Chapter 1

After I get off work from the hospital, I decide to exercise by taking my mountain bike out on a ride. However, that's when I find out that the seat of my mountain bike has been lowered. There's even a blue sticky note with a scribbled heart pasted on the bike handle.

I call my wife, Sabrina Yellin.

"Who took my bike on a ride?"

After a few seconds of silence, Sabrina replies nonchalantly, "Kelly's boyfriend wanted to learn how to ride a mountain bike yesterday, so he practiced a few laps with your bike. What's wrong, though? Is the bike damaged in any way?"

Kelly's boyfriend? But he had boasted about going on an overseas vacation for one whole month last week on his social media account.

My gut feeling tells me that something's fishy about this whole thing. So, I just curl my lips into a smirk.

"Nah. He can keep using it."

After that, I push the mountain bike back to its original parking slot. Then, I find myself two needles so that I can insert them into the seat.

Three days later, when I'm working the night shift at the hospital, a nurse rushes in hurriedly.

"Dr. Hart, there's a male patient in the ER right now. He claims that his crotch was stabbed by needles when he was riding his bike earlier."

Chapter 1

"Ms. Yellin, it hurts so much. What should I do? Am I going to die?"

In the emergency room, my wife, Sabrina Yellin's face was etched with concern as she comforted the man in her arms, "It's okay, Zane. I'll get a doctor here right away. You'll be fine. It's so strange, though. Why were there needles on the seat?"

She patted his back gently and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

Her intimate gesture froze me in my tracks.

I knew this man. He was Zane Corbin, a graduate student who'd just joined Sabrina's research team this year, the one she had taken from another professor.

She had once praised him in front of me. "Zane has real potential, and he really listens to me. He's a real find."

So this was what she meant by "a find".

Sabrina's tone was a mix of reproach and heartache as she said, "Seriously, why do you always have to ride my husband's bike when I've already offered to buy you one?"

Zane grinned. "I just wanted to annoy him. Why does he get to have someone as incredible as you? Why can't I be the one to have you?"

At that, Sabrina's usual cold expression softened into a fond smile. "You're just so mischievous."

As I watched that play out, a shiver ran down my spine, and I felt a chill settle deep in my chest.

Sabrina and I had been married for eight years. I thought our relationship was solid.

She was busy with work, but she'd always make time for us to go out, surprise me with gifts, and even hold my hand when we went out.

We had made it past the seven-year itch, but now, could we really keep going?

I pinched my palm and walked over slowly.

"Where's the doc… Adrian?"

When Sabrina saw it was me, her face flickered with a hint of panic, but she quickly masked it.

"Honey? What a coincidence. How did you end up here? The nurse just told me about a male patient with an injury to his lower body." I feigned confusion as I watched her nervously avoid my gaze.

She stammered, "M-My student was injured, so I brought him in."

I glanced at Zane, whose expression was stiff, and smiled faintly. "Zane Corbin, right? Sabrina has mentioned you. Sounds like you're a great student."

The way I emphasized "great student" caused both of their expressions to change.

I looked down at Zane's injury. His lower body was a bloody mess. It was much worse than just a needle prick.

"Why were there needles on the seat? Didn't you check your bike before riding?" I asked.

Zane lowered his head, hiding his expression as he clenched his fist. "Oh, I just didn't expect it."

I casually asked, "Mr. Corbin, do you like to ride bikes? Sabrina isn't really the sporty type, so what are the odds of her bringing you here?"

The air suddenly turned tense.

"Enough, Adrian Hart! Just treat him already. Don't ask so many questions." Sabrina interrupted me coldly. Her eyes betrayed a flash of guilt.

I didn't stop what I was doing, and my smile never faded. "Gosh. We've been together forever. Why the attitude?"

Chapter 2

As if suddenly remembering something, I asked Sabrina, "Speaking of bikes, when I asked you who moved my bike, you said it was Kelly's boyfriend. But didn't he go abroad for a vacation?"

Her face turned pale, and I could see her panic creeping in.

"I-I must have gotten the wrong person."

Her expression suddenly darkened, showing a hint of irritation. "Adrian, you're supposed to be treating Zane, not asking questions here! We can talk about this later at home. Seriously, you don't even look like a professional doctor right now."

Zane was quietly watching me when suddenly he let out a sharp cry, "Ah, it hurts!"

