The women exchanged pleasantries. Judy and Alina handed over the gifts they had brought. Judy bought Ruth a dress, while Alina bought her a bag.
"When is the wedding date of James and Alina?" Ruth asked with a smile.
The other two women's faces instantly changed. Judy didn't want to hide anything from her friend. "James hasn't informed me yet, and I'm afraid I can't press him when it comes to these things. Let's just wait and see."
Alina, on the other hand, was silent. She hadn't told anyone yet that James had been planning to break off their engagement.
Ruth glanced at the young woman and noted how the atmosphere had turned awkward. She quickly changed the topic, her smile still in place. "Well, I can understand since James is a very busy man. Oh, my birthday cake has arrived, let's go take a look."
"Sure, let's go."
The party didn't last long, and Parker and Ruth retired to their home soon after sending the last guest away.
Parker took a shower while Ruth busied herself with unwrapping her birthday presents in the next room.
She liked the dark brown evening dress that Judy had given her. Thinking of Alina, Ruth rummaged through the pile for the bag the girl had brought.
The material of the purse was alligator skin, and it looked to have cost somewhere between one hundred and two hundred thousand dollars. Ruth's lips curved downward. She was slightly satisfied with the gift. For a woman who was to be James' future wife, her gift was truly shabby.
More importantly, the bags that Ruth usually carried with her cost no less than five hundred thousand dollars.
She opened the bag and flipped through its compartments. She was just about to put it aside when she spotted a folded piece of paper in one of the tiny pockets inside.
She picked it up, confused, and read its contents.
It took less than a minute before she recoiled from it, pale and stunned.
The note said, "When you were in France nine years ago, your best friend slept with your husband and aborted his baby."
Ruth trembled all over as the facts clicked into place inside her head.
Nine years ago, she had indeed gone on a trip to France, along with her husband, Judy, and Sebastian. One night, she had gone to the hospital for an infusion. Since the ward hadn't afforded any accommodation for the patient's family, she had asked her husband to retire to their hotel for the night.
And after they had come home to H City, Judy had had an abortion. Ruth had known that the child was not Sebastian's, but she had never imagined it to be her husband's.
She stormed into the bathroom and ambushed her husband, who was still in the middle of his shower. "Did you sleep with Judy Lan nine years ago when we were in France?" she demanded.
Parker paled at the words. He turned off the water and wrapped himself with a towel before approaching his wife.
They looked at each other for a long time before he finally asked, "How did you find out?" 'What? So it is true after all.' Her husband and the woman she considered her best friend had betrayed her. She broke down as the scene played out in her head.
Parker embraced her. "Honey, listen to me. It was just an accident. I-'¹
Pak! Ruth's palm landed square on his cheek. "Don't touch me! You make me sick!"
A fight ensued in the Xu family residence, and it continued long into the night. In the end, Parker left, slamming the door behind him. Ruth was left sobbing in the bedroom, feeling like the whole world had betrayed her.
At six o'clock the next morning, Judy's phone rang while she was still in bed.
She fumbled for it in a daze and saw that it was a call from her best friend. She swiped to answer. "Hello? Why are you up so early?"
Whatever was said on the other end of the line jolted Judy awake, and her eyes shot wide open.
"What did you say?"
"Judy Lan, did you have an affair with my husband?"
Judy couldn't find her tongue.
That had been so many years ago, and neither of the parties involved had ever mentioned it again. She wondered why it was suddenly exposed now.
She stared at the empty space on the bed next to her. Sebastian had fortunately gone on a business trip yesterday, and she was the only one at home at the moment. Judy pressed at her temple and answered, "It was just an accident, okay? We haven't even contacted each other since then."
Whatever little composure Ruth had mustered crumbled again. "Judy Lan! He is your best friend's husband. How can you be so disgusting? You bitch!"
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