CHAPTER 7: CHAPTER 7: WITNESSES TO THEIR TIME TOGETHER

Sienna Monroe clutched her phone against the wall, listening to Caleb Sinclair whisper sweet nothings to Vivian Nash on the call. Every minute and every second was torturous for her.

She found that she simply didn’t have the courage to continue listening.

Instead, she shamefully chose to turn off the recording and walked away.

Caleb Sinclair didn’t stay away for too long before returning to the restaurant, seeing her with her head down, wiping her eyes. He quickly approached, "What happened?"

"I accidentally got oil splashed in my eyes just now, I can’t open them."

Caleb Sinclair frowned, pulled out the chair next to her, and sat down, hurriedly holding her jaw, anxiously stopping her from rubbing her eyes, "Let me see, don’t rub!"

Even with her eyes closed, the extent of the redness and swelling was obvious.

"How silly are you? What if you rub your eyes and damage them?" Caleb Sinclair’s tone mixed a few notes of affectionate rebuke as he gently wiped away the tears from her cheek with his thumb, "Come on, wash up."

Sienna Monroe’s lips moved slightly but made no sound.

Despite having her eyes closed, unable to see his expression, she inexplicably sensed his genuine worry and concern at the moment.

After walking a few steps, her body was suddenly lifted into the air.

Caleb Sinclair carried her to the restroom, dampening a towel with warm water, and gently wiped her eyes, treating her as if she were a rare treasure.

His care for her was always like this.

Whether it was blow-drying her hair, massaging, washing hands, washing feet, or even removing makeup, he was always patient, and even if he didn’t know how to do it, he was willing to learn for her.

But how could he be sweet-talking another woman one moment and then sincerely caring for her the next?

Caleb Sinclair touched her brow, "See if you can open them?"

Sienna Monroe trembled her lashes, slowly opening her eyes, just in time to gaze into his deep eyes.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Mm."

Caleb Sinclair sighed helplessly and softly reminded, "Your eyes are swollen, have Auntie Miller boil a couple of eggs to roll on them later. Be more careful next time."

Sienna Monroe stared at him, genuinely unable to find any hint of falsehood.

She acknowledged with a hesitant sound, letting him lead her back to the restaurant. Auntie Miller had already heated up the food he brought.

These three snacks nearly traversed the entire period from their courtship to their marriage.

They were once witnesses; now, they’ve become proof of her ridicule.

She picked up a spoon, tasted the snow-dusted glutinous rice, pausing slightly, it seemed not as sweet as before.

"Did this place change owners?"

"No, it’s still the same, is it not good?"

"Not sweet."

"Let me taste." Caleb Sinclair took the snowy glutinous rice, sipping it with a spoon, "It’s sweet."

The dessert hadn’t changed; perhaps it was her taste as the taster that had changed.

Suppressing the emerging sourness, she took a sip of almond milk, "This hasn’t changed."

"Probably it was affected after being reheated for a long time." Caleb Sinclair smiled lightly, "Next time, we’ll eat at Northgate. Just right, near the end of the month, Capital University is hosting an anniversary event, the principal’s assistant delivered the invitation this afternoon."

"Anniversary?"

Caleb Sinclair picked a piece of fish, removed the bones, placed it in her bowl, nodding, "Hmm. Last year, I donated a practice building to the university as The Sinclair Group, which was completed this August, and they mentioned hosting the anniversary event this year, inviting us back as distinguished alumni."

Distinguished alumni?

They were indeed quite well-known back then.

One was the belle of the Art Department, the other the heartthrob of the Finance Department.

Even their acquaintance was meticulously arranged by Caleb Sinclair, and later his pursuit of her was grand and high-profile.

Back then, Caleb Sinclair was spirited and radiant.

Even while playing basketball, he would be surrounded with layers of admirers, both secret and overt crushes throughout the school.

Now, having honed his skills in the business world for a few years, he’s gaining more silence and elegance, with the youthful shadows having faded significantly over time.

Sienna Monroe withdrew her gaze, covering that trace of melancholy, looking at the fish piece he picked for her, neither agreeing nor declining, "The gallery is busy, not sure if I can spare the time."

"It’s fine, no rush. I’ll reply once you confirm your schedule."

