Chapter 1

My husband had never been interested in sex. Whenever we did sleep together, he always watched the clock.

Tonight, halfway through, the custom ringtone he had set for his secretary went off. Her tearful voice came through the phone.

"Mr. Doyle, a pipe burst in my apartment. There's water everywhere, and I'm scared..."

Without a second thought, Vince Doyle pulled away and started getting dressed.

Biting my lip, I reached out and grabbed his arm, hating how desperate I sounded. "It's late, and we haven't even finished…"

"Lauren doesn't have anyone else to call. I'm her boss. I can't just leave her to deal with this alone."

He didn't even look at me. He calmly pulled his arm free and buttoned his shirt.

"I've done what I was supposed to do tonight. I'll make up to you next time."

My breath caught.

So sleeping with me was nothing more than another obligation he had to check off his list.

Not long after he left, Lauren Barrett sent me a text. In the photo, she was curled up against Vince's shoulder.

[I'm so sorry. I was just really scared. I'll make sure Vince finishes what he started next time. Looks like you'll have to pull out your little toy and finish the job yourself tonight.]

I read the message without replying.

Then I got up, took a shower, stripped the bed, and put the sheets in the wash. After changing into a clean pair of pajamas, I finally made up my mind.

I was done with Vince.

Chapter 1

Hours later, I heard the faint click of the front door opening.

Vince Doyle was home.

As usual, he barely acknowledged me. He hung up his coat, climbed into bed, and fell asleep almost immediately.

A woman's perfume still clung to him.

I turned away, but his phone kept buzzing on the nightstand. I picked it up and saw several messages from Lauren Barrett.

[Thanks for coming over and staying with me tonight. Natalie isn't upset, is she? I promise I'll apologize to her in person when I get the chance.]

I stared at the screen, my vision beginning to blur. Then I scrolled through the rest of their conversation.

The messages were openly flirtatious, and Vince responded to her more often than he had ever responded to me. With her, he was nothing like the cold, distant man I knew.

My throat tightened as I typed a reply.

[He's asleep. And no, I'm not upset. You can talk to him tomorrow.]

I locked the screen and set the phone back on his nightstand.

I picked up my pillow, about to head to the guest room when a hand suddenly closed around my wrist, its warmth seeping into my skin.

I froze.

Without opening his eyes, he murmured, "Lauren, I'm here."

I studied Vince's handsome face and let out a bitter laugh.

Then I pulled my wrist free and left.

Early the next morning, the guest room door flew open. Vince stood there adjusting his cuffs, his voice low and accusing.

"Why would you say something like that to Lauren? She's young and sensitive. You know that. Besides, she's just my new secretary. What do you get out of giving her a hard time?"

I looked up and met his furious gaze. "Just your secretary? What kind of boss calls his secretary's name in his sleep?"

Vince stiffened, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "There's nothing between us except work. I say her name all day, so it must've slipped out. Stop being so petty."

I looked away and nodded calmly. "Fine. From now on, you can say her name as much as you want."

He suddenly grabbed my arm, his voice sharpening with impatience. "Lauren and I haven't done anything wrong. Stop twisting everything into something it's not."

I lowered my eyes and pulled my arm free. Then I straightened his collar, my voice still calm.

"You haven't done anything wrong. I see. You're just the kind of boss who goes out to buy tampons for his secretary, right?"

Vince's back went rigid, and his expression darkened. He took a deep breath.

"Her period was really heavy, and you didn't have enough tampons, so I went out and bought her more..."

My hands stilled, and I looked up at him. "How thoughtful. You even keep track of your secretary's period."

The truth was, I had noticed plenty of other signs lately.

Cartoon mugs, lipstick, and even clothes she had left behind started appearing around the house.

I just hadn't bothered confronting him about every little thing.

Vince frowned, straightened, and slipped his hands into his pockets as he looked at me coldly.

"Natalie, I've explained this to you over and over again. You've changed. You're becoming completely unreasonable."

The moment he finished speaking, his phone chimed again.

It was the same custom alert from the night before.

"Go," I said evenly. "Otherwise, she'll just show up here looking for you."

It wouldn't be the first time.

Vince opened his mouth, hesitating for the first time. In the end, he still turned and walked away.

