Chapter 1

After five years of marriage, my husband cheated on me.

On my way to catch him in the act, I saw someone.

It was my pure love, my ex-boyfriend.

But he was supposed to be dead.

That day, he had lain motionless in a pool of blood.

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Discovering my husband's affair coincided with our fifth wedding anniversary celebration.

As usual, Damien returned home after working overtime, his face sour as he complained to me, "The clients are such a pain. They've made us revise the work seven or eight times and they're still not satisfied. My darling here has it easy, only having to cater to one person."

I took his suit jacket as he removed it, bringing it to the bedroom to hang up neatly.

Out of habit, I checked all the pockets. Damien often forgot items in his pockets.

This time, however, I felt a black and gold wooden key card. It had a simple letter M printed on it, belonging to a well-known luxury hotel chain.

My hand trembled as I gripped the key card. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, but my heart felt like it was being squeezed tight. I couldn't catch my breath no matter how I tried.

Damien was in the adjacent study, dealing with work. My whole body felt weak; I couldn't even take a step to confront him. I was afraid he'd give evasive answers, or worse, come up with a perfect alibi.

After a long while, Damien knocked on the bedroom door. I quickly put the card back, composed myself, adjusted my expression in the mirror to appear nonchalant, and opened the door.

Damien examined me closely, "Why were you in there so long? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I've just been having trouble sleeping lately. I was soaking my feet to help me sleep better."I stepped past him towards the bedroom, trying my best to appear normal.

Damien caught up and asked with concern, "Are you taking your medication? If you're not feeling well, I can take you to the hospital."

I've had trouble sleeping for a long time and have been taking sleep aids. To prepare for pregnancy, I secretly stopped taking the medication, but Damien didn't know.

"I'm taking them. It's nothing serious, no need to bother with the hospital." I really hate the distinct smell of disinfectant in hospitals.

Hearing this, Damien didn't ask further. After helping me into bed and tucking me in, he tiptoed to his study to continue working.

In the darkness, I calmed down to think. If Damien was really having an affair, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. I had to take action, at the very least to find out who this woman was.

Waking up in the morning, Damien had already prepared breakfast. I was preoccupied and sleepless all night, with no appetite at all.

Watching him skillfully make my coffee and set out an elegant plate, I couldn't help but wonder if last night was just a dream. Maybe I was overthinking and mistaking a dream for reality.

"Melody, there's an urgent matter at the office today. I'll have to work overtime." Damien's pleasant voice pulled me back from my self-analysis.I maintained my composure, nodding to him as usual as he left the house, the warmth of his kiss still lingering on my forehead.

It was rare for Damien to ditch me on weekends to work overtime at the office. Even when he did, it wasn't often. At this moment, I couldn't help but doubt whether he was really going to the office.

Women are like that - once the seed of suspicion is planted, it grows uncontrollably.

Without overthinking, I got into our other car and left the house shortly after Damien's departure.

My intuition wasn't wrong. If Damien was heading to the office, he should have turned at the previous intersection.

I followed Damien all the way to the foot of a tall building. Seeing the giant "M" logo on the high-rise, my heart sank. I blinked back the stinging tears that threatened to spill.

Damien entered the lobby but didn't rush to the elevator. Instead, he sat on a couch in the corner, appearing to be waiting for someone.