Chapter 4
Our first encounter was pure chance: a coworker’s birthday sent me rushing to the mall after work, where I bumped into Julian, also shopping. Then, the elevator malfunctioned, trapping us together.
Trapped in that confined space for three hours with no phone signal, I was terrified and completely overwhelmed. Julian, on the other hand, was incredibly calm and kept reassuring me, even offering me his coat on that chilly day. We exchanged numbers, and as we got to know each other, falling in love felt natural and effortless.
Raised by a single mother in humble circumstances, Julian’s sheer determination earned him a place at a university in the city, where he graduated and landed a good job.
He was wonderful to me and treated my parents with great respect, making them absolutely thrilled with him.
Knowing his family’s financial situation, we didn’t ask for anything for the wedding. My parents generously provided the down payment for our apartment, which is in my name, and also gifted us $188,000 and a $50,000 car, both registered under Julian’s name.
From my perspective, Julian’s mother was a distant figure. I met her only once, at our wedding, and she never ventured into the city afterward, citing her discomfort with urban life. Julian never proposed a trip to his hometown either.
Truthfully, I appreciated the lack of in–law drama and didn’t question the situation. I did, however, make an effort to stay connected with his mother by sending her occasional gifts and money.
The bus driver’s voice jolted me back to reality. “Miss, we’ve arrived,” he announced.
Julian’s hometown was a small, sleepy town, and the thought of approaching strangers with questions made my heart race. It was too risky. But there was one clue I could follow: Julian had once mentioned a large apricot tree that stood near his childhood home.
肉
My eyes scanned the streets behind my mask, searching for the landmark Julian had
12:41
Too Late to Say Sorry
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Chapter
described. Finally, I spotted the apricot tree, its branches reaching towards the sky on the northwest side of town. Beneath it, a group of middle–aged women sat engaged in conversation. One figure in particular caught my eye–Rosemary, Julian’s mother. It was two in the afternoon, the perfect time for people to be out and about after lunch, and the bustling crowd provided an ideal camouflage as I discreetly moved closer to the group.
“Oh, Rosemary, that necklace on your neck looks expensive!” one of the women exclaimed.
Rosemary proudly displayed the gold necklace. “It wasn’t much, really,” she said. “Our Julian said it was just half a month’s salary.”
2
My heart skipped a beat. Julian had no idea about this necklace. It was the one I had purchased for Rosemary last month with my bonus. Julian had even complimented it, which had influenced my decision to buy such an extravagant piece.
Now, she was falsely claiming that her son had bought it for her.
A $20,000 necklace? No ordinary employee could afford that on half a month’s salary. Her
lie was outrageous.
