The thought darkened Joseph’s eyes. He had given up everything back home for Judy–his job, position, and stability. If he couldn’t bring her back with him, then he wouldn’t return at all.

He finally tracked her down, only to see her sitting in a restaurant with Kenneth. A couples’ restaurant, no less.

This time, he didn’t hesitate. He went straight there, heart pounding.

It had been so long since he’d seen her; to say he hadn’t missed her would’ve been a lie.

He had fallen deeply for her, but what she’d done cut him to the core.

Wasn’t it enough for her to stay by his side? Why did she have to do something that hurt him this way? Why did it all have to turn into such a mess between them?

On the drive over, memories of their time together flooded his mind.

Every smile, conversation, and quiet night they’d shared–he replayed them all, searching for signs of when things had changed.

He couldn’t find any. When had she started to drift away from him?

Had it been when he got too caught up in work, when he failed to notice what she needed?

But back then, Judy had been just as devoted–head over heels, radiant, and driven by her own dreams. They’d both been shining in their own worlds, perfectly in sync.

Wasn’t that enough?

Now, thinking back, he couldn’t make sense of it. All he knew was that at some point, something had shifted— and another man had stepped into the space he’d left behind.

By the time Joseph reached the restaurant, his hands were trembling. For the first time, he wasn’t sure how to face her.

After all this time, after all that longing… how was he supposed to look at Judy now?

But there she was–laughing with another man, dining under candlelight, as if their past had never existed. He had come all the way across the world for her and for what? To stand outside like a fool?

The thought made Joseph’s expression harden, his jaw tightening as a wave of bitterness rose in his chest.

Still, he didn’t leave.

He stayed by the entrance, eyes fixed on the restaurant doors. He needed to know how this would end. He needed Judy to face him and give him an answer.

He had already played out a dozen scenarios in his head, each one ending the same way: with the truth laid bare between them. Whatever came after, he would accept it. But he couldn’t just let it end in silence.

Inside, Judy and Kenneth were celebrating their anniversary.

At first, she thought she would spend her life alone. Even when she started seeing Kenneth, she told herself it was nothing serious–a brief distraction, something to fill the emptiness.

Her focus had always been her career. Love was never part of her plan; men were stepping stones, not destinations.

But after meeting Kenneth, that conviction began to crumble. He wasn’t like the others.

He was patient, kind, and far more genuine than she’d expected. Over time, her walls began to crack. She started to let him in, piece by piece.

Dinner was warm and easy, their laughter echoing softly under the dim lights.

Tonight, Kenneth had surprised her with something she hadn’t expected–a deed to a house overseas.

Each year, his gifts grew more thoughtful and personal, as if he were weaving her into every corner of his life.

As they stepped out of the restaurant after their meal, a faint unease tugged at Judy’s chest. She paused, sensing something off.

It felt like someone was watching her–someone whose gaze she knew all too well.