The Times We Had

After my husband's death, I retained all his personal accounts and our marriage certificate. Since then, Chuck Smith had been wooing me persistently, declaring that he would give me all his love to overcome the pain of loss. He would search the entire city for some sweets that I mentioned on a whim, and he deleted every woman's number from his phone while keeping me updated on his location in real time. But just as his feelings reached me, and I was ready to marry him, I found Chuck getting frisky with his new secretary in the basement parking lot… Chapter 1 "Ms. Adams, are you sure you want to deactivate your ex-husband's accounts? Even your marriage to him will be considered annulled." Lisa Adams smiled faintly at the question. "Yes, I have found someone I want to start a new life with." The clerk saw the determination in her eyes and nodded as she finished the procedure to deactivate Hank Locke's user accounts. Later, as Lisa left the Civil Affairs Bureau, she was holding two revoked marriage certificates and a thin sheet that stated that all of Hank's accounts were to be disabled. With that done, she returned to the office when she spotted a familiar car in the underground parking lot. It belonged to Chuck Smith, her current husband. When he returned five years ago, Chuck wasn't aware of Hank's passing and simply presumed her first love had just dumped her. After that, he ignored anything anyone said and chased after Lisa for two years—listening to her in everything she said, while guarding her like a loyal knight. When he knelt on one knee before her, she was entranced as she recognized the affection in his eyes and agreed to his proposal. When she came to her senses, she realized that she was still registered as married to Hank. But as she spent more time together with Chuck day after day, even she had to admit that she couldn't stop falling for him. In between confusion and hesitation, she pulled strings with connections in the government to get a fake marriage certificate with Chuck. It was something she had always felt guilty about, until today—when she made up her mind to deactivate all of Hank's personal accounts and marry Chuck for real. Still, just as Lisa was about to get closer to Chuck's car, the man who loved her so fiercely was quickly getting into the car with a pretty face. As if by instinct, Lisa hid behind a corner where the two could not see her. The woman then pouted with clear envy. "Can't we go out again next week? All you do these days is spend time with that hag. I mean, she's almost thirty years old soon—or does she taste better than I do?" Chuck smacked her waist as he looked at her curves pointedly. "How does she even compare? She falls asleep as soon as she comes home from work, and she's such a bore in bed." Lisa's mind went blank even as she listened to the familiar voice. There was no mistaking it—it was definitely Chuck. Her fingers trembling, she swiped through their chat history. Chuck always updated her about his whereabouts and what he was doing on a daily basis, and the last one was two hours ago, with a photo of a meeting attached to it. The two captions beneath were at once playful and aggrieved. [I don't want to work. It just gets so tiring.] [But I can't have my darling think the worst of me! I'll keep doing my best!] Lisa stared at the messages, while Chuck and the woman kept flirting in the car, until Chuck did something and the woman suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, you naughty boy! We're still out in public!" Chuck simply chuckled, his voice suddenly deeper as he panted, his hand reaching behind the woman's back and caressing every inch of it. The car lights turned on even as their voices became muffled with the door closing, but the car never drove out of the parking lot. Lisa stayed hidden behind the corner, unable to breathe. She couldn't believe what she had just seen—her mind hardly registered it. Her beloved husband, who supposedly loved her wholeheartedly and whose eyes seemed to be glued to her all the time, was getting frisky with another woman in the basement parking lot? And judging from their conversation, the trysts had started long ago… Nausea seized Lisa even before her nerves registered it, while she tried her best to suppress the urge to vomit and not look at the car that was rocking repeatedly now. It was a bolt out of the blue. Eventually, Lisa dialed Chuck's number with trembling fingers. The call was quickly answered, and she asked bluntly, "Where are you?" Chapter 2 There was silence on the other end of the call for a few seconds, followed