He shoved me away, and his eyes filled with tears. "I don't want you to treat me anymore. Mr. Hart, are you mad at me or something? It hurts like hell!"

He pushed me so hard I crashed into a nearby cart, making a loud noise.

Sabrina nervously examined the injury on Zane's lower body. "Does it hurt a lot? Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

She carefully wiped away his tears, then turned to me with a frown. "Adrian, if you can't handle this, get someone else to do it. Don't waste any more time here."

My heart felt like it was being tugged. The pain was bitter and sharp.

I stopped smiling and stared at her with a blank expression. "Yeah, you're right. I can't handle this."

Sabrina froze, and her eyes flashed with anger. "Why didn't you say so earlier, then? You're wasting time! Did you buy your medical license or something? Just get out of the way!"

Rage bubbled up in me, burning through my veins. I forced a smile. "Fine, I'll leave. I'm getting rid of that mountain bike. I don't want something that's been used by someone else. It's tainted."

Sabrina stiffened, her eyes snapping wide. "You…"

I pulled off my gloves and turned to leave. She instinctively started to follow me but paused when she remembered that Zane was still in the hospital.

…

When I got home, exhaustion slowly crept in. I collapsed onto the bed and grabbed my phone to call my friend, Leila Santana.

"Find me a good divorce lawyer." I got straight to the point.

She was quiet for a moment. "You're getting divorced? No way. Are you really going to listen to your dad and go back to take over the family business?"

Her dramatic tone made me chuckle, and I slowly smiled. "You're overthinking. I just think it's time to get a divorce."

Life was too long to keep dragging things out.

"Also, help me look into someone."

Leila quickly replied, "Sure, I've got this. We've been friends for over a decade, after all."

Not long after I hung up the phone, Sabrina came home. She tossed her keys on the floor with a sharp clatter.

"What's your problem, Adrian? Throwing your weight around in a hospital? Really? And what's with all that cryptic talk? It's not funny."

I frowned, saying nothing.

"What's wrong with you?"

After a pause, she spoke through gritted teeth. "Yeah, Zane rode your bike. So what? He just wanted to try riding it, so I helped him out. Is that so wrong?

"But you're really ruthless. You put needles on the seat just to stop someone from using your bike? Do you have any idea how much Zane's hurting right now?"

She stepped toward me while staring at me with a bone-chilling gaze.

Watching her look at me with such pure hatred, I found it almost laughable.

After all these years of marriage, this was the first time I'd seen her this emotional.

Even when I'd been harassed by patients, followed by a knife-wielding lunatic after work, or so sick I nearly blacked out, she always stayed completely indifferent.

"Come on. It's not that big of a deal. It'll all be over," she said.

So why was she acting like a completely different person now?

My gaze landed on the bag she always carried with her.

Chapter 3

The black bag had a striking blue sticky note attached to it, matching the one on my mountain bike's handlebars.

It was as if she were claiming ownership.

"Sabrina, you're really good at acting, huh?"

I smirked, poking her in the shoulder. "Do you know Zane's injuries weren't caused by a normal bike ride? They're from him lying on the bike while doing things he shouldn't have been doing."

Watching her face freeze, I pressed harder. "So, how did it feel? Was it good? I bet it was thrilling."

Sabrina's face went from pale to flushed with anger. "You're talking nonsense!"

After saying that, she turned to storm into the bedroom.

I stopped her calmly. "I'm giving you a chance to come clean, Sabrina. Don't waste it."

She stopped and looked at me with a complicated gaze. "Adrian, I don't know what gave you the wrong idea, but Zane is a good student. Our relationship is not as filthy as you think! You're just insulting my profession now."

Just then, the harsh ring of her phone broke the tension.

"Ms. Yellin, where are you?"

Zane's voice, which was filled with helplessness, made Sabrina's expression shift to one of concern.

"The hospital is so noisy. I'm scared. Didn't you say you'd bring me food?" he asked.

Sabrina lowered her voice and replied patiently, "I'll be there as soon as I change. Don't worry. Just rest for now."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

After hanging up, she shot me a quick glance and quickly changed before rushing out.

My mind was a mess. I collapsed on the bed, letting my thoughts wander.

It soon got late, and my stomach began growling. I was about to order takeout when I saw a screenshot from my friend showing Zane's Instagram post.

