Chapter 2

Three years ago, the Coleman family business ran into trouble, and the Barnes family put up the money to cover the shortfall.

When I got married, I had just earned a tenure-track faculty slot at the university.

I loved Dick Barnes.

My father asked if I was willing, and I only hesitated one night.

I thought that once we were married, he would come to treat me as family sooner or later.

Three years taught me one thing instead.

Some doors don't open just because you keep knocking.

The person inside only resents the noise.

"Where are you?"

"At the university."

"Doing what?"

"Teaching."

His tone was sharp.

"You haven't touched your field in three years. What could you possibly teach now?"

My fingertips tightened.

Dick always knew exactly which words cut the deepest.

Before we married, I studied the history of women's jewelry, and my faculty appointment had already come through.

For the marriage, I gave up the slot and moved into the Barnes house.

For three years, I never stopped reading.

He never once set foot in my study.

"What I teach is up to the university. Mr. Barnes needn't trouble himself."

The HR officer called my name.

I hung up and pushed the door open.

Before I went in, I set Dick's notifications to Do Not Disturb.

At four in the afternoon, I got the keys to the faculty apartment.

At seven that evening, the movers delivered the last box of books.

At nine, Dick sent a photo.

The empty walk-in closet, with only twenty-seven white cards left behind.

【When are you coming back?】

I replied with four words.

【See you at the divorce.】

My first day back at the lectern, the lecture hall was packed.

Not everyone was there for the lecture.

The Barnes family had just funded the university's jewelry exhibition, and Monica Sawyer was in charge of it.

I was the Mrs. Barnes the whole campus knew about.

Someone recognized me, and the murmuring started in the back rows.

"Is she the consultant Ms. Sawyer mentioned?"

"I thought she only supplied the pieces?"

"Does she actually know the subject?"

My hand paused on the presenter remote.

When I left three years ago, I had passed every faculty evaluation.

Coming back three years later, all anyone knew was that I had married well.

And of course the screen went black right then.

A few laughs broke out around the room.

I pressed the switch twice. Nothing.

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Professor Coleman, excuse me."

The man wore a pale gray shirt and carried an old toolbox.

He swapped out a cable.

The screen lit up again.

Someone in the crowd of students piped up.

"Professor Vance, does saving the day count toward our participation grade?"

Miles Vance lifted his eyes and swept them over the room.

"This is Professor Coleman's class today. If you want the grade, shut your mouth first."

The room went silent at once.

He didn't stay to listen, and he didn't introduce me.

He just handed the lectern over.

I opened the first slide.

The title read 《The Returned Jewels》.

"When a piece of jewelry is given to a woman, people love to talk about blessings. But when the woman gives it back, the record usually keeps only four words: not in keeping with the rules."

Looking out at the room, I cut to the point.

"Today's lecture is about the part the rules never wrote down."

Ninety minutes later, the bell had rung twice and students still had their hands up.

The last question came from the boy who'd laughed the loudest earlier.

"Professor Coleman, if the piece is really expensive, isn't giving it back a big loss?"

I met his eyes.

"That depends on what it costs to keep it. Some things are so expensive that they make you forget you can walk away empty-handed too."

The room stilled for a moment.

Then the applause started.

I carried my laptop out, and Miles Vance was standing at the end of the corridor.

He was the youngest professor in the History Department.

I had only ever seen his name in papers before.

He held out a sheet of paper.

"Equipment repair request. That cable won't last more than a few days. Sign it, and I'll have the department install a new one."

He didn't praise the lecture, and he didn't ask about my marriage.

If anything, that put me at ease.

"Thank you, Professor Vance."

He took a cookie out of his pocket.

"No thanks needed. Rule one of teaching: don't pass out from hunger in front of your students."

I couldn't help laughing.

He added at once,

"Every new teacher gets one."

"So what flavor did the last new teacher get?"

Miles paused for two seconds.

"He didn't pass out from hunger, so I didn't give him one."

I laughed harder.

It was the first time in three years I had laughed out loud.

Rounding the stairs, I ran straight into Dick Barnes.