by a rustling of movement. Soon, Chuck answered, "Hmmm? What's up, darling? I was just putting in some overtime, but I guess I'm coming home late tonight... It's that new project—there are some details that need to be confirmed." He was audibly panting, and his response was punctuated by some strange pauses. Lisa's heart sank instantly. Her hands were still trembling, but her mind was miraculously calm. "Wasn't everything approved last night? Are there still further issues? Is it serious? I can come to the office to look through it—" "No!" Chuck responded before he knew it, but he quickly realized he got agitated and said, "It's just some minor… formalities. Moreover, it's a hot day out, and traveling will be taxing. Also, everyone else will belittle me if I have to ask my wife to help with some… documents." Lisa stayed silent for a long while, and Chuck caved first, quickly saying that he had to work, and hung up. Lisa's fingers turned pale as she gripped her phone and looked up at the car opposite her that began to rock again, her expression blank. Chuck's excuse kept looping repeatedly in her mind. How perfect it was—from the intonation, the excuse… even the obvious submission and flirting. After all, those were all Chuck's strengths. Lisa could be a little tough, coupled with outstanding feats in her career. Many men had tried and failed to get goodies from her, let alone tame her—when they did, they just got upset and spread rumors that she had slept with other important men to climb the ranks. Still, Chuck didn't care about the rumors that seemed to be tied to her for years—he regarded those who slandered Lisa with disdain. Lisa was touched by his faith, so she didn't think much when he started to work overtime more and more frequently a year ago. She just thought Chuck was working hard for their future, but now… So, on those nights when he didn't come home, was he actually working or having a wild night with another woman? It took great effort to build up faith, but it could also be destroyed with ease. Lisa's eyes stung, but she did her best to control herself from crying. She told herself to just treat Chuck's 'love' as an illusion. Fortunately, she had yet to really marry Chuck, so there was still time for regret. - The house was dark when Chuck got home. Lisa lay on her side on the bed while keeping her back to the door, listening as he washed up before coming to bed. He had been zealously attentive to the little things in their three years being together, which was why Lisa never had any reason to doubt his loyalty. Even now, right after a tryst with another woman, he still remembered to close the bathroom door when washing up, so as not to wake Lisa up with the sound of running water. It was just one of the many examples that showed he remembered every little thing about her and catered to all her eccentricities. Would he really go through such lengths for someone he didn't love? Still, it seemed that this love wasn't enough to deter him from meeting his more physical desires… Nonetheless, Chuck soon got into bed and gave Lisa a goodnight kiss on her cheek—just like he had done every night for years. Despite the scent of mint toothpaste, Lisa couldn't help wanting to throw up, and she used all her strength to stop herself from avoiding his kiss. When she thought of his lip pressing against another woman's just a couple of hours ago, she felt the urge to push him away and demand a reason! Nonetheless, Chuck quickly fell asleep. After hearing his breaths turn steady, Lisa quietly walked around to the other side of the bed and picked up his phone. The day they got married, Chuck had Lisa set up her fingerprint as a method to unlock his phone, saying that he wanted her to feel secure with the thought that she would always have access. After all, he would never cheat on her. Lisa went into the bathroom, impassive as she swiped through Chuck's chat history expressionlessly. When the interface loaded, Lisa almost couldn't help wanting to laugh, as Chuck had blatantly put another woman at the top of his list of favorite contacts. The reason was obvious too—they had been married for three years, but as they gradually learned about each other, Chuck must have realized that Lisa was not the type to look through other people's phones. The latest message was sent just half an hour ago. [Doing it in the car was fun, but so taxing… My legs are so weak that I can't walk now~] There was a selfie of the woman attached to the message, her legs turned inward so that the fairness of her thighs were more apparent. Her miniskirt didn't cover much, but