Chapter 2

2.

She hung up before I could say another word.

I stared at my phone in a daze.

I thought I was ready to let her go, but her coldness still felt like a knife to the chest.

I slumped back into the bed, and the movement pulled at my surgical incision.

A wave of sharp pain washed over me, leaving beads of sweat on my forehead.

I lay there, letting out a hollow, bitter laugh.

Everything changed three months ago when Jasper returned to the city.

He had been gone for three years, and Roxanne used every excuse to stay out late with him.

She claimed she was just helping him get settled back into the city.

If I even questioned her, she would snap at me like a cornered animal.

We had been married for three years, and I had loved her more than life itself.

I told myself they were just childhood friends and that being close was normal.

But a few days ago, I accidentally found out the truth.

She had been sleeping with him behind my back.

Even then, I pathetically blamed myself.

I wondered if I wasn't good enough or if I could win her back by being better.

But this emergency surgery opened my eyes to who she really was.

"Hayes, are you feeling okay? Has your family arrived yet?"

My doctor walked in to check on my vitals.

I shook my head and told him I was fine on my own.

He didn't look surprised; he'd seen this a thousand times.

He told me I needed to stay for at least a week for observation.

I told him I understood and called a professional nursing service.

By dinner time, the fireworks outside had finally quieted down.

Jasper, however, was still posting up a storm.

"Chef Roxy is the ultimate boss babe. Her memory is incredible."

"Three years apart, and she still remembers every single dish I love~ So lucky~"

I zoomed in on the photo of the dinner table.

The table was covered in food I hated, but Roxanne loved to order.

I finally realized why she always forced me to eat spicy food despite knowing it wrecked my stomach.

My phone buzzed constantly with group chat notifications.

I checked and saw that Roxanne had added Jasper to our friend group.

Most of the people in that group were my childhood friends―rich guys from the city's elite circles.

They were usually loud and rowdy, and the chat was blowing up.

One friend asked, "Where's Hayes? The chat is lit and he's being a ghost."

Roxanne replied with a biting sarcasm, "He's got a huge ego now. I can't control him."

I stared at those words for a long time.

I knew the letters, but the meaning felt foreign to me.

Annoyed by the teasing from our friends, Roxanne finally called me.

"Hayes, are you blind? Why aren't you replying to the group?"

"Are you trying to make everyone think I'm some kind of monster wife?"

It was hilarious. She was the one flirting with those guys in public.

Now she couldn't handle the jokes.

My wound began to throb again while she rambled on about my supposed sins.

For the first time, I felt a spark of defiance.

"Believe whatever you want to believe," I said.