That evening, when I returned home, my parents had prepared a table full of dishes, including my favorite sweet and spicy ribs steak. Because Connor doesn't like sweet dishes, I hadn't had them in a long time.
"My mom and I think Connor's apparent dislike for us might just be an excuse." We were just chatting about everyday things when my dad suddenly said this. I didn't respond and continued eating my meal.
"Nadine, you've never experienced anything major, so you think too simply. The problem might not be with you, but with him changing," my dad continued.
I still didn't speak because I didn't know what to say. My mom signaled to my dad to stop talking. "We've bought tickets for tomorrow. We won't disturb you anymore."
I looked up, ready to persuade them to stay, but my dad stopped me. "Nadine, this is not a big deal. Some things can be replaced if they're lost." His words further alarmed me and were soon confirmed.
That night, I turned on the home computer and used the browser's cache to access Connor's e-commerce account. When I opened "My Orders," the truth unfolded before my eyes. Lipstick, skincare products, woman bags.
New Year's Day, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, Children's Day, Fourth of July, Christmas, he didn't miss a single one. These orders were for another woman. My cursor hovered over the LV Valentine's Day limited edition bag. I had once joked about when he would buy me a luxury bag.
Connor had reacted strongly at the time, saying that people who carry those bags wear clothes worth thousands and drive cars worth hundreds of thousands. He asked if it wouldn't be ridiculous for me to carry that bag while riding the subway every day. It turned out it wasn't that I didn't deserve the bag because I didn't wear expensive clothes or drive an expensive car. In his mind, I simply wasn't worth it.
At this moment, my dad knocked on the door and said, "It's time to sleep."
"Okay, you guys go ahead," I replied, but I had no intention of sleeping.
My dad said, "Nadine, your mom and I have reminded you before that you should control the household finances. This ..."
I knew what they were worried about, but they didn't know I had already made a big mistake. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll sleep soon."
He seemed to want to say more but shook his head and closed the door.