I slowly let out the breath I had been holding.

Then, I looked down at the map spread out in front of me. I picked up a red pen and circled a small southern town.

Chapter 2

Vince and I settled into a cold war. He stopped coming home, and I stopped asking where he was.

On the third morning, his assistant texted me with an update.

[Mrs. Doyle, Mr. Doyle has been tied up with work these past few days. He just got back from an overseas business trip this morning.]

I replied, [You don't need to keep me updated anymore.]

I scrolled through our conversation and found message after message from me asking where Vince was.

I talked to his assistant more than I talked to my own husband.

A moment later, another message appeared.

[Did you and Mr. Doyle have a fight?]

I didn't respond, but the assistant kept going.

[Mr. Doyle must care about you. A man like him never would've pursued you otherwise.]

I blinked.

It was true. Vince was the one who wanted to marry me.

He had always been reserved, but back then, he still made an effort to spend time with me. His eyes used to follow me wherever I went, and he never hesitated to tell me how beautiful I was.

Somehow, our marriage still hadn't turned out the way I hoped.

More messages came through.

[Mr. Doyle knows today is your birthday. He even bought you a gift, the bracelet you've been wanting.]

A photo followed, and it really was the one.

I had mentioned it to him for months. I never thought he would remember.

For a moment, something stirred in my chest.

I sighed, then went into the kitchen and made all his favorite dishes.

Vince came home that evening. He loosened his tie and headed straight for his study.

I called out to him. He finally turned around with a frown.

"What is it?"

His voice was as cold as ever.

My breathing grew uneven, and my fingers tightened around the edge of the table. "Do you know what today is?"

His brow furrowed. "What?"

My chest tightened as I forced out the words. "It's my birthday."

He gave a small nod as he unbuttoned his cuffs. "That's today? I forgot."

That was all he said.

My throat tightened. It felt as though a wet blanket had been draped over me, heavy enough to smother me.

He glanced at me.

"I'll make it up to you next month. It's not like birthdays have to be celebrated. There's no point wasting money on them."

But only seconds later, I saw a post Lauren shared an hour earlier. The photo showed the bracelet I had wanted for months, along with several other expensive gifts.

Her caption read, [Thanks, hubby! Just kidding. He's actually my boss.]

Vince commented beneath it. [You earned it.]

My lips twisted as I remembered all the times I had asked him to like or comment on my posts, only for him to refuse.

He always said it was childish and inappropriate. So what was this?

My hand began to shake around my phone. "So you do know how to comment on someone's posts. Did you enjoy giving her the gift I've always wanted?"

He frowned, took the phone from my hand, and tapped the screen a few times.

"If her posts bother you, mute her. The gift was just a way of showing appreciation for her work. It'll motivate her to keep doing a good job. She earned it by working hard. Unlike you, sitting around the house doing nothing all day."

I went completely still, as though he had slapped me.

He worked late, skipped meals, and was always complaining about his stomach. He claimed my cooking was the only thing that helped.

That was why I quit my job and stayed home to take care of him.

I spent years at the top of my class. I even received an offer to study abroad. I could've built a life of my own.

So how did I end up here?

He said he loved me first, but why was I the only one who had given up everything for it?

I pressed a hand to my chest, struggling to breathe. My throat tightened until I couldn't force out a single word.

Vince didn't even look at me. His gaze drifted to the food on the table.

His voice was still edged with irritation.

"And since you're home all day, couldn't you at least put some effort into your cooking? Everything tastes so bland. One look at it, and I lose my appetite."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

Of course. After getting used to eating with Lauren, my cooking probably seemed tasteless to him.

A moment later, the study door slammed shut. The sound echoed through the house.

I stood alone in the empty living room. I lowered my eyes, gathered every dish from the table, and dumped the food into the trash.

Chapter 3

Vince started leaving early and coming home late.

During the day, I packed the things I planned to take with me. Before long, we barely saw each other at all.

Just as I was finishing, he suddenly called.

I watched his name flash across the screen and hesitated for a moment, then answered. "What is it?"

His voice was as detached and businesslike as ever. "My clothes got wet. There's a black suit hanging on the far right side of the closet. Bring it to me."

I didn't answer.

