My unflappable husband, Julian, had just come out of minor surgery. Before the anesthesia even wore off, he began to ramble.

A wicked grin spread across my face as I pulled out my phone to record this rare lapse in his composure.

He suddenly turned his head to look at me, asking if I liked the anniversary gift he'd given me.

Suppressing a laugh, I played along, asking him why.

But he gave me a lazy, sensual smile I'd never seen before, leaned close to my ear, and whispered, his breath hot against my skin:

"Because I'd loaded it with selfies of me and Chloe in bed. I spent a whole day admiring them before swapping in your photos at the last second. The thrill of it… It was so exhilarating I just had to share the joy with you."

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. I probably never saw it coming, he added, a cruel twist to his lips. He hadn't given me the gift out of love, but for the sheer, intoxicating thrill of the affair.

His words were a bucket of ice water poured over my head. The smirk on Julian's face sent a sharp, excruciating pain through my chest.

My hand clenched, and the expensive, custom-made smart pendant he’d given me buckled in my palm. Its screen shattered instantly.

Just like our seven-year marriage, crushed by his own hands.

————————

1

The "Chloe" Julian mentioned was our neighbor, a popular yoga influencer.

I’d always liked her, thinking she was cheerful and bright, while Julian always seemed impatient around her, even making excuses to avoid her.

I never imagined that those two, who seemed completely disconnected, had been sleeping together.

My phone was still recording. Julian was still hazy from the anesthesia.

A nurse came in to check on him. He grabbed her hand and began to gush excitedly.

"I'm so obsessed with Chloe. A few days ago, we were holed up in a boutique hotel for five whole days without leaving."

Hearing this, the nurses stifled their laughter, exchanged a meaningful glance in my direction, and quietly left.

Staring at the man on the hospital bed, a sour ache spread through my chest, constricting everything inside me.

Julian had lied to me.

Those five days he spoke of, he'd told me he was going to Austin for a tech summit.

The man on the bed was still waving his arms.

"Five days! Five! Do you have any idea what that means?"

"Even my wedding wasn't this crazy."

"Chloe, Chloe! I miss you, Chloe!"

...

His lovesick cries for her echoed through the VIP room.

And I was chilled to the bone.

I tilted my head back, trying not to cry, but tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

My phone buzzed. A DM from Chloe popped up on Instagram.

【Ava, how did Julian's surgery go?】

Seeing her message, my head swam.

She was always overly friendly with me, yet she’d never meet Julian’s eye, claiming she was afraid of disturbing his work.

I’d believed her, treating her like a little sister from next door who looked up to me.

During Julian's so-called "business trip," Chloe, who usually loved updating her social media, hadn't posted a single thing for days.

Worried something had happened to her, I messaged her every day to check in, reminding her over and over to take care of herself.

She didn't say much, only replying with a smiling emoji.

【Okay.】

I then mentioned this to Julian.

He told me: 【It's fine, don't worry. Maybe she just wants to be alone for a few days.】

I'd found it strange at the time. He acted like he barely knew Chloe, so how could he speak with such certainty?

It turned out the reason Chloe didn't want to be seen was because of him.

Just one wall away, the two people I trusted most had betrayed me.

Half an hour later, Julian woke up, reverting to his usual icy demeanor.

Seeing the crushed pendant in my hand, he frowned instinctively. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

He reached out to take my hand, but I flinched away from his touch.

"I'm fine."

"Ava," Julian began after a pause, his eyes flickering, "I didn't say anything crazy, did I?"

My hand tightened around the remnants of the pendant, my voice coming out a little hoarse.

"You didn't say anything crazy."

On the contrary. You told me every terrible truth I never knew.

It was the first time I realized what a phenomenal liar Julian was. I had never once suspected their relationship.

The man propped himself up and cleared his raspy throat. "I want some water."

I handed him the water glass, watching him drink with a lost look on my face.

The glass in his hand was also a gift from him.

When he gave it to me, was it also because he was so happy after sleeping with Chloe that he wanted to share his joy with me?

The thought that this cup I treasured might have such a sordid story behind it made my heart ache relentlessly.

Seeing that I hadn't replied, Chloe called.

"Ava, when are you coming back? I miss you," she said, sounding just like a clingy little sister.

Hearing her voice on the other end, Julian's eyes brightened slightly, but he still feigned ignorance, his face expressionless. "Who is it?"

I put the call on speaker. "It's Chloe. Do you want to talk to her?"

