Every time before Sophia goes “camping”, she always serves me a hearty meal the night before. I know she has a big appetite. To accommodate her, I work hard all night, trying my best to satisfy all her special preferences. But the next day, she still takes three or five boxes of trial-sized products from the bedside table. I’m not a fool. I know what this means. But I thought she was just playing around, and everything would still revolve around our family. Until she maxed out my credit card to buy six-figure camping equipment for her “best friend”. I finally couldn’t take it anymore… At 1 AM, Sophia still hadn’t returned. On SnapChat, Sophia’s avatar was still gray, with her last message lingering from the evening: “James, I’m going camping in the suburbs with Lucas. My phone might not have signal, don’t worry.” This was already her tenth night out this month, and each time, the excuse was camping. Ten times in a month. Well done, Sophia, you really take me for a fool. I laughed coldly as I tore up our wedding photo. Sophia and I met on a blind date. I pursued her for a whole year before she agreed to marry me. At our wedding, she said she wanted to be with me forever. I believed her. I gave her everything I could, including the freedom she wanted. But ever since Lucas came to this city, everything changed. Lucas was Sophia’s childhood friend. At first, they just hiked and watched movies together, but later it developed into business trips, travels, and even overnight stays. Whenever I asked about it, she always brushed it off saying: “We’re just friends, you’re overthinking.” When I asked too often, she impatiently said: “Can’t you be less petty? I’ve told you we’re just friends. If you don’t even have this much trust, how are we going to live together in the future?” Lucas would always stand with his hands in his pockets, smiling nonchalantly and saying: “Bro, don’t be so narrow-minded. Sophia and I grew up together, we’re like siblings. There’s definitely nothing between us, don’t be so dramatic.” I’m being dramatic? Looking at his pretentious face, I wanted to punch him right there. I remembered the last dinner party when Lucas directly held Sophia in his arms, feeding her as if no one else was around. Do siblings act like that? I was sitting right across from them, feeling like an outsider, awkward and embarrassed. My phone rang. It was Sophia. “James, my phone died while camping, I just charged it. It’s raining outside, so I’m staying at Lucas’s place to avoid the rain. I’ll be back in the morning.” Sophia’s voice sounded coy and tired. No messages for 8 whole hours, was it really just simple camping? I looked at the drawer where another ten boxes of trial-sized products were missing, my heart churning. “Oh.” I tried hard to control my emotions, appearing calm on the surface while gritting my teeth inside. “You must be tired from playing. Get some rest.” “Okay, honey. Love you.” Sophia’s sweet voice made me feel nauseous. At 7 AM, Sophia came back with her usual smile, holding coffee and bagels: “It was too late last night, I didn’t want to wake you, so I just crashed at Lucas’s place. You don’t mind, right?” “I don’t mind.” I answered calmly. Of course I mind, but what’s the use? Some people are just despicable, their vile habits ingrained to the bone. The next day was Lucas’s birthday, and Sophia insisted on hosting a birthday party for him at our house. “Lucas, happy birthday!” Sophia’s eyes curved into crescents as she handed Lucas an exquisitely wrapped gift box. “See if you like it.” Lucas smiled as he took the gift: “I like everything you give me, Sophia.” He opened the gift right in front of me. It was a men’s watch. Forcing back my anger, I smiled insincerely and said: “Sophia, you’re so good to your ‘dear brother’. This watch must have cost a lot, right?” Sophia glanced at me impatiently: “What, do I need your permission to give my friend a gift?” I was instantly filled with rage, slamming the table and shouting, hoping to awaken some conscience in her. Giving gifts is fine, but why are you using my money?! Sophia, you only make $3000 a month, yet you’re always splurging. I’m the one supporting this family! Yesterday you spent six figures buying him camping equipment, and now you’ve bought him a watch worth over a hundred thousand?! I’ve had my eye on that watch for a long time, but I gritted my teeth and didn’t buy it because of the mortgage! Now, it’s on that bastard Lucas’s wrist?! Great, just great! After dinner, I sat alone on the balcony smoking, playing with the lighter in my hand, lighting it and extinguishing it repeatedly, my heart sinking bit by bit. Sophia was video chatting with Lucas in the bedroom. Snippets of their conversation drifted out, things like “let’s try something new tomorrow” and “I want to see you right now” – disgusting talk. I laughed coldly. She just got back and now she’s going “camping” with her “dear brother” again? She hung up the phone and walked to the balcony with her usual fake smile: “James, you’re not angry today, are you?” I blew out a smoke ring and said calmly: “No, I’m not.” She came over and snuggled into my arms, cooing: “I knew you were the best.” I stroked her hair gently, laughing coldly in my heart. Getting angry with someone like you? Not worth it.
