It was our tenth anniversary, and I thought Joseph Lynch was finally going to propose to me.

However, I accidentally saw the texts on his phone and realized what a joke I had been these past ten years.

[It’s our first anniversary. Darling, I want you to spend time with me.]

That woman uttered such sweet and intimate words, which I rarely said to Joseph.

[I’ll give her some sleeping pills before I see you.]

I could not believe Joseph would say such a thing. My fingers trembled as I scrolled down their conversation.

[Don’t marry her. Marry me instead!] Then, she sent him a cute and attractive photo of her. She looked like a student.

[Let’s see how you behave tonight. I bought you some new lingerie. Be good and put them on. Wait for me next door.]

I was wearing some ill-fitting undies while sitting in bed. Right then, I was filled with bitterness. It turned out that Joseph had bought these undies for someone else.

I valued the ten years I had spent with Joseph Lynch, but it all seemed like a joke. It had been a year since he started dating a woman named Selena Jones. Meanwhile, I was sitting in bed in some ill-fitting undergarments.

The sound of water ceased in the bathroom. After that, Joseph casually wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out.

“Oh, Yulia. You already put it on.” Joseph smiled and spoke naturally. But I did not miss the panic that flashed briefly in his eyes.

“Joe, we’ve been together for such a long time. Don’t you know my size?” I feigned calmness as I replied and suppressed my desire to cry.

“It’s our tenth anniversary today. I got too excited and bought you the wrong size.” Joseph leaned over with a gentle look and kissed me softly. “But everything looks nice on you.”

His kiss gradually deepened, and he easily slipped off my undergarments. “Yulia,” he muttered.

“Joe, I’m tired from all the fun today. I want to rest.” When I said that, I could see him breathe a sigh of relief. It broke my heart.

In the past, he would gently coax me into lovemaking again. But at this moment, he rejoiced at my refusal.

Another woman was waiting for him in the hotel room next-door.

Joseph got up to make me a glass of milk. Once it was done, he was considerate enough to blow it cold for me. “Don’t forget your milk, Yulia.”

Ever since my beloved grandmother died a few years back, I always had trouble sleeping. I gradually gained the habit of drinking a glass of milk before bed.

As long as Joseph was with me, he would never forget to make me a glass of milk.

However, I stared at the glass in his hand and felt pathetic. I was certain that he had added sleeping pills to it.

“Joe, thank you for taking such great care of me.” I accepted the glass of milk and drank it all.

“It’s nothing. I want to care for you my entire life.” Joseph smiled sincerely. I kept my head lowered in an effort to hide the sadness in my eyes.

I made an excuse to wash up in the bathroom. Then, I vomited all the milk that I had drunk. But I purposely left the milk stains on my lips and staggered back to bed.

“Yulia?” After a long while, Joseph called out to me tentatively and wiped away the stains on my lips. I pretended to be sound asleep.

Before long, someone gently knocked on the door. I already knew who it was.

“What are you doing here?” Joseph sounded dissatisfied and rebuked the visitor softly.

“Didn’t you promise? I came to check on you.” I could sense that person entering the room.

“Don’t worry. Yulia’s very receptive toward sleeping pills. She dozes off soon after she takes them,” Joseph gently explained.

“Why do you know her so well?” Selena complained. She was full of jealousy.

“Hey, why are you mad? When her grandmother died, she started having trouble sleeping. She could only sleep soundly after she took sleeping pills. That’s why I know,” Joseph explained lovingly.

He spoke casually about my most painful experience just to pacify her. Heartbroken, I pinched my thigh under the blanket to ease my pain.

“It’s our first anniversary today. I’m so sad that you didn’t spend time with me.”

It was a quiet night, and soon, I could sense Joseph’s heavy breathing.

“Mm!” I could even hear Selena moaning.

“Let’s go back to the room,” Joseph suggested hoarsely.

In the next second, someone approached me and quickly took off my clothes. I was hit by the cold.

“You bought these for me. Why is she wearing them?”

“Go back, Selena!” Joseph suddenly scolded her. I was shocked.

It seemed like Selena was gone as Joseph sat on the edge of my bed.

He helped me put on a pair of comfortable and fitting pajamas. Then, he tucked me in and kissed my forehead.

After that, he walked out and closed the door behind him. He would not be back the entire night.

I opened my eyes and told myself that his infidelity was not my fault. Yet, bitterness still gripped me. I cried, and my tears rolled down to my lips.

They had been together for a year. They first got together on my ninth-year anniversary with Joseph.

In fact, Joseph had been missing for a week a day before that. My friends told me that he was going to propose. Being in love, I was full of joy.

When I went shopping at a jewelry shop, a salesperson approached me. We were familiar with each other, so she congratulated me on my upcoming marriage.

“Mr. Lynch booked a pair of expensive rings with us. Has he proposed? Congratulations!” My heart raced as this confirmed my thoughts. I wondered if we were finally getting married.

“They’re in a style that you generally don’t like, though. They’re too flashy. But it’s for your wedding after all, so it’s okay to be a little flashy.”

I did not take the salesperson’s words to heart.

However, I could not get in touch with Joseph during our ninth anniversary. Eventually, he came home late at night in exhaustion.

He casually gave me an expensive makeup set to get it over with. He was so tired that he was not even in the mood to open the gift I had painstakingly prepared for him.

I just felt sorry for him and assumed that I would get that ring one day.

After a year of waiting, I realized all too late that the ring had long found an owner.