Chapter 2

"If you don't like me playing poker, I won't go anymore. Is that okay?"

Looking at Melody's serious expression, my heart softened once again.

In the past, every time she used this tactic, I had no resistance at all.

But this time was different. I pulled away from her and said firmly, "Don't you really have anything to tell me?"

Just as she was about to speak, her phone suddenly rang.

She picked it up, glanced at it, and then put it back down.

I knew who was calling, but I asked anyway, "Who's calling? Why don't you answer it?"

Her eyes darted away for a moment, and she instinctively hung up the call.

"Ethan, you think you're so smart now, huh? When you're not working, it's a problem, and when you are working, you're all suspicious."

"I wasn't planning to rain on your parade when you found a job, but with that security guard salary of yours, do you have any right to keep pressuring me to have a baby? If it weren't for my foresight in taking birth control, I'd be a frumpy mom by now."

I didn't argue back. I just threw the croissant I'd bought for her after waiting in line for two hours this morning into the trash can.

Melody frowned at me for a moment, then suddenly softened her tone, "Fine, I won't go out to play cards anymore."

My heart suddenly skipped a beat, "Can you really do that?""Is that so? I found a night shift job. From now on, I'll be out working from 10 PM to 8 AM."

I scoffed inwardly. What was I still hoping for?

Melody was now planning to continue making a fool of me with this lame excuse.

I turned my back, not wanting to look at her even once.

Melody completely lost her patience and shoved me hard.

"Didn't you hear me talking to you? You're so ungrateful."

"Don't give me attitude when you can't do a damn thing yourself."

"How did I end up marrying a useless cripple like you? All you have is a nasty temper. You're truly worthless."

My foot slammed hard against the coffee table, reopening old wounds and drawing fresh blood.

"Yeah, I'm useless. But if it wasn't for saving you, would I be crippled?"

"Even though I'm physically impaired, I've never short-changed you. Every day I push myself to work three jobs just to give you the best life possible."

"If it wasn't for my leg injury flaring up again, how would I have ended up as a security guard?"

But Melody seemed not to have heard a word, slamming the door as she left.

During the day, while Melody was out, I secretly installed a hidden camera.

Even though everything was already set in stone.

But I still clung to a shred of hope in my heart.

Until I stepped out the door.Melody and her lover appeared in the surveillance footage mere moments later.

The instant Melody and Dashiell laid eyes on each other, they ignited like dry tinder, instantly entangling in a passionate embrace.

I masochistically watched for a long time, my phone recording even longer.

Their sounds of passion echoed from the living room all the way to the master bedroom.

They passionately kissed at the headboard, right beneath the wedding photo of Melody and me.

Watching them have their illicit affair in my bedroom,

My pillow was tossed to the floor, trampled underfoot.

It felt as if a dull knife had pierced my heart, the pain so intense I could barely breathe.

Since she treated me this way, I'd give her a grand gift in return.

......

That evening, my living room was packed full of people.

Melody's parents, her brother, her best friend, her college roommate, her aunts and uncles - I'd called everyone I could think of.

Just then, the sound of the keypad lock being entered came from outside the door.

I signaled for everyone to be quiet, then turned off the lights.