The next night, I went out drinking with some colleagues and didn’t return home until dawn. Sophia’s calls kept coming, but I turned off my phone, finally getting a taste of making her wait for me. I returned home slightly drunk, and surprisingly, Sophia was sitting in the living room waiting for me. She tried to come over and support me, but I pushed her away. “Don’t touch me!” I staggered along the wall back to the bedroom and fell face-first into the bed. “James! Get up right now!” Sophia’s shrill voice exploded next to my ear. “You stink of alcohol. You’re getting into bed without showering?” I suddenly opened my eyes, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her close. “Sophia, since when did you care about me so much? In the past, when I came home drunk, didn’t you wish I’d just die outside?” Sophia was frightened by my gaze and stammered: “I… I was just worried about you.” “Worried about me?” I sneered. You’re just worried about dirtying your sheets! I flung her hand away. “Sophia, I’m not your servant, nor am I your punching bag! If you dare to boss me around again, get out!” Sophia was stunned. She probably never thought that I, who had always been so docile, would rebel. I couldn’t be bothered to look at her again and turned over to sleep. After that day, Sophia’s attitude seemed to improve a bit. She prepared loving breakfasts for me every morning, sent me many messages during work hours, and occasionally bought small gifts. Her attitude seemed to have changed. This weekend, Sophia said she wanted to go to the mall and asked me to wait for her there, saying she’d come after work. I arrived early and sat idly by the fountain in the center of the mall, watching the crowds come and go. At that moment, I saw Sophia and Lucas walking in side by side, their behavior intimate, laughing and talking, seemingly not noticing me. Lucas even had his hand on my wife’s neck, their faces almost touching. Sophia didn’t resist, allowing him to hold her. “Have you been waiting long, honey?” Seeming to have noticed me, Sophia broke away from his arm and walked towards me. Lucas looked a bit surprised as Sophia pulled away from him, but he still strode over. He stood in front of me, raising an eyebrow and said: “Sorry, bro, didn’t mean to interrupt your couple time. I just got off work too and ran into Sophia on the way. I know this area well, so I came along with her. You don’t mind, right?” As he spoke, he casually raised his right hand, revealing the new watch on his wrist. It was the birthday gift from Sophia. “It’s fine, the more the merrier.” My tone was calm, showing no sign of discomfort. “You’re so good, honey!” Hearing my agreement, Sophia smiled coyly. “Let’s go buy some clothes for Lucas first, he hasn’t had any new clothes recently.” She said, pulling Lucas towards the men’s clothing section. Store after store, Sophia enthusiastically picked out clothes – shirts, suits, jackets… Lucas was like a clothes hanger, letting her do as she pleased, a smug smile on his face. “How about this one? I think it suits you well.” Sophia held up a light gray cashmere sweater, comparing it against Lucas’s body. “Hmm, not bad. Let’s get this one.” Lucas nodded, his smile confident. “And this tie too, let’s get it as well.” Sophia picked up a dark blue tie, matching it with the sweater, nodding in satisfaction. In just an hour, Lucas’s shopping cart was full of bags big and small, but Sophia showed no signs of stopping. “Sophia, why don’t you buy something for James too?” Lucas turned to look at me, raising his eyebrows, speaking with deep meaning. “Him? He has plenty of clothes at home, no need to buy more, he has enough to wear.” Sophia waved her hand dismissively, her gaze falling on a new leather jacket. “Lucas, this leather jacket looks so cool, try it on?” Sophia linked arms with Lucas, the two walking intimately in front, chatting and laughing, while I felt like an outsider. I looked at the two of them, finding it all ridiculous, a playful smile tugging at my lips. At that moment, a woman in a red bodycon dress with a charming aura spotted me from afar. She walked over gracefully in her high heels.
