No Forgiveness for You, Husband

 My husband sent me to prison for two years. After I was released from prison, I changed my name and moved abroad.

After seven years, we reunited in front of my brother’s grave.

Our eyes met and he stopped wiping the tombstone.

Shock, ecstasy and guilt flickered through his eyes in a rush of tangled emotion.

"Stacy, I've been looking for you for many years. I thought you... were gone too."

"Where have you been all these years and why haven't you contacted me once?"

Seeing that I was silent, he quickly wiped the corners of his eyes.

"You are avoiding me on purpose. Are you still remembering what happened in the past? I have my own reasons."

I still didn’t understand why he killed my brother, slept with his woman, or pushed me to survive.

But how dare he say those words in front of my brother’s grave?

Love and hate were luxuries I no longer had for him.

To me, he was nothing now.

——

Just an old friend I met again when both our hearts had gone quiet.

When I didn’t answer him, Oliver Hurley simply turned and walked away.

I knelt down and placed the white chrysanthemum I’d been holding in front of my brother’s grave.

In the photo, he still had that warm smile and those clear eyes. He would always be twenty-five.

If my brother were still alive, he would have picked me up at the airport that day, just like when I was young, ruffling my hair.

"Kid, why are you keeping such a straight face?"

No, if he was there, he would not allow me to be bullied into traveling far away.

I knelt down and gently touched my brother's grave with my fingertips. "Brother, I have good news for you..."

Before I finished speaking, Oliver returned, delivering a heavy bag in front of me. "I promised you before that I would personally make you a gift every birthday."

"I haven't seen you in years, so I’ve saved it all together here."

From small earrings, embroidered hats, to soft cashmere scarves.

It could be seen that he really put his heart into it. But I was indifferent.

His hands froze in mid-air and there was a bit of embarrassment and loss on his face.

"If you don't like it, I'll arrange for someone to prepare it again. Let's have a meal together at noon."

I rejected immediately, "No, I have something else to do."

He wanted to persist, but his cell phone rang. "Hubby, when will you come back? It's our seventh wedding anniversary today and I've booked the restaurant."

His fingers paused, stroking away the yellow leaves that had fallen in the wind.

Brother, this was the person you tried your best to protect.

You read it wrong.

I also believed it was wrong.

My throat suddenly felt very itchy and I couldn't help coughing twice. 

"Hubby, where are you? Why are there female voices around you?"

Oliver hung up the phone without saying a word, took out a mask from his coat pocket and handed it to me.

"You are allergic to cold air and cough when autumn comes. Remember to wear a mask at all times."

I turned my head away from him. "It's already healed."

I said goodbye to my brother, turned around and walked out. 

Oliver followed quickly.

If I remembered correctly, seven years ago he warned me never to show up in front of him again. So why was he clinging to me now?

A line of shared bicycles stood at the cemetery entrance. I scanned the code and unlocked one.

Just as I was about to pedal away, Oliver pulled up beside me in his Mercedes. "Stacy, are you still alone after all these years?"

Under the autumn sunshine, there was a hint of cautious expectation in his eyes.

I nodded without any further explanation.

I came back this time just to tell my brother in person that I was getting married.

I was so selfish that I just wanted to share this joy with my brother.

“Stacy, don’t try to show off by yourself. If you need help, come to me.”