Chapter 1 I was the second-to-last person to know my wife was sleeping with my best friend. Our mutual friends were taking bets on whether I’d divorce her. “No way Ethan divorces her,” one scoffed. “He can’t afford to lose Chloe; she makes too much money!” “Honestly, Ethan is just too pathetic,” another chimed in. “Otherwise, why would Chloe even look elsewhere?” “Chloe, say something. Is your husband throwing a fit about a divorce?” My supposed best friend leaned in and kissed the corner of Chloe’s mouth. “I bet Ethan won’t divorce her. His mom still needs Chloe’s money for her medical bills. He wouldn’t dare.” Chloe raised an eyebrow and immediately straddled Ethan’s lap, kissing him passionately. I was standing right outside the door, my hands clenched into tight fists. It suddenly dawned on me: they had deliberately invited me here. They wanted to see my reaction. But if it was just Chloe’s money I was after, I had a thousand ways to get it. Since she had always thought of me that way, I decided to give her exactly what she wanted. I pulled out my phone and dialed my buddy’s wife. “Mark is drunk at the Onyx Lounge. You should come pick him up.” Mark’s wife, Sarah, wasn’t exactly stable. She had been institutionalized before for an assault charge stemming from a sudden, violent outburst. “Who is he drinking with?” Sarah’s voice through the phone was ice-cold. I replied without missing a beat: “Just some friends. He looks pretty hammered. You’d better get here quick.” Sarah agreed and said she was on her way. I hung up and turned to leave. Mark had once proudly boasted to me: “Don’t let her size fool you. Sarah is tiny, but she’s got crazy explosive power. She once thought someone was bullying me and went straight for them. “Since then, she carries a knife everywhere, just in case someone tries to mess with me again.” I had barely reached the entrance of the bar when my phone rang. It was Chloe. Her tone was casual, lazy. “You’re here, right?” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. She continued, “The bartender said you were watching from outside. Did you hear everything?” Her voice was soft, yet to me, it was unimaginably cruel. I let out a soft “Mm.” Chloe laughed. “You really are a pathetic coward.” True. Everyone knew I was a coward. Back in high school, I was just the guy following Chloe around. She was the queen bee, and I was her loyal shadow. “No way, he doesn’t even have the guts to walk in? “Playing deaf and blind is so boring.” The people around them were cheering, their laughter loud and unrestrained. Then, Mark grabbed the phone, his voice dripping with sarcasm: “If we knew you were this terrified of losing her, we wouldn’t have tried so hard to hide it from you. “But honestly, sneaking around behind your back was a thrill. “I took your wife for a spin for you, and man, she is incredible! Thanks for sharing.” “Keep going, Mark, and he might start crying.” “Chloe, aren’t you going to comfort him?” Another voice chimed in right after Mark finished. This time, Chloe spoke up, her tone uncharacteristically serious: “Don’t be so harsh. He’s a guy, he needs some pride. “But Ethan isn’t like you, Mark. He’s much easier to handle. Leave him alone.” With that, she took the phone back, her voice clear. “Where are you? The bathroom? I’ll come find you. Does your mom need another payment for her treatments?” I looked down the hallway and saw her pause, phone in hand. She hung up as soon as she saw me. Her expression was one of deep satisfaction, bordering on a twisted kind of enjoyment. She walked up to me and ran a hand over my stomach. “He’s not like you. You’re my official husband, why are you throwing a tantrum? “Alright, alright, I won’t divorce you.” Her tone was condescending, like she was offering charity to a beloved pet. But then, Mark stumbled out of the room, holding his head. He made a beeline for Chloe, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. He looked up at me with a provocative smirk. “Chloe, my head is killing me. They were pouring drinks down my throat. “Take me home. Since Ethan already knows, there’s no point in hiding it. “He won’t mind, right?” As he said those last two words, he looked right at me, a slight smirk playing on his lips, not a trace of drunkenness in his eyes. Just then, Sarah texted me asking for the exact location of the bar. I sent her