The caption read, "Being with you makes me feel truly loved for the first time."

The picture was of Sabrina sleeping by his hospital bed.

My heart dropped.

Sabrina had never stayed out overnight before.

My phone buzzed, interrupting my thoughts. When I answered, Leila told me she had found something.

"Adrian…" Her tone was heavy.

"Zane and Sabrina met at a book club three years ago. She's the one who helped him get into graduate school and into her research team."

I gripped the phone tightly.

Leila continued, "My people found out… that there's a hotel record indicating they were together last Christmas Eve."

Christmas Eve?

That night, Sabrina had told me she'd fallen and lost our baby. I'd been devastated then. However, it turned out that she just went to meet Zane in a hotel.

I felt like my soul was drained. I didn't even remember hanging up the phone before I passed out.

Half-awake, I heard someone banging on the door. "Open up!"

I thought about ignoring it, but the banging grew louder.

I reluctantly dragged myself up and opened the door to find Sabrina's mother, Julia Elliott, looking at me with annoyance.

"Didn't hear me knock? What took you so long?"

She scowled, then caught sight of my bleary eyes and couldn't resist complaining, "Another night shift? Honestly, just quit that job. You're so busy you're barely home, and it's not like it pays well anyway. Sabrina makes more than enough to support you."

My sluggish brain took a moment to process what she was saying. As I looked at her busying herself in the kitchen, I parted my lips. "Mom, Sabrina's cheating on me."

After a long pause, Julia finally said calmly, "Oh, you mean Zane? That's not cheating. They're just really close."

I thought she'd be angry. My chest tightened with a violent tremor. Betrayal tore through me. "You knew?"

She closed the fridge with a nonchalant expression. "Sabrina's an amazing woman. It's only normal for guys to flock to her. Besides, she hasn't done anything wrong. You can't have children now, so stop being so selfish."

Chapter 4

My heart skipped a beat, and I froze on the spot.

A few months ago, a patient's knife struck a precise spot near my groin, severing my vas deferens and permanently robbing me of the chance to father a child.

This only worsened Julia's already low opinion of me. Once, after drinking, she even called me a eunuch.

Sabrina saw all of this but didn't seem to care. "Well, it's true, isn't it? My mom is always so straightforward. You'll just have to deal with it. You're married to me, not her, so why worry about her?"

I had thought that Sabrina was just the kind of person who didn't show much emotion, so I convinced myself to get used to it.

However, I never expected that her gentleness and affection had already been given to someone else.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Alright, then. I'm going to divorce Sabrina."

Julia glanced at me and clicked her tongue. "Do whatever you want."

Her indifference left a hollow ache in my chest. I stormed out of the house to call Dad.

"Dad, I'm divorcing Sabrina." My voice sounded rougher than usual.

Dad sighed on the other end of the line. "I heard it all from Leila. You're such a fool. You should've told me sooner instead of trying to carry this whole mess on your shoulders. Do you need me to help with the divorce?"

I fought to keep my voice steady. "Dad, I remember that the dean from Sabrina's school is a good friend of yours, right?"

Once he confirmed it, an idea started to form in my mind. "It's fine, Dad. I'll handle it."

With my decision made, I headed to the hospital to finalize my resignation.

As I walked down the hallway, I suddenly heard a familiar voice. "Oh, stop it, Ms. Yellin. I'm still in pain."

Sabrina's chuckle was thick with desire. "You don't want it? Who was the one who begged for me last time? What, now that you've gotten me, you want to leave?"

"Of course not!"

Zane's laughter made my chest tighten, and my gaze drifted toward them.

Sabrina, who was straddling Zane, had him pinned down. Her right hand was exploring his body freely.

This was nothing like the image of the model professor she always projected.

I silently left to finish my resignation. As I passed through the hallway again, my phone buzzed.

It was my assistant, who used to follow me around.

"Dr. Hart, there's something I need to tell you. Your wife is pregnant."

The words hit me like a blow to the head, and I stood frozen.

Not far away, Zane was gently caressing Sabrina's still-flat belly, curiously asking, "Ms. Yellin, do you prefer a boy or a girl?"

Sabrina nestled into his arms. "Either, as long as it's our child."

I had asked her that same question before.

When I first found out she was pregnant, I'd set up the nursery myself, lovingly talking to the baby in her belly. But that child quietly died on the day she and Zane had their hotel rendezvous.

