Chapter 1

My wife took up photography after she retired.

Every July, she would fly across the globe to capture exotic landscapes and natural wonders.

She kept this up for ten years straight.

I truly believed it was her passion.

That was until my daughter accidentally gave me the wrong camera to take in for repairs.

Only then did I realize her ten-year commitment wasn't to art, but to a secret love.

My wife's camera was filled with thousands of photos of her and her childhood sweetheart, Bennett.

There were pictures of them strolling through romantic French estates and holding hands at famous tourist spots.

There were even videos of them celebrating his birthday together every single year.

Her last decade was spent living a wild, romantic dream.

Meanwhile, my last decade was spent at home, caring for her frail, aging parents.

Suddenly, everything felt completely meaningless.

1.

I don't even know what I was thinking as I scrolled through my wife's camera.

Even after I finished, I felt like I was in a trance.

Lillian had stored thousands of photos with her old flame, Bennett, in that device.

The images showed them walking through romantic vineyards and laughing at sunset overlooks.

In one video, she looked incredibly happy as she leaned against him.

She was wishing him a happy birthday.

"Bennett, I'll be by your side for every birthday from now on," she whispered.

Bennett looked so moved that tears filled his eyes.

They shared a deep, passionate embrace.

They talked about how their love had never faded despite the years they spent apart.

For a moment, I felt like I was the intruder in their lives.

The ping of a text message snapped me back to reality.

Lillian messaged me, telling me to book her flight because she was getting her hair dyed and didn't have time.

For the first time in my life, I didn't reply with an immediate "Got it."

Instead, I adjusted my glasses and let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

She always made sure to look her best before flying out each year.

The hair appointments and new outfits were non-negotiable.

Before seeing those photos, I just thought she was being vain.

The phone kept buzzing with more messages.

Lillian started nagging me about whether I had finished hand-washing her delicates yet.

"Remember to hang them up properly," she wrote.

"Also, my parents' bedsheets need changing. Find some time to do that today."

"By the way, I want glazed salmon for lunch."

She sent several voice notes, but I couldn't bring myself to listen to any more of them.

I tossed the phone aside and looked at the last frame of the video.

Lillian's dark curls brushed her shoulders as she tilted her head toward Bennett, who was dressed in a sharp suit.

Their fingers were tightly interlaced.

They weren't young anymore.

But that didn't stop them from looking like a perfect, sophisticated couple.

They looked like a pair that had been deeply in love for a lifetime.

And what was I? I was just the live-in help.

For ten years, I had taken care of her and her sickly, elderly parents.

There were times I was so exhausted I actually got sick myself.

But she didn't care. She was out there living her best life.

Every year, she would disappear for a month to meet him.

I used to wonder why she insisted on going in July.

Now it was clear.

Bennett's birthday was in July.

She was flying halfway across the world to be with him for his special day.

How romantic.

We had been together for nearly forty years.

Yet, she never managed to remember my birthday once.

Whenever I'd subtly mention it, she'd always shut me down.

"You're a grown man, Silas. Why are you acting like a kid about a birthday?" she'd say.

Memories flooded back like a bitter tide.

Lillian's demanding voice echoed in my head, full of entitlement.

For a second, I wanted to hunt her down with the camera and demand an explanation.

But as the initial shock faded, I just felt empty.

It wasn't worth it anymore.