the pin drop. After sending the message, I stared at Chloe. “What if I do mind?” Chloe looked torn, trying to push him away, but Mark didn’t budge. “We’ve done it so many times already. You think you can just shake me off now?” He laughed, then looked at me again. “Didn’t you say it yourself? Ethan only knows a few moves, he can’t satisfy you at all.” He was talking to Chloe, but his eyes were locked on mine. Chloe looked at me nervously. “It was just a joke. I was just playing around with him.” My nails dug into my palms. I let out a light “Oh.” “Then I’ll help you take him home.” “What did you just say?” Mark asked in disbelief. I looked up, meeting their gaze with unwavering determination. “Didn’t you say you have a headache? My wife and I will take you home.” Saying that, I stubbornly grabbed his arm, forcing him to lean on me. Chloe stared at me in surprise, then seemed amused by my actions. She leaned in and rubbed against my arm. “Oh, so you can get jealous? A little attitude is cute.” Her words and actions were intimate, as if nothing had happened. It disgusted me. But I didn’t show it. In high school, a bully cornered me in the bathroom and cut up my clothes. I looked just like this. It was Chloe who got her older brother to teach the bully a lesson. Afterward, she frowned at me for a long time: “You need to have some spine.” The bully never returned to school, and Chloe thought it was her doing. She never knew it was because his father, a local politician, was indicted and he was too scared of retaliation to show his face. And the evidence that brought his father down? I submitted it. I loved the way Chloe cared about me, pouting angrily, like a mother hen protecting her chick. Because of that, I never told her the truth. If she enjoyed it, so what if I played the submissive role? She was my wife. But I never expected my submission to be trampled on so mercilessly. “But I booked a hotel room. Who said I wanted to go home?” Mark’s voice suddenly cut in. He blinked, his eyes full of triumph. He looked at Chloe. “Don’t you want to go? But bringing Ethan along might be awkward.” Chloe looked back and forth between us. Before she could speak, I interjected: “Chloe, come home with me.” I stared at her, softening my tone. Right in front of me, Mark slid his hand down Chloe’s back, staring at her intently. “I even brought that outfit you wanted me to wear to the hotel. Miss out tonight, and I won’t wear it again.” Chloe’s pupils dilated, her interest clearly piqued. “Ethan, you head home first.” She finally said it to me. I stared at her in disbelief. “Are you sure?” She nodded, then frowned. “Be good. Unless you want a divorce.” I took a deep breath, the pain radiating through my chest. Mark let out a scoff. “Or maybe you want to stay and watch? Nah, that would be too brutal for you.” I stayed silent. He suddenly leaned in and whispered in my ear: “Do you know when our first time was? “It was when you were hospitalized after your car crash. We did it in your bed. “Ethan, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll divorce her.” My whole body trembled. I got into that accident driving in a massive storm to buy her favorite pastries, resulting in a rear-end collision. Turns out, she sent me out on an errand just so she could sleep with another man. And this man, who constantly claimed to be my best friend. I stared at Mark: “Why would you do this?” “Chloe comes from a good family and makes bank. She’s gorgeous. Women like her are rare. “Someone was going to steal her from you eventually. Better me than some stranger. “I’ve been wanting to ditch my wife anyway.” I checked the time. Sarah should be here in about ten minutes. “Will she let you go? Didn’t you say she’s a bit unstable, that she almost killed someone before? Aren’t you afraid?” At the mention of Sarah, Mark’s tone cooled. “Her? She’ll do whatever I want with a snap of my fingers. “Worse comes to worst, I’ll trick her into a divorce. She’s as gullible as you.” He acted as if Sarah was completely inconsequential. But I remembered accidentally stumbling upon Sarah’s social media. It was filled with photos of her slaughtering fish, chickens, even pigs. I couldn’t help but remind him: “What if she catches you cheating?” A flash of fear crossed Mark’s eyes, but it quickly faded. “She’ll never find out. She’s probably out delivering food