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[This is over.] I sent a message to Ethan.

[Something happened at the company just now. Cindy said a client came over temporarily. ]

【You can take a taxi back. 】

【good.】

He and I both knew that he would not come to pick me up. Despite this, we still maintained this routine conversation because we had nothing else to talk about. I looked through the recent chat records with him and found that no conversation lasted more than ten words. The most common words he sent were "I won't be back tonight" and "Cindy".

【Me and Cindy... 】

Traveling on business with Cindy , meeting clients with Cindy , going to the airport with Cindy . Ethan never hid these from me, but he never thought that what I cared about was not whether he reported it or whether he would pick me up. Instead, Cindy's name appeared too often in his words. This kind of care made me feel deeply concerned.

We have argued about this countless times, and I can recite his responses by heart:

“It’s just work.”

"She is my secretary, and we only deal with each other for work."

"You knew back then that without her, the company wouldn't have been able to succeed."

"You think too much. Don't be so petty."