Chapter 2

2

After seeing the news, my parents insisted on picking me up from the airport.

They held me tightly in tears, so I went home with them and stayed the night.

The next day during lunch break at the office, Valerie barged into my private office in a fury.

To avoid workplace rumors, she had never once visited my office.

The moment she stepped inside, she pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Luke, don't you think you're taking this tantrum too far? Blocking me and staying out all night―are you even a man?"

"What about you? You didn't come home last night either. You only noticed I was gone at eight this morning. Valerie, what kind of wife does that make you?"

I had checked my call logs; she hadn't called once last night, only dialing my number a few times after eight in the morning.

Staying out all night with Chase wasn't the first time this had happened.

Sure enough, she crossed her arms and frowned in exasperation.

"Can you stop being so insecure? Chase just moved back, and as his friend, what's wrong with keeping him company? Nothing happened between us…"

He moved back a whole year ago, and she still called it "just moved back"?

"Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore," I replied casually.

"Wh-what?"

Valerie was gearing up for a fight, but my indifferent response caught her completely off guard.

I continued calmly, "I said, from now on, you don't need to report who you're with or what you're doing to me."

Valerie stared at me in stunned silence for a long moment.

"Wait for me after work. We need to have a serious talk."

I had things to tell her too, so I agreed.

When I walked down to the parking garage after work, I saw Valerie sitting in her car with Chase occupying the passenger seat.

"Chase was meeting a client nearby, so I gave him a ride since it was on the way," Valerie offered an awkward explanation.

In the past, I was always the one begging her for an explanation.

Chase gave me a polite smile. "Sorry about this, Luke. Hope you don't mind me hitching a ride with Val!"

His words sounded apologetic, but his eyes were filled with blatant provocation.

"It's fine," I muttered, opening the rear door to get in.

"Aren't you sitting in the front?" Valerie blurted out, a hint of panic flashing across her face.

Chase looked surprised by her question as well.

In the past, I had sulked countless times over who got the passenger seat.

Whenever I brought it up, Valerie accused me of being petty and unmanly over a simple car seat.

Yet it was never about the seat; it was about my standing in my wife's heart.

Now that I willingly sat in the back, Valerie looked troubled, while I felt completely at peace.

"Let's get moving. I have other plans later and only have thirty minutes for dinner."

She gave me a complicated look before silently stepping on the gas.

At the restaurant, Valerie and Chase chatted animatedly after ordering.

It was always like this―Chase bringing up inside jokes from their childhood while I was left sitting on the sidelines like a stranger.

When the fiery dishes arrived, I didn't touch my fork.

Instead, I flagged down the server and ordered a bowl of plain chicken broth and rice.

"Why aren't you eating?" Valerie frowned.

I glanced at the spicy spread and looked straight into her eyes.

"I ended up in the hospital with severe gastritis. I can't eat spicy food anymore."

Valerie looked away, a rare flicker of guilt crossing her face.

After all, that hospital stay had everything to do with her.