Chapter 3

3

Maisie suddenly burst into tears and threw herself off the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Elara!"

She knelt on the floor and grabbed the bottom of my jeans.

"It's all my fault. Don't blame Caleb! Please don't fight because of me!"

Then, she slapped herself.

Caleb caught her hand and pulled her into a protective hug. He roared at me.

"What makes you think you're so superior? If you hadn't been such a bitch, Maisie wouldn't have felt guilty enough to go out and get followed!"

"If you don't apologize, get out! Don't ever let me see your face again!"

I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white.

I didn't say a word. I just turned and walked out.

Behind me, his voice echoed down the hall.

"Elara! Don't you dare come crawling back for forgiveness later!"

I didn't look back.

The wind was cold, and my steps were shaky.

But my heart was strangely quiet.

After waiting in the cold for thirty minutes, I finally caught a cab.

On the way, I saw a new post on social media.

Maisie had posted two photos. One was a man's hand checking the water temperature in a basin.

The second was a profile of Caleb, focused on washing her feet.

The caption read: "Who has the best big brother? He was so worried about my injury that he washed my feet himself."

The comments from their mutual friends were full of envy.

"I've never seen Caleb act like this. I'm so jealous!"

"Doesn't Caleb have a germ phobia? I guess Maisie is the exception!"

"Maisie is probably the only woman Caleb will ever do this for."

Every word felt like a slap to my face as his wife.

I took a deep breath and clicked "like."

A few minutes later, Caleb called.

I hit the red button and put my phone down.

When I got home, I started packing.

My company had offered me a promotion to lead the overseas market a week from now.

I had turned it down years ago because I couldn't bear to leave Caleb.

I was so stupid back then.

By sunrise, the house I had carefully decorated for five years looked empty.

I packed all the little trinkets Caleb used to call childish.

I used to tell him he just didn't understand romance.

The truth was, I just wasn't worth the effort to him.

I threw my wedding ring into a box along with the rest of the junk.

As I was carrying the box to the dumpster outside, I ran into Caleb.

"Elara, are you playing the silent treatment now? Do Maisie and I really have to come fetch you?"

The sweet scent of her perfume on him made me nauseous.

I noticed a small bite mark on his neck.

I stepped back. "What silent treatment?"

"Don't play dumb. I messaged you yesterday. Maisie is treating us to dinner. You're coming, so stop throwing a fit."

He snatched the box from my hands and tossed it into the trash without looking.

"Finally throwing this trash away. Don't buy this crap anymore, it takes up too much space."

"Let's go!"

He grabbed my arm. His tone allowed no refusal.

I glanced back at the memories of five years sitting in the trash, already covered in bugs. My eyes stung.

Fine. I would go and settle everything in front of everyone.