Chapter 2

Luke and I attended college together. He was considered the most attractive male in our class. For four years, he pursued Nancy, while I harbored feelings for him during that same period.

Whenever Nancy rejected him, he'd seek solace in my company. I hoped my unwavering support would eventually win him over.

As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. After graduation, he chose to be with me.

We tied the knot shortly after, but he never shared anything about our relationship on social platforms.

His explanation was that he preferred to keep a low profile.

"Our marriage is a private matter. Our happiness is what counts. Don't you agree?"

"Sure, whatever you say," I concurred.

Our social circles overlapped significantly. To respect his wishes, I kept our marital bliss to myself.

Our married life was unremarkable. I'd return from work daily to handle laundry, cooking, and other household chores, allowing him to focus solely on his career.

His professional progress was impressive, advancing from an unknown sales representative to assistant manager in just 18 months.

However, when an opportunity for a marketing manager position arose internally, he resigned.

The reason? Nancy had returned from abroad.

I wasn't privy to how Nancy convinced him to leave his job.

All I knew was that after discovering my fertility issues two years into our marriage, he suggested I stay home to prepare for pregnancy. His income was sufficient for us, and at that time, he seemed committed to our family.

That changed when he joined Nancy's company.

I must admit, his business acumen was remarkable. He quickly became Nancy's trusted associate, helping her manage the company efficiently and significantly boost its market value.

Some of Nancy's employees even assumed he was her spouse, given his dedication to the company.

To outsiders, they appeared to be an ideal pair. In both professional and personal spheres, they seemed perfectly matched and unbeatable.

Once, after a business trip lasting several months, he returned and took me for in vitro fertilization.

I was overjoyed, hugging him tightly, believing he had finally understood my desires.

Little did I know, it was guilt that motivated his actions.

Guilt was the last thing I needed. What I craved was his unconditional love.

I wasn't aware of what transpired during those months away, but his attitude towards me became entirely compliant, leading me to believe he had finally reciprocated my feelings.

However, what awaited me was a cruel revelation that would devastate both me and my mother.

I glanced at the closed door, then at my weeping mother.

For five years, my stubbornness had caused my mother to suffer alongside me.

A marriage built on obligation could never bring happiness, only bitterness.

It took me half a decade to comprehend this truth.

"If you're uncomfortable, stay still. Take care of yourself.

"I'll be there once I'm finished here.

"But...wait for me after that."

As my mother and I exited the room, we overheard him on a phone call as he hastily departed.

He left me behind, walking away quickly.

"Despicable!"

My mother, enraged, slammed her bedroom door shut upon returning.

I went to the kitchen to clean up the mess.

The spilled chicken soup on the floor was still emitting steam.

I took several days of bereavement leave. My colleagues assumed a family member had passed away and offered their condolences.

Nancy's heart condition persisted for days.

Luke hadn't been home for three days.

During my hospital stay, a nurse informed me that I needed an immediate hysterectomy to save my life.

As his wife, I believed he had the right to know.

So I decided to wait for him once more.

He had caused me to undergo an induced abortion at six months, which was extremely detrimental to my health.

My health had been poor, and he had been preoccupied with Nancy. It wouldn't be surprising if he didn't even attend my funeral if I died, let alone care about my abortion.

This was the final chance I was giving him for our family.

Suddenly, my phone chimed with a text message.

It was a bank notification, informing me that my card had been used for a transaction exceeding thirty thousand dollars.

I usually ignored such messages, but this one caught my attention as it appeared on my screen.

Luke typically used my card. What had happened? Why did he need such a large sum?

Was he experiencing health issues?

Since Nancy fell ill, I hadn't been able to reach him. After much effort, I finally located him.

"Honey."

The word caught in my throat.

The scene before me was heartbreaking.

He was carefully wiping Nancy's body with a damp cloth.

Despite his unkempt beard, he appeared energetic.

It was as if he had become invincible for Nancy, immune to fatigue or pain.

When he was with me, I didn't want him to even handle a needle, fearing he might hurt himself.

Yet here he was, doing all this for Nancy.

I knocked on the door.

He turned, his expression shifting from guilt to indifference upon seeing me.

"Why are you here? Consider that thirty thousand dollars a loan. I'll repay you when I receive my salary."

His first instinct was to distance himself from me.

Had I ever questioned him about money in all our years together?

I rarely even checked my account balance.

I only worried that he might not have enough to spend, so I worked diligently every day to earn money.

But perhaps all those funds were spent on Nancy.

Nancy sat up in bed, feigning confusion. "Luke, you covered my surgery costs? And Madison doesn't know? You shouldn't have done that."

"The company has been running a significant deficit lately, and it's not enough to cover your surgery. Your heart condition was difficult to diagnose, and even with commercial insurance, it's insufficient. These thirty thousand dollars are just a fraction of the total. I had no other choice."

"But you just lost your baby. You should be taking care of Madison. What if this completely breaks her heart?" she said.

He mouthed to me, "Isn't that exactly what I want?"

It dawned on me that Nancy's target had never been Luke from the beginning, but me.