“Sorry I’m late,” she smiled, her gaze falling on me with a hint of amusement. I watched her approach, ignoring Sophia’s displeased expression, and said gently, “It’s alright, Emma. We haven’t been here long either.” Sophia scrutinized Emma, her face darkening, “Honey, who is this?” I introduced calmly, “This is Emma, my senior from university.” Turning to Emma, I said, “Emma, this is my wife, Sophia, and this is… my wife’s friend, Lucas.” Sophia didn’t extend her hand, her expression even more unpleasant. Emma directly linked arms with me and said, “Hello everyone, I’m James’s college classmate. James is a great guy, we were very close in college, and I’ve always seen him as a little brother.” Hearing this, Sophia’s face darkened further, and she let go of Lucas’s arm. For the rest of the shopping trip, Sophia was clearly distracted. I didn’t pay attention to her, instead walking directly into a jewelry store. Sophia and Lucas followed. Under the lights, a dazzling array of gold jewelry sparkled. My gaze locked onto an intricately crafted gold bracelet with several small diamonds embedded in it, shimmering brilliantly under the lights. “Emma, today is your birthday. This is for you,” I picked up the bracelet and handed it to Emma. Emma covered her mouth in surprise, “This… it’s too expensive, I can’t accept it.” “Take it, it’s just a birthday gift,” I smiled, placing the bracelet on Emma’s wrist. “It suits you well.” The price tag on the bracelet clearly read “$24,000”. Seeing the price, Sophia’s face instantly turned sour. “Hmph, quite generous, aren’t you?” she said sarcastically, her tone bitter. She walked to the side, pretending to look at other jewelry, seemingly wanting to pick something for herself. I ignored her and directly led Emma out of the jewelry store. I thought I heard her grinding her teeth behind me. After leaving the jewelry store, the atmosphere became even more awkward. Sophia’s hostility towards Emma was obvious: “Miss Emma seems very close to James. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you two were a couple.” She glanced at me reproachfully. Emma responded calmly, “James is a good person, he takes care of all his friends. Don’t misunderstand, sister.” She leaned closer to Sophia and whispered, “Let me tell you a secret, James was very popular with girls in the past. Everyone used to say he was handsome, capable, and considerate.” I blushed hearing these words about myself. Sophia forced a smile, “Is that so? Seems like I have good taste.” Emma pointed at Lucas and teased, “Of course, but compared to this gentleman beside you, James is still a bit lacking. Look at him, his eyes haven’t left you since we came in.” Her words were too direct, and Lucas felt a bit awkward, coughing twice, “No, no, Miss Emma, you’re too kind.” After shopping, Emma left first. Lucas turned to Sophia and asked, “It’s still early, why don’t we go somewhere to sit for a while?” Sophia refused, “No, we have something to do. We’re going home first.” He raised an eyebrow, seeming a bit surprised. Sophia pulled me away hurriedly. As soon as we got to the car, she started questioning me: “Who exactly is that Emma?” “Just a friend, a college classmate.” “Just a friend and you give her such an expensive gift!” “It’s her birthday, of course I should give her a gift! Besides, didn’t you give Lucas gifts too?” She was momentarily speechless.
