“The clinking of ice in a glass echoed the unease within me. Another “Long Island Iced Tea,” and I downed it at a pace of my own making. Gradually, the laughter and conversations at this high-end gathering began to feel distant and superficial.
I’m always pursuing success: designer brands, luxury cars, exclusive events. I used to believe that money equated to happiness, a cornerstone of my personal philosophy. I thought that was the way to enrich my soul! But tonight, this veneer of luxury left me feeling hollow.
Simple, my close friend, looked at me with an unreadable expression. He understands me, perhaps even better than I understand myself. He’s a constant in my life, a stabilizing force in my whirlwind of extravagance. I always dismissed his appreciation for art as something insignificant.
The diamond ring incident was the spark. Someone proposed to me, as if it were a lavish display of wealth. My initial reaction was a calculated response. “If a man who is simply rich proposes, should I accept or decline?” The question exposed the turmoil within me. I told him I needed time to consider, a moment of respite from a life dominated by money.
If it were a princess in a castle, all the splendor was taken for granted, would life be easier?
Simple, as always, observed keenly and challenged my beliefs. “You’re suddenly realizing your previous theories are wrong.”
I admitted that the philosophical system I built early in my career was collapsing. Should the woman in this world of privilege demonstrate a different kind of transformation? To value the sanctity of marriage, especially for a woman.
In fact, I feel lost. I’m chasing a goal that seems increasingly distant from my true nature. Has my life been just a performance, a carefully constructed show of success? But beneath the surface, a sense of unknown despair is growing. What do I really want?
The realization that “Simple” might hold deeper meaning both excites and frightens me. Perhaps I’m about to face new challenges! Understanding what “Simple” truly means to me and determining how much weight it holds in my heart is a new exploration, a potential path to a richer, more meaningful existence than any money can buy.
LKW, based on Nanabee’s original novel