Instead, I ran my hand over the suit and felt something hard in one of the pockets.

My breath caught.

Vince let out a quiet laugh on the other end, his voice almost teasing. "Found it?"

I froze, then reached into the pocket and pulled it out.

It was a ring.

I closed my fist around it, the diamond pressing painfully into my palm. My voice came out hoarse.

"You..."

His tone remained even, though his voice grew slightly louder. "Do you like it?"

My heart began to race, and my palm grew damp. I parted my lips but couldn't answer right away. A rush of emotions rose inside me.

"Why did you…"

But he cut me off.

"You should thank Lauren. It was her idea. She told me I should apologize and ask you to forgive me, and I couldn't exactly say no to her."

I stood frozen, as though someone had poured ice water over my head. The cold sank straight through me.

I stared at the ring in my hand, my throat burning. Clutching the clothes against my chest, I struggled to breathe.

"Vince, do you really have to humiliate me like this?"

For a long moment, he said nothing.

A moment later, I heard Vince murmur something in the background, followed by a soft moan from Lauren.

His voice turned gentle.

"Did I hurt you? Why are you so nervous around me?"

The desire in his voice was unmistakable.

My whole body jerked, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I almost wanted to laugh at myself for still expecting anything from him.

As far as I knew, Vince had never had much interest in sex.

After a long silence, his voice came through the phone again.

"You found the ring. Happy now? Stop sulking. You haven't spoken to me in days, and you keep avoiding me. You can't keep acting like this."

After a brief pause, he added, "If it'll make you happy, I'll give you an extra hour next time."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Vince, what are you talking about?"

Vince didn't answer, but Lauren did. "Mr. Doyle, didn't you say you'd give me the ring after you used it to smooth things over with Natalie? When are you bringing it to me? It even has my initials engraved inside."

I went rigid, and the ring suddenly felt scorching hot in my hand.

I looked down. Sure enough, the letters "LB" were engraved inside the band.

My skin crawled. I finally snapped.

"Vince, you're disgusting!"

Vince's voice immediately turned cold.

"Natalie, I already tried to make it up to you. What more do you want from me? You think I'm disgusting? You didn't seem to think so when you were begging me to keep going."

I stared blankly ahead. My lips parted, but no words came out.

Then, I heard him comforting Lauren again. "It's fine. Let her keep this one. I'll buy you a bigger one next time."

Lauren still sounded disappointed.

He continued, "As long as you keep working hard, I'll give you anything you want. Alright?"

Tears spilled down my face as I hurled the ring across the room. "Vince! How could you do this to me? Do you even remember what you promised?"

On our wedding day, he kissed my cheek and said, "Don't worry, Natalie. I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy. Someday, we'll have a baby. And if she looks like you, she'll be beautiful."

But now...

I stood there trembling, only to realize he had already hung up.

My phone slipped from my hand, and every breath sent a sharp pain through my chest.

Then I heard movement in the living room.

I yanked open the door and rushed out.

Several installers were hanging framed wedding photos on the wall. They smiled and held out their hands, expecting a tip.

"Congratulations on the wedding! We wish you both a lifetime of happiness."

"Your husband must really love you. These portraits couldn't have been cheap."

"He paid for the entire package without a second thought. You two make such a beautiful couple."

I looked up, and my eyes widened.

The groom in the portrait was Vince, but the bride beside him wasn't me.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "That's right. He's never been stingy when it comes to his mistress."

The workers froze, then quietly apologized.

I called Vince again.

"They delivered the portraits to our house. Vince, do you really have to humiliate me like this?"

Chapter 4

The line went silent for a moment before Vince finally realized something was wrong.

"What happened?"

I took a picture and sent it to him. "Take a good look."

He was quiet for another moment, then let out a sigh. "They sent them to the wrong address."

"So the only problem is where they were delivered? Taking wedding photos with her was perfectly fine?"

Vince sounded exasperated. "Come to the office. I'll explain everything."

After hanging up, I grabbed my purse and left.

A dull ache throbbed in my chest.

Vince never let me visit him at work. He said it would look unprofessional. I never imagined the first time he let me into his office would be under circumstances like these.

The moment I stepped off the elevator, an employee stopped me. "Visitors aren't allowed past reception. You'll need to wait here."