it also made it all the more tempting to look… Chuck had already replied to it too. [Then don't beg me for more next time.] The bottom of the chat log was a blushing emoji from the woman, so Lisa scrolled on. But it was all the same—flirtatious sexting and selfies from the woman. Lisa brought her own phone and took pictures of every message in that chat log before putting it back on Chuck's pillow where it had been. It was only when she lay on the bed again that she dared to let herself breathe again. That chat log was the final straw—irrefutable evidence that broke Lisa's heart. Now, she had no choice but to admit that Chuck—who had spent five years convincing her that she could trust him—had been cheating on her a long time ago. Large drops of tears trickled down the corner of her eyes, dampening her pillow. As she curled up, she had no idea how long it took for her to cry herself to sleep. Chapter 3 When Lisa woke up, Chuck had already left the house. Lisa ignored the breakfast and the little note with a pretty heart image that he had left for her. How sweet she used to find these little things before… and how disgusting they seem to her now. She sat on the sofa and booked a flight to the UK for three days later. Acker Corp, the company where she worked, had long been interested in expanding overseas markets. Ian Locke, the CEO of Acker Corp, had repeatedly encouraged Lisa to head over. He told her that with her being as capable and well connected as she was, she would be directly promoted as the CEO of the new foreign subsidiary—it was a rare opportunity even for Lisa. In the past, when she worked overtime and got home late, Chuck would come to her, clinging to her and pouting in grief. That was why she had hesitated to take the foreign assignment before. But now? Smiling wryly, Lisa replied to her boss's email. Just as she was done, she received a sudden friend request notification. The verification message shocked Lisa. [You saw what happened yesterday, didn't you?] Lisa scowled as she accepted the friend request—the woman on the other end must have been biding her time before sending it, as more messages soon followed, one after the other. [Didn't you show up at the parking lot yesterday? ] [Want to know what else Chuck and I did last night? ] Right after that message came an explicit photo, with Chuck having beads of sweat clinging over his brow. His chest was bare as he reclined against the bed headboard and smoked a cigarette. Lisa blinked—she thought that Chuck didn't smoke at all, but it turned out that he didn't do it in front of her because she hated the smell of tobacco. She finally felt a stinging sensation in her heart—it was as if what she had stumbled upon yesterday lit a very long fuse that had only blown up now. As it turned out, all the deceptions that kept going over the years were just beneath the surface but were now completely exposed. There were just so many things about Chuck that she didn't know. On the other hand, because her reply never came, the woman on the other end became impatient and kept gloating. [Don't even try to turn a blind eye. See you at Basti Road Cafe at 3 PM.] [Surely you're keen to find out how else your dear husband cheated?] - As Lisa waited by the window at Basti Road Cafe, the woman arrived far after 3 PM, but she remained unaffected despite her glower. "Ms. Adams." She smiled at Lisa as she sat down. "I'm sure you know who I am already, so there's no need for introductions… And there's no need for hostilities. See, Chuck simply chose me over you, and if you're not convinced, I don't mind a fair fight. It's just that..." Susan Holt trailed off, looking Lisa pointedly from head to toe and smiled contemptuously. "At least learn to dress up when you're this old—the way you look so dull because of work really snuffs out your charm. It's no wonder Chuck is always so enthusiastic in bed." She wasn't hiding her glee as she gloated and kept studying Lisa, waiting to see rage or even embarrassment in Lisa's eyes. If Lisa allowed Susan to get to her and started yelling, Susan would suddenly turn into a victim whom everyone sympathized with, winning their sympathy while Lisa would be labeled insane. So unfortunately for Susan, Lisa didn't—her face was devoid of expression even as she chuckled coolly. "Why hasn't he divorced me and married you if he actually likes you? Or perhaps you're just a toy to him, to relieve his pent-up sexual frustrations?" These two questions were so piercing that Susan's guard crumbled in an instant. Her face contorted hideously in rage even as she glared at the ring on