Her love, it seemed, could be given to anyone.

"Are you going to… keep this baby?" Zane asked.

His face showed concern. "Mr. Hart acted really strangely that day. Has he found out about us?"

Sabrina kissed his cheek and replied firmly, "So what if he finds out? He can't have children himself, so he'll just have to accept it. Besides, I'm in the literary field. This sort of thing is perfectly normal."

Her lips curled up in a sly smile. "My mom's birthday party is in a few days. I'll make Adrian accept this baby then and force him to admit it's his."

…

After leaving the hospital, I immediately transferred all assets under my name and contacted the divorce lawyer Leila had recommended.

By the time everything was sorted, it was already evening.

Sabrina was sitting alone in the living room, resting her chin in her hand, lost in thought. When she saw me, her expression froze.

"I heard you quit your job," she said.

I simply nodded, not bothering to look up.

Her face showed confusion. "Why? Why didn't you discuss it with me? Didn't you work so hard for that medical license?"

Chapter 5

I set my bag down and replied calmly. "No particular reason. I'm just thinking about reworking my life plan."

Sabrina stayed silent for a moment, then let out a strange laugh. "Reworking your life plan? Adrian, we both know you don't have any real goals. I understand it's just a talk."

I glanced at the stains left on the table from her meal and tightened my fists in silence.

"Your mom's birthday is in a few days. It's her 50th, so we should really make it a big deal. Since I've quit my job, let me handle it."

A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, and she sounded genuinely moved. "Really? You never wanted to do that before."

"That was before. Mom will be happy," I said.

She had always been frustrated by my relationship with Julia, so seeing me finally give in filled her with an unusual level of joy. "That's good to hear. You're so thoughtful, Adrian."

She rarely cooked, but to show her appreciation, she made me a late-night snack.

In the past, I would have been touched, but as I looked at the bland pasta, my appetite vanished in an instant. "Thanks, honey, but I'm not hungry. You eat."

From that day on, I started picking restaurants, booking a private room, and buying gifts. I made sure everything was grand, so Julia would be in a good mood that day.

…

"Adrian, I told you, you should have quit your job and stayed home. Look how nice this is."

Julia looked around the luxurious private room that could fit 50 people, and at the gold bracelet I handed her. She couldn't stop smiling.

I gave a small smile in return but said nothing.

Before long, Sabrina brought Zane into the room. "Mom, this is Zane, the one I told you about."

Julia rushed over, and her face lit up with joy. "Oh, Zane, I've been wanting to meet you!"

She instinctively reached for his hand but quickly withdrew it when she remembered I was still there.

I feigned curiosity and asked, "Mom, how come you're so familiar with Zane?"

With the other relatives watching, Julia's smile dimmed slightly. "I-I've just heard Sabrina talk about him. He's a good student, so I thought I should meet him."

I squinted as I watched them. Their hidden agendas were practically written all over their faces.

"Just you wait," I thought.

Once we sat down, Sabrina frowned. "Why book such a big room just for a few relatives? It's such a waste of money."

She sat beside Zane and had the waiter bring over a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Then, she carefully fed him.

It wasn't until she finished that she realized I was watching, and her expression became slightly awkward. "Z-Zane's been feeling sick these past few days—"

"It's fine. I don't mind."

I waved it off and glanced at the time. It was almost time.

The party was about to begin. Sabrina stood up to give a speech when suddenly a few people walked through the door.

Her face paled with shock as she saw who they were. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

My dad and a few relatives from my family walked in with their heads held high. Their expressions were indifferent.

"Why? Am I not welcome?" Dad asked.

Sabrina stammered, "No. It's just… I didn't expect you to come. You usually don't attend these kinds of events."

Dad didn't even look at her. "I must attend this one today."

After saying that, he found a chair and sat down.

Sabrina's expression grew darker. Just as she was about to say something, the door opened again, and another person entered.

Seeing who it was, Sabrina was taken aback. "Mr. Livingston?"

The dean of her school, Hector Livingston, nodded at her, then looked at me with a warmer smile. "Adrian, it's been so long."

I smiled back. "Mr. Livingston, it's been a while indeed."

As Sabrina's confusion deepened, I escorted Hector to his seat and smiled widely. "Now that everyone's here, the show can begin."