Sophia was sullen the whole way home. Once home, she threw her bag on the sofa without a word, kicked off her high heels, and leaned against the sofa with her arms crossed, glaring at me coldly. In the past, when she acted like this, I would have certainly tried to appease her with kind words, hanging up her bag and giving her a shoulder massage. But today, I coldly watched her performance and walked straight to the bathroom to wash up. “Stop right there!” she shouted shrilly, grabbing my arm. “What’s going on between you and that Emma?” I shook off her hand, my tone icy: “Do I need to report my relationships to you?” “What kind of attitude is this?” She glared at me, fuming. “She calls you James, so intimately, and you give her such an expensive bracelet. Do you think I’m an idiot?” I sneered, “What, you’re allowed to be all warm and caring with Lucas, but I can’t catch up with an old friend?” “Lucas is my friend, it’s just normal social etiquette! What about you? You give her gifts, she looks at you lovingly, you two exchange glances, do you dare say there’s nothing between you?” She pressed on, her voice sharp enough to pierce my eardrums. “What’s between Emma and me is none of your business. As for you, you’re in no position to question me when things are so unclear between you and Lucas,” I retorted unwaveringly, my tone mocking. “Don’t forget, who was it clinging to him in the mall, not wanting to let go, remember?” Her face flushed red then pale, but she couldn’t say a word. Seeing her like this, I felt a wave of irritation. “Sophia,” I said flatly, but still with a hint of coldness. “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done unto you. If you don’t have evidence, don’t make wild speculations about others. My relationship with Emma is open and aboveboard, unlike some people…” I paused deliberately, looking at her flushed face, and said word by word: “Who have a guilty conscience.”
Sophia has been giving me the cold shoulder for the past couple of days. This is her usual tactic, playing the victim and waiting for me to apologize first. In the past, I would always give in, but now I’m tired of it. I remember last winter when I had a bad cold, feeling weak all over with a splitting headache. I lay in bed, weakly calling her, hoping she could buy some cold medicine for me. Her tone was cold on the phone, saying she had to work overtime and couldn’t get away. I had to drag myself to the hospital alone. While getting an IV, I was idly scrolling through social media when I saw her post, tagged at the most expensive restaurant in New York. In the photo, she and Lucas were sitting face to face, both holding coffee cups, seemingly celebrating something, looking quite happy. The caption read: “So glad to have you.” And a while ago, when Lucas just slightly sprained his ankle, she was anxious like an ant on a hot pan, dropping all her work to take care of him for a whole week. Making tea, serving water, cooking chicken soup – I realized then that she’s not incapable of caring for others. She’s just incapable of caring for me. At that moment, I clearly understood that in her heart, I would never measure up to Lucas. This time, I won’t be the first to back down. Sophia’s cold war lasted a whole week. On the weekend, as usual, Sophia’s parents called us to come home for dinner. The meal tasted like chewing wax. Sophia had a sour face throughout and barely touched her chopsticks. Her mother reproached her somewhat complainingly: “Sophia, are you throwing a tantrum again? James gave up his job in New York to stay here for you, why are you always quarreling with him?” I smiled bitterly. Yes, for her, I gave up that high-paying job at a big company in New York, gave up my dreams, to stay in this unfamiliar city, just to be closer to her. Seemingly remembering something, her expression softened a bit. The doorbell rang abruptly, breaking the suffocating silence. Sophia’s mother went to open the door excitedly: “Oh, it’s Lucas! Come in quickly! You knew Sophia was coming back today, so you came to see her, right?” Lucas walked in smiling, greeting Sophia’s parents familiarly, as if this was his home. After sitting down, his gaze naturally fell on Sophia: “Sophia, want to go watch a movie tonight? That new one you’ve been wanting to see.” Sophia glanced at me furtively, her eyes somewhat evasive. I didn’t say anything. So she said stiffly: “No, we have plans tonight.” Lucas didn’t seem surprised. He turned to look at me, feigning enthusiasm: “James, why don’t you come too? We’re all friends, let’s have some fun together.” I could clearly see the smugness and showing off in his eyes. He didn’t care at all whether I was there or not, he just wanted to display his “care” for Sophia in front of me. Sophia’s parents also joined in persuading: “Go together, it’s good for young people to hang out.” I looked at them all chiming in, as if I were the outsider in this family. I stood up, grabbing my coat: “You all go ahead, I’m a bit tired, I’ll head back first.” “Honey!” Sophia called out to me, her eyes flickering, “Drive safely, I’ll be home early.” Huh, another perfunctory line. I smiled self-mockingly, turned and left, leaving them to continue their “family gathering”. Sophia didn’t come home all night again. I lay on the empty double bed, staring at the ceiling, laughing sardonically. On our wedding anniversary, she also came back this late, carrying a branded handbag, reeking of strong perfume, saying she had been entertaining clients. Huh, which client needs entertaining until 3 AM?
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