My senior colleague was two years older than me. She was a staunch anti-marriage advocate.
Her career revolved around promoting women’s freedom and independence and she organized a national exhibition on the theme. I had hesitated for a long time because I wanted a child, but now, there was nothing left to consider.
When my best friend heard me, she looked relieved.
"Rose, I’m so glad you’ve thought it through. We women should never let some little man make us cry—it’s just not worth it."
She added, "When your exhibition starts, I’ll definitely be there, cheering you on at every event!"
I had just finished my afternoon tea and was waiting for the driver to pick me up when a Porsche suddenly came speeding towards me. I instinctively stepped back and ended up sitting on the ground. The car screeched to a halt and a glamorous woman stepped out.
If I hadn’t seen her up close, I wouldn’t have recognized her at all.
It was Edith Turner. She took off her sunglasses, looked at my messy state and smirked.
"Did you grow your eyes on your forehead?"
"Are you blind? Didn't you see me driving up?" Edith clicked her tongue, then pulled out a few hundred-dollar bills from her limited-edition bag and tossed them on the ground. "Consider it a tip. It’s enough for you to see a doctor."
She was no longer content being a secret mistress. Now, she wanted to be out in the open, staring at me with an expression full of challenge.
As I stood up, the driver arrived, his anger boiling over. He snapped at Edith, "Do you have any idea who our madam is? If anything happens to her, our boss won't let you get away with it!"
Edith scoffed, "Oh, really? And who exactly is your madam?"
She took a long, disdainful look at me. "An old, washed-up woman? Your face is sagging and aging. If I were your husband, I'd be disgusted just looking at you!"
The driver was livid, his face turning bright red as he began to argue with Edith.
But I, unfazed and composed, gently stopped the driver from saying anything further. I smiled and said, "Miss, I don't agree to a private settlement."
I wasn’t remotely angry as she had expected. Instead, I calmly added, "I’m calling the police."
Edith was just trying to intimidate me. She never actually intended to cause a real commotion. If things really escalated and got back to David, she knew very well who would end up on the losing side.