right now. “I’ve got her trained like a dog. You wouldn’t understand.” I sneered internally and glanced at my phone discreetly. It was Sarah. [I’m almost there.] Suddenly, I didn’t want to let them off so easily. I wanted to see a mad dog bite. So, I looked at Chloe with pathetic puppy eyes. “I’ll wait for you in the hotel lobby. When you’re done, we can go home together, okay?” I played the pathetic husband perfectly. Chloe looked surprised. “Why are you so… is it really just me for you?” Mark quickly added, “Ethan, how can you be so degraded?! Are you addicted to being cuckolded? “Even now, you’re still clinging on. What are you even getting out of this?” I remained unfazed, looking at him like he was the one who didn’t understand. “If it wasn’t for Chloe in college, I wouldn’t have known what to do. “She paid for all my expenses for four years, and she’s been supporting me ever since. “You don’t understand. I can’t live without her.” Chloe’s background was indeed solid, and she was good at business. By the time she was twenty, she had tens of thousands in assets. By the time she was in college, she was making millions. But my net worth was actually no less than hers. However, she loved the idea of taking care of me, and I enjoyed playing along. So, I kept it a secret. Saying this now, I hoped to stir a sliver of affection in her. If she left with me today, I could still walk away with a peaceful divorce. Mark was speechless, his face dark with anger. Chloe shot him an annoyed look. “Don’t talk about him like that.” She added, “I told you, keep Ethan out of our arrangement. “I’m not going to divorce him. Or are you planning something else?” Mark’s expression shifted, and he quickly adopted a fawning tone: “I didn’t mean it like that. I was just worried he’d ruin the mood.” “I won’t!” I shook my head adamantly. Chloe looked exasperated. “This is the last time. After this, we’re living a normal life together, okay?” I frowned but replied, “Okay. I trust you.” Chloe paused. “Silly boy. What would you do without me?” Without her, I’d inherit everything she owned, just as she planned. We got into Chloe’s car. Sarah’s message came through again. [I’m here. Which room are you guys in?] I looked up. A flash of yellow rushed into the lounge, only to be stopped by security. Sarah looked frantic and furious, like a woman possessed. I quickly replied: [Sorry about this. Mark was too drunk, so I took him to a hotel to sober up. You can just meet us there.] After sending it, I turned to Chloe: “Do you guys really have to do this? Chloe, I’m giving you one last chance. Let’s keep some dignity.” Mark scoffed. “If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen. I thought you were cool with this.” Chloe’s face darkened. “I said this is the last time. Besides, can you even survive without me?” I let out a soft “Mm.” “Fine. I won’t make a scene.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a text from Sarah: [Thanks. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.] Chloe drove fast. We arrived at the hotel in fifteen minutes. “We’re here. Want to come up and check it out? You can even try on the outfit. “But then again, I’m afraid you…” Mark taunted me again, his eyes sweeping over me dismissively. I ignored him and looked at Chloe. “I’ll wait in the lobby. “But I know the manager here. Can I come up to the front desk with you to check in?” Chloe looked moved for a moment. “You really are a pushover!” I offered a bitter smile. “I just love you too much.” Chloe sighed. “Let’s go.” Mark tried to interject, but Chloe shot him a glare. “He’s my husband. I have to respect him in public.” Mark’s face flushed with anger, but he could only watch as Chloe and I checked in. I walked them to the elevators. The moment they stepped in, Mark eagerly wrapped his arms around her. I turned away, pasting a look of heartbreak on my face. Once the elevator stopped at the 7th floor, I went back to the front desk. “Could I get another keycard? “My wife just went up, and I need a card to use the elevator.” The receptionist handed me a spare. Just then, Sarah burst through the doors, out of breath. Our eyes met. I chuckled. “You made it? Good timing, I just got a spare key.” I sighed heavily. “Mark just went up with my wife. Let’s go.” Sarah’s face visibly drained of color.
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