headed out, “I just hope we can part on good terms. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”“I’m with a friend, no need to come!” Bella scoffed, no kneeling for a proposal, but now seemingly eager to kneel for a divorce! He requests, she’ll make him regret it!When Bella got home, Calvin was watching TV. Logic would dictate that a workaholic like him wouldn't be interested in entertainment, least of all idol dramas. Yet, there he was, strangely engrossed in one. It baffled her; what was a grown man doing watching idol dramas? His posture was relaxed against the couch, expressionless, his eyes unchanging as he watched the main characters share a passionate kiss on the screen. The kissing scene wasn’t particularly special, but such scenes tend to stir emotions in viewers, Bella included. She might not have thought much of it alone, but with Calvin there, she oddly felt her cheeks warm. "TV dramas these days can hardly progress without hugging, kissing, or rolling in bed," Bella commented as she dumped her shopping bags onto the sofa, relieved to be rid of the weight. "The audience likes these things." Bella was surprised by his response and retorted, "You like watching this?" She couldn’t grasp what had gotten into him. She remembered him
Bella shot Fiona a sideways glance. Not only was Fiona risqué, but she was also lewd. However, their compatibility indicated that Bella was no innocent flower either, just differently lewd. Fiona immediately caught Bella’s look and defended herself, "Crude but true! I can't stand your faux purity, married lady pretending to be a maiden!" "Can't you be more subtle?" Bella criticized the crass language. She had never introduced Calvin to Fiona, and such words seemed far removed from him. Raising an eyebrow, Fiona suggested, "If you prefer, we could call it 'lotus arm.' Is that subtle enough?" Bella couldn’t help but cover her face. Was it even possible to have a normal conversation with her? Everything Fiona said was tinged with innuendo. Meanwhile, Bella noticed Jessica leading two new faces into the conference room. Fiona’s eyes followed, murmuring sounds of disapproval, probably cooking up some sleazy thoughts. Bella nudged her, "Come on, haven't you seen men before?" Just a coupl
Bella frowned, the pleasant mood brought by the cake vanishing instantly. What did he mean by that? Did he think she was so desperate to marry him? She stabbed the fork into the cake angrily, "How come I never noticed how venomous your words could be before? Every sentence stabs at my heart! Proposing wasn’t hard? Then maybe divorce should be harder for you!" His face, always so cool and detached, yet his words ignited her anger like nothing else.Calvin's expression remained unchanged, as if oblivious to her anger, calmly stating, "What do you want? I'll try my best to fulfill it."Bella swirled the fork in the cake, uncovering the chocolate beneath the cream and tasting the slight bitterness. It reminded her of her current mood, subtly bitter. She wondered if his heart was as dark as the cake. Glancing at his handsome profile, she retorted, "I want you.""Aren't you tired of my dullness?""I care about looks!" With his poison tongue, better he keeps silent.Calvin smiled for once, "
Tonight was full of irregularities, and Bella couldn't resist venting to Fiona on Q, their conversation straying far from the original topic until they weren't even sure what they were talking about anymore. Suddenly, a ringtone sounded, and turning her head, she was surprised to see Calvin's phone flashing. In the past, she wouldn't have given it a second glance, but now, curiosity got the better of her, wondering who would call at this time.Calvin had just entered the bathroom, and seizing the moment, she grabbed his phone—Julia? Undoubtedly a woman's name, Bella felt an immediate surge of displeasure. A call this late? To say goodnight?After Julia's call stopped after three attempts, Bella bit her lip, debating whether to snoop through Calvin's phone. Glancing towards the bathroom and considering Calvin hardly ever shared details about his work or social circles, she figured the phone might reveal something. With the phone in her grasp, all secrets could be unveiled! Luckily, she
Bella's drowsiness was instantly dispelled by seventy percent, half due to his enticing suggestion and the other half out of fright. Now reflecting, she realized he had been coaxing answers out of her during such a moment. Was he so calculated even then? A surge of discomfort washed over her, interpreting the recent lovemaking as a ploy. Was he so desperate? Hmph! She abruptly turned, pulling the blanket over her head to sulk alone. What's there to investigate? The evidence must have been destroyed by now, all an act!Calvin was puzzled by her sudden anger. Why was she upset when he was the one being checked on? Watching the mound formed under the blanket, he felt a bit helpless. What a childlike behavior, harboring grievances silently. If she doesn't speak up, how is he supposed to understand her concerns? After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "What's wrong?"Suffocating under the blanket and growing more aggrieved by her thoughts, why should she tolerate this? He concocts a r
Calvin’s hand released her waist to support her gradually weakening body, his gaze in the mirror dropping to her shoulders and neck, then lowering his head to nuzzle against her silky skin with a voice so husky it was almost indiscernible, “Right here, I want you to watch how I love you.”Their eyes no longer met, but the reflection in the mirror was still enough to make one’s cheeks flush with heat, revealing a yearning for a fiery caress. Bella bit her lip, struggling with internal conflict. She wanted to close her eyes and avoid the scene before her but found herself captivated and unable to look away. The large mirror not only allowed him to see her clearly, but she could also see him in full detail.As she watched, she became somewhat entranced. Her heart raced with his movements, and the hand resting on her left breast felt both daring and scorching, nearly setting her heart aflame. She gasped for air, her eyes reddening, her hand trembling slightly over his, “Can we go back to
Bella was disgusted by Jessica's relentless pestering, knowing full well it was just an excuse. Was Bella truly clueless or pretending to be naïve? How could she possibly give Jessica Calvin's WeChat ID? With all the troublemakers lurking around, did she really need another Jessica? It was chaos waiting to happen. However, Calvin's tastes couldn't be that peculiar, right? A bizarre woman like Jessica shouldn't be his type.Jessica was assertive, demanding Bella to give her the WeChat ID immediately. Bella was speechless for a moment and then forced a smile, "You... you saw him, too. With his looks, he must be surrounded by countless troublemakers. How could he possibly be single? Right? Don't get involved in this mess." "You can't say that. Good-looking people naturally attract attention. Who would be interested in something no one else wants? Stop stalling and hurry up," Jessica urged.Bella racked her brains, trying to figure out how to avoid giving out Calvin's WeChat ID. Suddenly
Without hesitation, Calvin calmly acknowledged that it was Julia. Bella felt her blood boiling, realizing it was indeed her! In an instant, she imagined various ambiguous scenarios: him working late discussing projects with Julia, having dinner together in a suggestive atmosphere, or even contemplating divorce because of Julia...These unfounded speculations overwhelmed her, causing her hand holding the phone to tremble. However, she remembered Jessica was listening in, so she took a deep breath and suppressed her emotions before asking, "How did you two meet?""It's just some work-related interaction," came the familiar response.Again, the same excuse! Bella gritted her teeth inwardly, wishing she could reach through the phone and demand an explanation from him. He always used work to evade her! Just as she was getting annoyed, Jessica excitedly patted her shoulder and whispered, "He knows Julia too? Julia's been making waves lately. Is there a chance he could take us to meet her? Q