"Okay."

After the meal, Auntie Miller brought over two boiled eggs, which Caleb Sinclair took, guiding her to sit comfortably on the sofa, "Close your eyes."

"I can do it myself..."

"Just listen."

Sienna Monroe shrank her knuckles, closing her eyes.

The eggs weren’t hot, and his rolling movement was very gentle.

Maintaining this for approximately ten minutes, the eggs cooled, and it seemed the swelling in her eyes indeed subsided somewhat.

"Get Auntie Miller to boil two more to roll on your eyes in the morning."

"Okay."

Sienna Monroe responded softly, going upstairs to the bedroom; he released her hand, "I’ll shower first. If you’re tired, go to sleep, no need to wait for me."

"Okay."

Watching him go to the dressing room to grab his pajamas and head straight to the bathroom, while Sienna Monroe was in a daze, her phone suddenly chimed with a message alert.

Still a familiar number.

[Caleb Sinclair’s phone doesn’t have Vivian Nash’s number saved, he created a WeChat account with another phone number, username "Jun," with only Vivian Nash in it, and their WeChat displayed couple avatars. Go check Vivian Nash’s Instagram, name Echo.]

Sienna Monroe’s heart clenched.

She opened WeChat and found the chat box with Vivian Nash.

Username: Meet Jun

It’s a couple name.

The avatar was a seascape sunset oil painting, painted by Vivian Nash herself, hard to discern as couple avatars.

She had previously wondered if Caleb Sinclair might have two phones.

After all, he was never afraid of her checking his current phone; she could access it whenever she wanted.

It even downloaded several apps he didn’t use regularly but she often did.

Even the lock-screen password was their wedding anniversary date.

Saved with her facial recognition.

Sienna Monroe mockingly tugged at her lips; it wasn’t two phones, but two WeChats.

She then opened Instagram, searched for the ID mentioned in the message, with the same avatar as WeChat, entering there were 26 posts in total.

Updates weren’t frequent; sometimes half a month, other times a month or two.

The latest post was a Cartier bracelet with the caption: The best gift is never an object, but unexpected warmth and surprise.

Posted right around the date of Sienna Monroe and Caleb Sinclair’s third wedding anniversary.

Sienna Monroe’s brain "buzzed," crashing for a moment, her breath paused.

The shell necklace he gifted her that day was also from Cartier.

Unbeknownst, nails dug into her palms, feeling like her heart had been heavily stabbed with two bleeding holes, relentlessly oozing blood, the pain so profound that the sting in her palm paled in comparison.

Scrolling further down, a picture appeared with her leaning against a white BMW, the car not yet licensed.

Posted last month.

She recalled the text saying Caleb Sinclair gifted Vivian Nash a BMW last month, presumably this very car.

Vivian Nash wore a pink Chanel suit, holding a white GUCCI handbag, her innocent and beautiful face brimming with happiness and joy.

The caption was just four words: A gift from hubby.

Had they already been calling each other hubby and wifey in private?

Wasn’t her position as the original spouse more of a joke then?

The rest basically included branded bags and dining at Western restaurants, each post’s captions filled with gests like ’hubby’ and ’baby.’

The first post displayed a picture of her holding hands with a man’s long, defined fingers, wearing an Audemars Piguet black diamond timepiece.

The clasp of that watch was engraved with: MS.

The initials of Sienna Monroe’s name.

Because that watch was bought last year when they were in Svelta celebrating their second wedding anniversary.

Her ladies’ watch was engraved with Caleb Sinclair’s initials.

Behind, there were two couple photos, them standing close, Caleb Sinclair holding her waist, another was Vivian Nash tilting up to kiss his chin.

Vivian Nash captioned: On our first day together, wishing us everlasting.

This was the only post in which Caleb Sinclair appeared with a direct shot, the second being his silhouette while calling by the floor-to-ceiling window three months later.

The caption: hubby’s silhouette looks increasingly handsome.

Sienna Monroe spared no detail, having seen more striking scenes before, yet her heart seemed to have more giant holes spilling blood, rendering it cold.

They had started last June.

Now, it’s been over a year.

Without the text, she’d continue being kept in the dark, manipulated into circles by their games.