Lisa's finger, but for just a moment. "Nice necklace, Ms. Adams… but it's just a present given without much thought," she said, smiling again, and deliberately tugged on her own earlobes, which were adorned with a pair of sparkling diamond earrings. The earrings were 70% similar to the necklace around Lisa's neck, but the craftsmanship was obviously much more sophisticated. Even the diamonds were a size larger than the diamond pendant on Lisa's necklace, and the earrings had other smaller diamonds encrusted around them too. Lisa remembered then that Chuck had given her this necklace on their wedding anniversary last year, but he had to go abroad on a business trip. Lisa had to cancel their dinner reservations, but he somehow made it back. It was already eleven at night, but he was standing there at the doorway of her house, presenting the necklace carefully. At that time, he told her, "It's a new designer item—there's only one in the whole world, just like how you're the only one for me. My love for you will never fade." He still looked tired from jet lag, but his eyes were as bright as stars, illuminating the room and brightening Lisa's heart. It was also at that moment that Lisa finally accepted her feelings for Chuck, and she fell deeper and deeper in love with him from then on. But now, as Lisa looked at Susan's phone wallpaper of herself wearing those earrings from the same designer, her hands trembled every so slightly—every breath she inhaled seemed to turn chilly as well, slowly freezing her heart. It was that gift that marked her finally falling for Chuck, but that beginning was also the start of a barefaced lie. Lisa felt as if she had been taken in by an absurd mirage that shrouded her in so many layers that she could never hope to free herself. Even so, she took a deep breath and fought back the swelling pain and shudder in her throat. Then, she had to reach up a few times to finally reach the clasp of her necklace. With a loud clatter, she dropped the necklace audibly on the table. And Lisa carried on, saying nothing, as she took off her wedding ring too. As she watched Susan, it took her the years she had spent refining her poker face in her work over the years, that she could even show a flawless smile and push both pieces of jewelry toward Susan. "I despise gifts stained with filth—just like men," she said calmly. "Since you're that confident you've won, I wish you both a happy life." As Lisa stood up, she seemed to feel a sharp pain on her empty ring finger, but she thought she had imagined it too… Chapter 4 The next morning, Lisa hurried to the office after cleaning up. There was an invitation for a tender that day, which was the final project she would be handling here. If she won the bid, it was the perfect finish of her career here, before moving on to the English branch where she would be promoted directly to the CEO position. When she arrived at the meeting room, the representatives of several other companies joining the bid also arrived, with Chuck among them. When he saw Lisa, he winked at Lisa while no one was watching. Lisa did not respond but was staring pointedly at his secretary who stood right behind him. Naturally, it was Susan. Lina certainly found the situation ironic. Chuck would tell her everything that happened at work, which included today's tender, but not that he had just changed his secretary. She certainly wouldn't be aware how long they had been together, out of her sight… Still, there was thirty minutes before the actual tender, and Lisa told her assistant to keep both eyes on her laptop and their computer while she freshened up in the washroom. She took just a few minutes and was heading back when she heard loud shouts from the conference room. Lisa's heart skipped a beat as she remembered the provoking smile Susan had flashed her before she left. As she rushed in, she saw that everything and everyone was in place, except for her corner of the table. There was coffee all over it, and her tender documents were soaked through! Her assistant was holding her laptop, anxiously wiping the coffee stains on it. When he saw Lisa coming back, he immediately cried, "Ms. Adams! That woman was hovering around our corner suspiciously for so long. I got worried and demanded to know what she was up to… and that was when she poured her whole cup of coffee directly on your seat!" And where Lisa's assistant pointed, Susan stood looking helpless as she had coffee stains on her blouse too. Lisa caught on to Susan's intentions right then, and the latter was at once pouting. "I'm sorry, Ms. Adams… It's all my fault, though