Chapter 1
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Out of the blue, Picky Blake had to dash off on a business trip, leaving me to hold down the fort all by myself
After finishing the usual chores, I settled into my routine overtime work
Our company was on the brink of launching a new fashion line centered around the themes of love and protection. Our team had been tasked with creating the designs, and as the team leader, I needed to come up with my own concept.
But the moment I turned on my computer, it crashed. No matter how many times I tried rebooting, it simply wouldn’t cooperate.
It was too late to call a technician, so I decided to use Picky’s computer.
He mostly used it for gaming, but it had the power I needed for my sketches.
We had the Facebook app set up on our computers for ease, set up to log in automatically without needing passwords.
As I sat there, the theme of “love and protection sparked my imagination
I sketched a few designs but wasn’t feeling any of them. Then, on a whim, I decided to scroll through Ricky’s Facebook, hoping to find some inspiration.
What I found instead was a chronicle of our lives together over the past decade.
It was like fipping through a photo album, capturing everything from our clumsy first steps to the deep, seasoned love we had come to know.
We had grown from strangers to lovers over three thousand days and nights. Each picture told a sweet story.
I felt a spark of inspiration.
Just when I was about to refocus on my work, something caught my eye. A second Facebook account was logged in on his computer.
We’d always respected each other’s privacy, but curiosity got the better of me that night. Without thinking twice, I clicked on it. It logged in effortlessly, like he used it often.
At first glance, the contacts seemed familiar, including our old classmates, friends from after graduation, and colleagues.
But there was one glaring omission: me.
I clicked onto his homepage. The photos were unfamiliar, like a life I didn’t know existed. Who was this girl, smiling at the sunrise with Ricky, holding hands as they faced the sea?
I quickly switched back to his primary account, where all the photos featured me.
He had two Facebook accounts, sharing the same circle of friends, yet with two different women in the spotlight.
I felt like I was flipping back and forth between two parallel universes.
Who was ? Who was she?
Which one was the real Ricky?
A post from just yesterday caught my eye; it was adorned with a loud, celebratory “Congratulations” as its banner.
My hand shook as I clicked to open it, trying to steady my nerves.
[Oh my love, let’s tie the knot. I want to build a home with you to fulfill the most beautiful dream of my life, where I have you by my side to explore the world. Oh my love, let’s get married. I’ll cherish you for a lifetime.]
As sweet background music played, wedding photos danced across the screen.
The groom was dashing, while the bride looked stunning, both exuding pure joy. They looked like a truly perfect match.
They were getting married?
Why didn’t I know?
[After three years of love, I, Ricky Blake, and my girlfriend, Julia Colbert, have arrived at our blissful conclusion! We are now married! Celebrate with us at our wedding on July 7th!]
Her name was Julia Colbert. They had shared three years together. She looked every bit as her name implied, gentle and refined
I couldn’t hold back anymore, tears streamed down my face.
12:01 PM MM
Congratulations!]
[Best wishes for a long and happy marriage!]
The comments hit me like a gut punch. Below, Ricky’s friends had poured out a stream of heartfelt wishes and blessings. Everyone knew Ricky was getting married, except for me, the one who had been by his side for ten years.
If my computer hadn’t crashed tonight, I might’ve remained in the dark.
[Ricky, you’ve struck gold, and the bride’s a beauty. What a perfect match! Count me in for the wedding!]
That comment stood out among the sea of traditional blessings. I clicked on the profile; it was Philip White.
Philip was Ricky’s best friend from university, the kind of friendship where no secret existed between them.
Just half a month ago, Philip had been at our place for dinner.
I had cooked a feast, and he couldn’t stop praising my cooking, complimenting me to Ricky’s face. He told me I was the epitome of an ideal wife who was virtuous, gentle, and beautiful.
He told Ricky he was blessed beyond lifetimes to have found a girlfriend like me, someone who had stayed by his side for a decade without wavering.
Yet here he was now, praising Ricky and Julia as the perfect match.
I scrolled through Ricky and Julia’s chat history. They had met three years ago, and it was Ricky who made the first move.
Ricky: [Hey there, I’m Ricky, the guy who accidentally bumped into you at Starbucks today. I found your profile by searching nearby people. Sorry for adding you out of the blue. I’ve seen you at Starbucks every day this week, and I couldn’t resist the urge to talk to you. Hope you don’t mind. You’re like a flower in the morning sun, so radiant I can’t help but notice you.]
These words were part of his strategy, from relentless pursuit at the start to an onslaught of sweet nothings.
It all felt so damn familiar.
When Ricky pursued me, he had used the same lines.
I sneered, “Old tricks still work wonders, huh?”
Their journey from meeting to dating mirrored mine with him, except Ricky seemed more passionate with Julia. They called
each other Honey, and even their profile pictures were paired up like a couple.
Ricky was the ultimate caring boyfriend with her, constantly expressing his love, asking about her day, and sending greetings
and surprises on every holiday.
These were things I had never really experienced.
Their chat log was like a romance novel, sweetened to perfection.
I never knew Ricky could be romantic with a girl.
Through those lines, I could feel it; he was genuinely nurturing this relationship with all his heart.
I hadn’t noticed before, but when I thought back, there had been signs.
Three years ago, Ricky was preparing for civil service exams. His life was a simple routine of classes and home study.
But not long after, he began making frequent trips to the capital. At first, it was monthly; then it became weekly, and soon enough, he was going twice a week.
