Listening to her random jokes, I suddenly felt very guilty and didn't know how to speak up.
"Okay, I won't tease you. I'm going out now and there's some late-night snack in the fridge if you want."
After saying that, she left the room.
That night, Grace came back very late and looked radiant.
I smelled a familiar scent of perfume on her.
Ever since that time when I plucked up the courage but failed to confess, I had been in a dilemma.
Mrs. Richter sent me WhatsApp messages every now and then, inviting me to have a coffee at a cafe.
If I refused, she threatened me to tell Grace about our relationship.
I had no choice but to satisfy her.
Fortunately, Mrs. Richter didn't really ask me to do anything outrageous. She just chatted, complained, and occasionally made the occasional off-colour joke.
In this way, I carefully maintained a delicate balance between Grace and Mrs. Richter, feeling anxious every day as if I were walking a tightrope.
One day on the way home from work, I was "intercepted" by Mrs. Richter again.
In the coffee shop, she suddenly leaned over and blew in my ear, "Darling, are you free tomorrow night? Would you like to come to my house?"