it's just an accident…" Before Lisa could snap, Chuck quickly stood in front of Susan protectively. "I'm sorry, Lisa—I asked Susan to get me my coffee. It's an honest mistake." Lisa and Chuck's relationship was well known among the other business elites, and everyone was at once at ease gossiping as Chuck intervened. Still, he soon wheeled on Susan, glowering coolly, "How could you screw up this bad? Don't you know how important today's tender is?! Apologize to Ms. Adams now. If this happens again, you can just resign!" Susan shuddered, her body trembling as she looked as helpless as she was pitiful. Her eyes were red, and tears were threatening to fall even as she bowed deeply to Lisa. One of Lisa and Chuck's mutual friends came up and joked just then, "Come on, girl—we're all in this sorry affair together. You know you have to prepare backups just in case." "See? Your darling loves you so much that he really doesn't want you to get hurt. Just look at what he did to that little girl…" Lisa felt a myriad of different emotions. She wanted to be cold, but she had no choice but to smile. Chuck was pursing his lips, clearly apologetic even as other representatives came up to her to deescalate the situation. They would remark on her successful career and envy how her husband treasured her so much. But Lisa was speechless for a moment, her throat too dry to argue. Treasured her? In the past, maybe. But now… In the end, even fresh wildflowers outshone old gems—she would probably just be a burden if she insisted on staying. - Nonetheless, Lisa's assistant managed to bring a backup copy of their tender documents, and she won the bid without further problems. Everyone present had expected that much, but as everyone congratulating her left, Lisa realized that she did not see Chuck. She was heading to the washroom to freshen up again when she heard a strange ruckus in a room behind her. It sounded like a splatter, and a woman's panting… Lisa frowned and was about to leave when she heard Susan's voice—soft, shuddering, and complaining, "Ahh… You scolded me in front of so many people… I'm so humiliated that I can't show my face ever again!" Lisa's footsteps stopped before she knew it, and she shuddered when she heard Chuck snorting. "Come on, girl—be good now. You know the broad has a temper, and she would've torn you a new one if I didn't snap at you… Also, how are you still so lively after crying so much? Don't you think you deserve some punishment?" His voice was so quiet that Lisa could hear their bodies clapping together, and Susan's voice was suddenly less complaining as she purred sweetly, "But you told me to do it…" "Shush now—I just told you to be good." Chuck chuckled. "Also, it's just a gamble—I mean, there was an 80% chance of me winning if she screwed up her bid. Then wouldn't you get rich too, with the way you're sucking up to me?" Susan giggled even as the audible splatter seemed to fade. Lisa had to keep her hand firmly over her mouth because her stomach was churning. It was Chuck's idea all along… She believed it was Susan's own bright idea at first, and that Susan just wanted to harass her, but Chuck was the one who had put Susan up to it! And when he talked about how he wanted Lisa to lose, Lisa certainly discerned the jealousy and ruthlessness that she was all too familiar with. She trembled so much that she had to lean on the walls of the hallway to stand firm. The mental image of that earnest, diligent youth suddenly paled as her impression of Chuck distorted, her previous impression of him gone with the wind. As scalding tears finally flowed out of her eyes, streaming down her chin and dropping on her feet, she felt a chill that seemed to cut her to the bone. There, in that empty hallway, there was only the sound of her stifled sobs. Chapter 5 Lisa spent the night at the hotel, composing herself before finally returning home. As soon as she opened the door, she found a familiar pair of stilettos right behind it. The living room was empty, but the bedroom door was ajar. Feeling a bad premonition, she rushed to the bedroom door and opened it, freezing up at the sight before her. The whole place was a mess—the vase on the nightstand had been knocked down to the floor, with the flowers and water scattered all over. There were clothes thrown carelessly on the bed, while Susan beside it, wearing her slippers with a sweet, innocent smile as she held Lisa and Chuck's honeymoon photobook. Lisa took a deep breath and tried to fight back her rage. "What are you doing?" "Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Adams." Susan shrugged. "Chuck