They spoke almost in unison. "Why would I want to talk to her?" "Why would I want to talk to him?"

After the call ended, Julian's face showed a hint of displeasure. "Why did you tell her about my surgery?"

I lowered my eyes and put my phone away. "I've never told her anything about you."

A tense silence fell over the room.

A flicker of panic crossed the face of the usually cool and self-possessed Julian.

His assistant chose that moment to push the door open, breaking the awkwardness. "Julian, there's a document you need to look at."

Julian gave a slight nod and reached out to hand the water glass back to me.

I'd already turned and walked out the door, firing off an email to my lawyer.

【Help me draft a divorce agreement. The sooner, the better.】

...

Before Julian was discharged, I used an urgent work matter as an excuse to go home early and move all my belongings into the guest room.

As I was packing in the bedroom, a notification from our doorbell app popped up on my phone.

The video showed Julian and Chloe at our apartment door, lost in a passionate kiss as if they couldn't bear to part.

I don't know how long it was before they finally pulled apart.

Chloe hugged Julian's waist and asked with concern, "Did the surgery hurt? You didn't let me come to the hospital to see you, I was worried sick."

Julian stroked her head, a doting smile on his face I had never seen before. "It was just a minor surgery. See? I'm perfectly fine now, aren't I?"

"Alright, I'll head home for now. I'll come see you again when I can."

When Julian walked through the door, I was just coming down the stairs.

The smile was still lingering on his lips when our eyes met.

After a brief moment of shock, the man held up a jewelry box. "I got you a new model of the pendant. See if you like it. If not, we can still exchange it."

I had to admit, Julian knew my tastes inside and out. This new smart pendant was more expensive and more exquisite.

Unfortunately, I didn't want it anymore.

A pendant could be replaced, but our relationship could never go back to what it was.

As I stood frozen, Julian strode toward me, trying to fasten it around my neck.

Snapping back to reality, I took a sharp step back. His raised hand was left hanging in mid-air.

"What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but my gaze was snagged by the hickey just below the collar of his shirt.

These hands had just held another woman.

My eyes drifted up, landing on the lingering moisture at the corner of his mouth.

This mouth had just been kissing someone else.

My chest felt tight and heavy, and I could barely breathe.

Seeing my pale face, Julian's expression grew serious. "Are you not feeling well?"

He took a step forward, reaching out to touch my forehead.

The strong scent of her perfume assaulted my senses.

I quickly spoke, "I'm fine! I'm fine..."

I turned and fled back to the guest room.

But he was the one who cheated, so why was I the one fleeing in a panic?

I leaned against the guest room door and slid to the floor, unable to understand how Julian and I had come to this point.

Before that sham of a business trip, we had just celebrated our seventh anniversary.

My phone vibrated.

An email from my lawyer. The divorce agreement had been drafted.

I pushed myself up using the door and turned on the computer and printer in the guest room.

Just as I logged into my cloud folder, a screenshot of a project Julian had sent me three years ago popped up. It was cold and impersonal.

My fingers scrolled through our chat history, desperately searching for any sign that he had once loved me passionately.

However, there was nothing. A complete blank.

Not only did he rarely smile at me in real life, but there wasn't even a single emoji in our past messages.

If not for this accident, I might have gone my whole life thinking he was just an emotionally distant tech nerd.

The printer whirred and clicked, spitting out the divorce agreement.

I signed my name and went to the master bedroom to find Julian.

The door was ajar. As I raised my hand to push it open, I heard his voice from inside, speaking on his AirPods.

"Yeah, she went to the guest room."

"Why should I go after her? Isn't it better this way so we can talk?"

"Thrilling?" The man chuckled. "Wait until she goes to the Portland project site next week. I'll have you come over. That's what you call thrilling."

"When? I'll call you once I know what day she's leaving."

I thought I should burst in and demand to know why he was treating me this way.

But my feet felt as if they were filled with lead, unable to move a single step.

I knew that wasn't my personality. I hate arguing, and I despise conflict even more.

The next thing I knew, I was back in the guest room.

I placed the divorce agreement on the bedside table, pulled out a suitcase, and began to pack.

Seven years meant a lot of things, but I wanted nothing that reminded me of Julian.

...

After sorting through everything, seven years of marriage ended up packed into one large and one small suitcase.

As the sun was setting, Julian knocked and pushed the door open.

"Ava, it's time for dinner."

