Chapter 2

2

In those ten years, we had fought, argued, and bickered, but we never once considered splitting up.

After all this time, we had become an essential part of each other's lives.

Every time we had a get-together, our old classmates would tease us.

"I'm telling you two, you're an old married couple now. Can you stop being so clingy?"

"Seriously, I haven't even eaten yet, and I'm already full of the 'love' you guys are serving!"

Whenever that happened, Zach would lean into my arms, tilting his chin up proudly.

"So what? I love Zoe. Even in a hundred years, I'll still love her!"

I could only lower my head in embarrassment, though my eyes were fixed only on him.

Suddenly, a series of suggestive moans drifted in from the room next door.

My hand, which was comforting Jade, froze instantly.

The moment I heard that voice, I felt like I had been dropped into a frozen lake.

Just this morning, that same voice had been whispering in my ear.

"Babe, don't go to work, okay? I don't want to leave you..."

It was Zach's voice.

I would know it anywhere.

The hotel walls were thin, which made the sounds from next door even more piercing and vulgar.

I heard my husband clearly, talking dirty to a strange woman.

"Serena! Serena!"

"You're so good..."

Then came the woman's playful, high-pitched giggle.

"Am I tighter, or is your wife?"

"You! You're ten thousand times tighter than Zoe!"

They said even more disgusting things after that, but I couldn't hear them clearly anymore.

A loud ringing filled my ears, and it felt like I had been tossed into the middle of a vast, bottomless ocean.

In just a few minutes, I felt like I was suffocating.

Jade's face looked even worse than mine. Her lips were trembling with rage as she cursed under her breath.

"Dammit! Those trashy people. I'm going to go in there and rip them apart!"

She turned to leave, but I lunged forward and pulled her back with all my strength.

"Don't go..."

"Please, don't go."

After saying that, I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I stumbled and collapsed onto my knees.

How could I go in there?

Was I supposed to do what Jade did to her husband―trap my own husband in bed with another woman?

To see them naked and feel that humiliation?

How was I supposed to face it? How was I supposed to accept it?

That was Zach...

The Zach I had cherished and loved for ten years!

Hot tears finally broke through, streaming down my face in heavy drops.

I was terrified they would hear me next door, so I knelt on the floor and sobbed silently.

Jade reached out to support me, her eyes red as well.

"Zoe... there are plenty of fish in the sea. Don't let this destroy you."

I covered my face with my hands, swallowing all the pain and resentment deep into my heart.

Sure, there are plenty of men in the world, but there was only one Zach.

And that Zach no longer belonged to me.