asked me to get him an important document and a change of clothes… Can't wear what we were wearing yesterday, since things got a bit intense…" Susan's provocation was barenaked, as she dropped the thick photobook as Lisa watched, the contents a mess as everything spilled out. Lisa could see the blissful smiles on her and Chuck's faces—it was just so ironic now. "Whatever." Since she was leaving forever tomorrow anyway, she ignored Susan's provocation, walking past Susan to reach for her bedside drawer. However, Susan followed her and snatched the tiny totem she reached for! "What are you doing?!" Lisa sprang to her feet right then, glaring at the totem as Susan lifted it high over her head. Susan's eyes lit up with glee when she saw Lisa's concern. "So you actually can care about something, Ms. Adams? A love token, perhaps?" Lisa spaced out as she remembered—it was indeed a token of love, but it was from Hank. When she was infected with the epidemic disease that year, she went to several hospitals, but the doctors couldn't do anything, saying that even if she survived by chance, she would suffer serious brain damage from the fever. After going to every hospital asking for help but to no avail, Hank braved storms and climbed a mountain, reaching a monastery at the summit where they gifted him with the blessed totem. As soon as the next day arrived, her burning fever miraculously subsided. Hank told Lisa then that totems had spiritual value and would ward off plights. And this was the only keepsake Lisa had of him. Having grown up in an orphanage with Hank before they married, the totem was therefore as much a symbol of familial warmth as a keepsake of her late husband. As Susan's fingers slowly loosened around the totem, Lisa dove for it—but it was too late. She could only watch as the totem split down the center as it crumbled into many tiny pieces. Still, she reached for the fragments frantically as she tried to piece them back with trembling fingers. The fragments were cutting her, but she didn't seem to feel it, holding every piece in her palms before she slowly stood up. Naturally, Susan was laughing triumphantly as she watched Lisa's face turn pale… Smack! The slap cut short her laughter, just as a man shouted in shock from the door, "Lisa! What are you doing?!" Susan was suddenly a sympathizable victim who kept trembling as she apologized to Lisa, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Ms. Adams, I was just helping Mr. Smith collect some documents… I didn't know you were here, and I was careless… Mr. Smith and I really have nothing to do with each other. You can hit me all you want, but don't question Mr. Smith's loyalty…" Chuck glowered hideously as she sobbed, and he strode up to Susan's side, bumping Lisa viciously on the shoulder as he passed her! Gathering Susan's face in his hands, he studied her for a second before wheeling on Lisa the next and bellowed, "Apologize to Susan now!" Lisa was taken aback—he had never taken up that tone with her before. Still, she looked up straight into Chuck's eyes as she spoke calmly. "She broke into my bedroom without permission and broke my things. Why should I apologize?" Chuck somehow felt flustered when she saw how calm Lisa was, but he quickly abandoned the thought and rubbed between his brows irritably. "Susan told you—I sent her to get documents and some clothes. It's my fault if she knocked something over, and it's just a trinket. You'd assault someone over a lifeless thing?" Lisa was suddenly reminded of the other bidders teasing her and felt the teasing of her colleagues at the bidding meeting that day, and her still heart seemed to feel a pang of phantom pain again. This was the husband whom they said treasured her—blaming her for hitting his other woman and making her cry, without noticing her bleeding fingers. Lisa's silence, however, further irritated Chuck. "Did you hear a word I said? If you're only going to be so unreasonable, I guess I shouldn't have catered to your whims and spoiled you for so many years!" It was a very familiar voice, but the words were so unfamiliar to Lisa. "You regret everything now? Then you can leave." Lisa's voice was at once quiet and weary. Chuck was left further furious. "What?! You're leaving me over a broken trinket?!" Huffing twice in rage, he suddenly took Susan's wrist and deliberately held it right in front of Lisa's face. "Unbeleiveable! Let's see you find another man who can tolerate your bad temper after you leave me!" With that, Chuck stormed out, banging the door loudly along the way. Lisa could still see Susan's smug smile