I was about to explain when Lauren appeared. She took my arm and led me inside.

"It's fine. She's with me."

She moved through the office as though she owned the place, almost like she was the lady of the house.

Lauren led me into Vince's office and poured me a glass of water.

"Vince is in a meeting. You'll have to wait."

I didn't take it. Instead, I looked around.

Matching pajama sets were draped over the couch, and even Vince's mug had been replaced with one from a matching pair. His desk was also covered with little crafts they had made together.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

After we got married, I often asked him to take a pottery or craft class with me. He never once agreed. He always said he was too busy or promised we would go another time.

That time never came.

Now, I finally understood. He just didn't want to go with me.

Lauren didn't seem bothered by my silence. She smiled as she began putting things away.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Natalie. There's nothing going on between Vince and me.

"I know you're still upset, and I know you're frustrated because the two of you barely sleep together. I can talk to him for you.

"But Vince can go for a long time, and you're so afraid of getting hurt. You can't really blame him for not wanting to..."

Despite her words, a mocking smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

My heart felt as though it were being torn apart, but I let out a cold laugh. "What, he even tells you about our sex life?"

Lauren smiled, and a blush crept across her cheeks.

"It's only because he trusts me. I even have videos."

She pulled out her phone to show me as she continued.

"My friends have seen them, too. They all think you're way too uptight. Which is surprising. Considering your mother was a homewrecker, you'd think you'd be a little less..."

She slowly looked me up and down, leaving the rest unsaid.

A chill ran through me, and my entire body began to shake. "He even told you about that..."

Lauren gave me a gentle smile and took my hand. "I didn't mean anything by it, but with a mother like that, it's only natural Vince wouldn't love you."

I yanked my hand away, my breathing quickening.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother that way!"

What happened to my mother had caused a huge scandal at the time.

She had fallen ill and could no longer afford to support me, so she had traveled hundreds of miles with me to find my father. Only after we arrived did she discover that he already had a wife and children.

His wife threw us out, and the entire family called my mother a shameless homewrecker. Desperate to protect me from the humiliation, my mother eventually took her own life.

She had been lied to from the very beginning. She really thought my father had only gone away to find work.

Vince was the only person I had ever trusted with any of this. And yet, he told Lauren everything.

My eyes burned as I raised my hand to slap her.

Vince suddenly rushed in and shoved me away.

"Natalie, I asked you here so we could work this out. I didn't bring you here to cause a scene."

I shoved him back, then grabbed hold of him before he could step away. "Why did you show her intimate videos of me? Why did you tell her about my mother when you knew she was innocent?!"

Vince's voice softened, but his expression remained dismissive.

"Lauren saw the videos by accident. Besides, she only showed them to a few close friends. She promised they wouldn't share them with anyone else. As for your mother..."

He paused deliberately.

"An affair takes two people."

A bitter laugh escaped me, and my eyes went blank.

To him, Lauren sharing the videos was no big deal, and my mother's innocence meant nothing.

I used all my strength and slapped him across the face.

But the force of it threw me off balance, and I stumbled into the bookcase behind me. The shelves rocked violently, and I watched in horror as the entire bookcase began tipping toward me.

Panic shot through me.

Vince instinctively pulled Lauren out of the way.

The next second, the bookcase crashed down on top of me.

As I slipped into unconsciousness, I looked toward him. In the final moment before everything went dark, I saw his eyes widen as he rushed toward me.

I had no idea how much time had passed when I finally woke up.

Three of my ribs were broken.

This time, Vince was the one who texted me first.

[I'm buying you some clothes. What kind do you like?]

But in the corner of the photo, I could still see Lauren trying on clothes.

Maybe I was only an afterthought again.

I almost laughed.

For once, Vince was the one to reach out first.

But I didn't want to answer.

I calmly deleted his number, then left the divorce papers behind and headed for the airport.

-

A long time passed, but Vince still hadn't heard back from Natalie.

He wondered if she had fallen asleep.

He bought several outfits in the styles she usually wore, but when he returned to the hospital, her bed was empty.

The divorce papers were lying on top of it.

His eyes widened. The shopping bags slipped from his hands, hitting the floor.