Marina carefully folded the last shirt and stuffed it into Alexey’s suitcase. After so many years of marriage, packing for his business trips had become a quiet ritual she treasured, packing each item with care.

“Don’t forget your laptop charger,” he reminded him as he zipped up his suitcase. Alexey looked at his watch, visibly tense.

“Thanks, honey. I have to go. The taxi is here.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, grabbed her suitcase, and ran for the door.

“Call me when you get there!” Marina shouted. “I will!” she yelled as the door clicked shut.

She walked to the window and watched the car drive away. His hurried farewell seemed unusual; his goodbyes were usually slower, more affectionate. Still, she brushed it off; he was probably just anxious about the upcoming reunion. The apartment instantly felt empty and cold. To distract herself, Marina decided to visit the Meridian Mall and finally buy some things she’d been planning to buy.

A couple of hours later, loaded down with bags, she was walking through the mall. She’d planned to have lunch at her favorite cafe on the third floor, but just then her phone rang: a colleague suggested meeting up at the Almond restaurant on the second floor to try their new menu. Marina agreed; the restaurant was right there, and she liked the atmosphere even though she rarely visited.

As she climbed to the second floor, she could already make out the interior through Almond’s large windows. Then, her feet seemed to stick to the ground: Alexey was sitting at a table by the window. Opposite him was a young woman Marina had never seen before. They approached, chatting animatedly.

The woman laughed, lightly touching his hand, and in Alexey’s eyes Marina saw an expression she hadn’t seen in a long time.

For illustrative purposes only

Time stopped. Her heart stopped, and her vision blurred. The man supposedly on a flight to Novosibirsk was having lunch with another woman.

Her first impulse was to storm in and demand answers. Something—pride, perhaps fear—stopped her. Taking a deep breath, Marina slowly turned around and walked away.

With trembling fingers, she canceled lunch with her colleague and called her best friend.

“Lena, can you see me? Right now,” he said, his voice shaking.

“What happened?” Lena asked, alarmed.

I just saw Alexey with a woman in a restaurant. He was supposed to be on a plane.

“Where are you?”

“In Meridian.”

Wait for me at the Café Aquarelle, on the first floor. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.

Marina sat in a corner, absentmindedly stirring her iced tea. Questions flooded her. Who was the woman? How long had this been going on? Had Alexey ever made these trips? The midnight calls, the late nights, the new phone password…

“Marina!” Lena’s voice interrupted her. She sat down across from her and squeezed her hands.

“Tell me everything.”

Marina recounted the scene, trying to control her voice.

I don’t know what to do, Lena. Part of me doesn’t even want to know the truth.

What if it’s not what it seems? Perhaps there’s an explanation.

Marina gave a bitter smile. “What explanation do you have for a man who lies about a business trip and has lunch with another woman?”

“I don’t know,” Lena admitted. “But before you decide, maybe you should do some research?”

What? Ask him directly?

Lena thought, “What if we follow them? Let’s see where they go.”

Spying on her husband was humiliating, but the uncertainty hurt even more. Marina nodded.

For illustrative purposes only

They took refuge in the bookstore across from the restaurant, pretending to browse. Forty minutes later, Alexey and his companion appeared. The woman was an elegant brunette, about thirty years old, with an impeccable figure.

“They’re leaving,” Lena whispered.

Keeping their distance, they followed her. Outside, the woman got into a taxi. Alexey helped her get in, they exchanged a brief handshake, nothing more, and the taxi drove off. Alexey stayed in the parking lot, called someone, and then took a taxi himself.

“Let’s follow him,” Marina said.

His taxi followed Alexey’s to the Aquamarine Business Center, where his company’s office was located. Inside, he chatted tensely with the receptionist before disappearing into his boss’s office.

“Maybe the trip was canceled at the last minute,” Lena suggested.

—So who is the woman? And why isn’t she calling?

They waited. Half an hour later, Alexey came out with a folder and went downstairs. Marina and Lena ducked behind a column and ran to find a taxi.

“Home,” Marina told the driver. She guessed right: Alexey’s taxi dropped her off at her apartment building. Marina let Lena go and got in alone.

Alexey was sitting in the kitchen, looking at his laptop.

“Marina! Are you home?” He seemed genuinely surprised.

“As you can see,” she replied coldly. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a plane?”

He tensed. “The trip was canceled at the last minute. I was going to call, but everything went crazy.”

“So crazy you couldn’t send a text?”

“I’m sorry.” He looked down. Marina sat down opposite him.

“Who is she, Alexey?”

“Who?” He frowned.

“The woman you had lunch with at Almond.”

He turned pale. “Were you following me?”

—No. I saw you by chance.

The silence stretched on. Finally, he spoke: “It’s not what you think.”

What am I supposed to think? You said you were going to fly, and yet you’re having lunch with a woman!

Her name is Anna Viktorovna. She represents German investors.

“And that’s why you lied about the trip?”

I wasn’t lying. The trip was canceled when I was already at the airport. My boss called: an investor was passing through town. I had to meet with her.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

He hesitated. “Because… it wasn’t a routine meeting.”

Marina’s heart sank. “I knew it.”

—No, not like that! My boss told me: if I convinced her to sign a deal with special conditions, I’d be promoted to sales director.

“And you couldn’t even text?”

I wanted to surprise you if it worked. If not, why bother?

“Did it work?” Marina asked.

Alexey smiled. “Yes. He signed a preliminary agreement. The main delegation is coming next month.”

She still doubted him. She opened the folder: inside was the agreement, signed by Anna Viktoria Müller. Then she took out a velvet box; inside was a sapphire necklace that Marina had admired.

“I bought this last week and was planning to give it to you tonight, along with the news.”

His anger subsided, but one question lingered: “Why did you look so happy with her?”

“She agreed to our terms; it was a relief, nothing more.”

He squeezed her hand. “You’re the only woman in my life. My journeys are real.”

I wanted to believe. “Can I ask you a couple of questions?”

“Of course.”

“What did you eat?”

She ordered the house salad and the steak with truffle sauce. I ordered the fish dish.

What else did they talk about?

“Russian culture: loves ballet.”

Their answers came fluently. The tension dissipated. They ordered pizza, opened wine, and soon the evening returned to normal.

While Alexey was showering, Marina glanced at his phone: the password was still set to his wedding date. Nothing suspicious. The call from his boss earlier that morning was still there.

Listening to Alexey hum his favorite song, she realized that maybe the real problem was routine: they had stopped surprising each other.

The next morning she woke up early, made breakfast and kissed him to wake him up.

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I have a surprise. I took the day off today, and you should too.

“What for?” he muttered.

“A short business trip, just us, no phones.” He handed her two train tickets to the rural resort where they had spent their first anniversary.

He smiled radiantly. “I love you, you know?”

“I love you too and I don’t want to look at your phone anymore.”

“So you spied on me!” he laughed. She threw a pillow at him, laughing too.

Sometimes, he thought, you just have to trust, and sometimes you have to take the first step to rekindle the spark.

A week later, Marina found a postcard from Cologne in the mailbox:

Dear Marina, your husband spoke fondly of you during our meeting. The chocolate he chose for you is a specialty from our family factory. I hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely, Anna Müller.

Next to it was an elegant box of chocolates. Marina smiled and set it aside until Alexey returned home; she had to pack a suitcase; the next day’s trip was real, and she would help him again.