as they left and reached up to touch her own chest. Strangely, there was no pain—there was only a dull churning sensation, as if there was a thin veil thrown all over her senses, denying her sorrow, let alone joy. Sighing, she carefully put the pieces of the totem in her bag, still strangely calm as she packed all her luggage. She took out the fake marriage certificate that she had used to deceive Chuck before, finally feeling a pang of pain as she remembered his dazzling smile. There really was a time when they were earnestly in love. Unfortunately, the heart was utterly volatile, changing in just an instant. And with it, the sweet bliss of the past was all but forgotten with the enticement of a younger and more attractive body. Lisa's fingers trembled as she touched Chuck's face before abruptly and viciously tearing both marriage certificates into pieces. Leaving the pieces of paper all over the floor, Lisa pulled her suitcase along and walked out the door without looking back. Chapter 6 In the dimly lit room of a jacuzzi hotel, Susan was gyrating her hips as she straddled Chuck gleefully. "It's just us tonight again…" she purred with devilish charm. Somehow, Chuck couldn't get interested—the sight of Susan's face kept reminding him of Lisa's pale face somehow. As Susan kept pressing herself on him, he pushed her away irritably. "Ah!" she yelped as she fell backward into the jacuzzi, the huge splash finally catching Chuck's attention, and he turned. Her cleavage was clear for all to see, while her wet hair was clinging to her neck and chest. Chuck couldn't tear his eyes away from her skin, which was reddened from the hot water. Seeing him gulp as his eyes lit up, Susan in his eyes, she fought back the petty resentment in her heart and pressed against him enthusiastically. Soon, his grunts and her moans echoed around the room. Even as Susan wrapped her arms around Chuck's neck, her eyes glinted maliciously where he couldn't see. Sooner or later, she would make Chuck completely forget about Lisa! - The next morning, Chuck returned home after much hesitation and was absolutely stunned when he opened the front door. Most of Lisa's belongings that she kept in the living room had disappeared, and there was a pile of paper scraps on the floor next to the dining table. Chuck felt a foreboding sensation even as he rushed over to pick them up, and he had barely pieced them together when he paused, shocked by the bold letters that read 'marriage certificate.' The photo was torn down the middle, and Chuck couldn't piece them together no matter how hard he tried. And it felt just like how his marriage with Lisa couldn't be mended.. Stricken by panic and disbelief, he realized right then Lisa was really going to divorce him—that was why she had even torn up the marriage certificate! Still, he looked around, muttering to himself, "No, we're not divorced yet! I'll just have them reissue the marriage certificate, and then apologize to Lisa. She'll definitely forgive me..." With that in mind, he whipped out his phone and called the Civil Affairs Bureau. The clerk on the other end of the phone listened to his request and assured him, "It's alright, Mr. Smith. As long as you're legally married, the marriage certificate can be reissued." Chuck breathed a huge sigh of relief, and he gave the clerk his and Lisa's ID numbers as asked. After a while, the clerk asked hesitantly, "Mr. Smith… Are you sure you're legally married to Ms. Adams?" Chuck was stunned, and his heart began to pound violently. "Yes, we are. We registered at the civil affairs office down Basti Road." "But you were never registered as married," the clerk replied. "As for Ms. Adams, she was registered as married to a Mr. Locke seven years ago, although that was officially delisted just five days ago too." Chuck's mind went blank. What the clerk said was simply ridiculous! "How can that be?!" he exclaimed. "I have our marriage certificate right here in my hands, and we've definitely been married for three years! How can we be unregistered?! Is it some clerical error?" "Sir, the bureau's registration system is online 24/7 nationwide. It's impossible for any clerical error to last that long…" The clerk then suggested hesitantly and awkwardly, "However, may I ask you to examine the photo on the certificate? Genuine marriage certificates will always have a watermark imprinted on each photo…" Chuck stared blankly at the photo on the certificate for a moment. Not about to give up, he brushed a finger over it, but it was smooth and showed no hint of a watermark! His and Lisa's marriage certificate was fake!