When he saw my suitcases, a flicker of barely perceptible relief crossed his eyes.

"You're... going to Portland for a business trip?"

"Your ID is still on the dresser. I'll get it for you."

Just as Julian placed my ID on my suitcase, a knock came from downstairs.

"Ava, Ava, Ava~ Can I have dinner with you?"

Chloe was here so soon. Was he that impatient?

When I looked up at Julian, he was frowning, a look of annoyance on his face.

"Why is she here again?"

Then, he spoke to me with the same cold expression as always, "Just send up some takeout for me later. I really don't want to see her."

Even though I now knew about their relationship, I still couldn't find a single flaw in Julian's performance.

He was such a good actor, so good that I truly believed he detested Chloe to the core.

In the past, I would always persuade him to see her, that it was just a meal, no big deal.

But now I was leaving. They would have plenty of time to see each other, and I couldn't be bothered to persuade him anymore.

I casually replied, "Okay."

Julian's cold face suddenly froze.

It was only then that I remembered what I saw on the doorbell app. Chloe had hugged Julian, begging, "Next time we have dinner, please don't hide from me again, okay?"

Julian had agreed.

So he had actually been waiting for me to persuade him to stay, giving him a perfect excuse to comply.

But I had already agreed to his request, and although Julian hadn't gotten what he wanted, he couldn't say anything more.

The look on his face as he left, however, was several shades colder than when he was feigning his disgust.

I couldn't be bothered to care. I grabbed my things and went downstairs.

Chloe bounded toward me the moment she came in, her arms wide for a hug. "Ava! I missed you so much!"

She smiled sweetly, showing no sign of anything unusual.

I subtly placed my suitcase between us.

Seeing the suitcase, her smile widened. "Ava, are you going on a business trip?"

It was dinnertime, and I was packing my bags to leave at this hour. Other than seeing me as a departing obstacle, neither of them seemed to register that anything was wrong with this picture.

Chloe pressed on, "How many days will you be gone? I'll miss you too much if you're gone for long."

Won't be able to stand what? The joy of me being gone?

I had no energy to say anything more to her, simply gesturing towards the takeout on the table. "Let's eat."

Just as I was about to push my luggage towards the door, a flash of surprise crossed Chloe's face, which quickly turned into the familiar look of awkwardness I'd seen so often.

"Julian... it's time to eat. I'll get you some utensils."

While Chloe was in the kitchen, Julian shook his head and sighed at me.

"I just wanted to come down to get something. I didn't expect to run into her."

"How about I just stay for dinner today? Otherwise, it would seem too rude."

Was he afraid of being rude, or was he afraid she would be unhappy if he didn't follow through on his promise to her?

The accusatory words reached my lips, but I swallowed them back down. When the answer was so obvious, why did I even need to ask?

Chloe came out with the utensils. The two of them sat down, one on each side, and turned to look at me. "Come on, we're just waiting for you."

It was as if I were the uninvited guest.

I looked down, my hand tightening on the handle of my suitcase, and headed for the door. "I'm in a hurry."

Footsteps sounded behind me. Julian stood up and followed. "Ava, let me drive you to the airport."

I looked up, about to refuse, but he averted his eyes.

In that instant, I knew. He was afraid I would say yes. He was afraid that driving me would cut into his time with Chloe.

Chloe was in the dining room, he was at the door. They were facing away from each other, but I couldn't ignore the palpable, suppressed excitement that filled the air between them.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, lowered my eyes, and turned away. "It's okay, you don't have to."

Watching my back as I left with my suitcase, Chloe was so excited she gave Julian a silent, beaming smile.

But though he tugged the corner of his mouth into a smile, the expression didn't reach his eyes.

As I waited for an Uber by the roadside, dragging my two suitcases, I stumbled over a loose paving stone.

As he glanced at the darkening sky, something shifted in his expression—a flicker of pity, perhaps. He strode toward me and, ignoring my protests, loaded my luggage into his car.

"I should just take you."

Near the light rail station, Julian pulled the car over. "Message me when you get there."

I didn't want to talk. I pushed my suitcase and walked into the station without a backward glance.

A knot formed in the man's chest; he assumed I just hadn't heard him.

But on the way back, an inexplicable sense of unease rose in his heart.

After much thought, Julian finally sent me a message.

【When are you coming back?】

His phone chimed a moment later with my reply.

【I'm not.】

【Julian, let's get a divorce.】