To the Love of My Life

From when she just learned to walk, to when she ran and jumped with two braids, going to kindergarten, then to elementary, junior high, high school, and college…

There were thousands of photos in total. In every photo, Ruby Gregory had a brilliant smile.

Her smile was distinctive. First, her eyebrows curled up, and then a shallow dimple appeared on her cheek, revealing two rows of neat, white teeth.

At first, she was so considerate to him, and he was truly happy, thinking that the little girl who used to pester him all day had finally grown up. But later, he learned that she had only been doing it to win his favor and marry him.

At that time, upon learning of her intention, he was neither heartbroken nor angry.

But when he saw her sweet and beautiful face in front of him, he couldn’t really be angry. Over time, he told himself that he would marry her eventually, so why bother about her purpose in marrying him?

At that time, wasn’t he also very tolerant of her?

He was so good to her back then. If she asked for the stars and the moon in the sky, he would do everything in his power to get them for her. He was genuinely good to her, so much so that he didn’t mind that she didn’t really have him in her heart.

If it hadn’t been for her trip to Zhouzhuang with Edric Reat, Steve thought that even if he knew she was using him and had ulterior motives in her kindness, he would have continued to tolerate her and foolishly loved her without knowing anything.

It was because he loved her so much that he simply couldn’t accept that the man she liked was not him, but Edric Reat.

It was because he loved her so much that he could accept her marrying him with ulterior motives, but not her dating the man she truly loved while wanting to marry him.

What did she think he was… a mere tool?

Perhaps due to wounded pride, the more kind he had been to her, the crueler he became later on.

It was strange… he couldn’t bear to see anyone treat her badly, but when he did, he was much worse than anyone else.

And so, one mistake led to a never-ending cycle. The more she tried to please him and get close to him, the more he felt mocked and pathetic.

Gradually, her smiles became less frequent, as did the happiness in his heart.

What used to be innocent childhood playmates turned into two people, each with their own secrets, virtually strangers to each other.

Steve stared at the photos of Ruby Gregory’s smiling face on the computer screen, his heart filled with bitterness.

Was it he who had strangled their happiness, or was it she who had destroyed it?

Who could tell him what love was?

Was love really as the old president said – that seeing her happy would make him happy too, even if that happiness wasn’t given by him?

Steve leaned back against the chair, raised his hand, and covered his face.