"I heard he has a fiancée. You don't still like him, do you?"
"At that time, I did like him. A rich and charming man in that kind of setting—who wouldn't fall for him? But now, I've moved on."
"Was it him who helped you resolve it?"
"Sort of. After that, we never saw each other again. He's married now, so don't worry! I'm not that foolish anymore," Alondra said, forcing a smile.
The waiter came over to take their order, interrupting their conversation. Alondra didn't even glance at the menu and casually ordered a coffee, while Sidney earnestly studied the menu. Ever since she started working, she enjoyed looking at what other places offered and even tried to guess how they made their items.
She glanced over the menu and ordered a cup of coffee, taking the time to ask the barista about the origin and type of the beans. Alondra shook her head from the side and teased her after the waiter left, asking if she had been a rich lady for too long, getting so picky even over a cup of tea.
Sidney smiled faintly and explained that it was just a professional habit, not some kind of "rich lady" behavior.
Sidney kept her left hand hidden under the table the entire time. Even when she got excited talking to Alondra and accidentally knocked over the coffee, she stood up, grabbing a napkin with her right hand to wipe the table and the rim of the cup.
At first, this behavior didn't seem odd, but over time, Alondra started to feel something was off, though she couldn't put her finger on it.
Sidney asked her what she was doing now and where she was working. Alondra gave a straightforward answer, explaining that she had returned to A City six months ago. The trouble she had caused earlier had been resolved with help from others. Now, she worked quietly as an assistant at a small company. As for her father, he had passed away six months ago after a sudden diagnosis of terminal cancer. With the little money she had, Alondra arranged a simple funeral. Since they had no close family or friends, it was quickly settled.
"I didn't expect so much to happen to you this year," Sidney remarked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, same here, right? What happened, though? Why the sudden talk about divorce?"
"It's a long story. I don't want to talk about it now."
"I understand. Bringing up feelings that have already faded is painful. Sigh! I guess we're in the same boat, huh?" Alondra pulled at Sidney's right hand on the table.
Sidney didn't know whether to shake her head or nod, only managing a bitter smile.
"Should I not mention his name anymore?" Alondra asked.
"It's better not to mention it," Sidney replied.
"You two divorced amicably, right? There wasn't any drama?"
"No, it was very peaceful. In fact, it seems he hasn't even filed for divorce yet."
Alondra choked on a sip of tea, coughing it up and desperately patting her chest. Her face turned red as she widened her eyes, looking at Sidney in disbelief. Sidney quickly handed her a tissue and patted her back until the coughing subsided.
Alondra noticed something odd about Sidney's left hand. Seeing it clearly, she pulled Sidney's hand in concern and asked quietly, "What happened to your hand?"
Sidney pulled her left hand back under the table and replied, "It's nothing, just a small accident."
"Small accidents don't take fingers off. With modern medicine, can't they reattach it?"
Sidney shook her head, remaining silent.
"You didn't lose your finger working at the store, did you?" Alondra's instinct told her it might have been some sort of accident with a blender, though losing just the ring finger seemed unreasonable.
Sidney didn't answer, just smiled faintly.
"Say something!" Alondra urged, feeling anxious.
"It's really nothing, it doesn't affect my life. It was just an accident. I'll be more careful in the future, don't worry about me."
"Hey, you're not saying this, not saying that. Do you still want to consider me a friend?" Alondra didn't understand how, in such a short time, Sidney had become so secretive.
"Of course you're my friend. It's just that there are some things I don't want to bring up again. Every time I think about them, I get upset. But as long as I'm happy and peaceful now, isn't that enough?"
Alondra frowned and quietly observed Sidney. The Sidney now was even more composed than before, but in a way that made her seem like a closed-off person. Though Sidney had always been quiet and introverted, she never felt this gloomy before. Now, when she didn't speak, it was as if she were a portrait, completely lifeless.
"It's fine..." "If you're happy, that's all that matters to me. And if anything comes up, just let me know, alright?" Alondra said, furrowing her brows.
"Yeah. It's been almost a year since we separated, and soon I plan to file for divorce. I think he probably doesn't care anymore. With all the women around him, he must have already made his choice."
"I don't know. I haven't asked about things over there in a long time. I don't even know what they're up to. Sometimes I see him in the news, living it up, and back then, I thought you two were still together. After all, he never publicly announced that he was divorced."
