Chapter 2

2

The next morning, my phone was flooded with missed calls from Camille.

Scrolling up, I saw her text message:

“Nolan, what is that post supposed to mean? Are you trying to complain to your family that I treat you poorly?”

That was when I remembered the photo of the candlelight dinner I posted last night.

The caption read: “Turning thirty. Moving forward, never looking back.”

Those words were meant for myself.

I ignored her messages and rejected her incoming call.

After Dustin’s blatant provocation last night, my decision was made. I would divorce Camille and leave Chicago.

Looking around the home we had shared for ten years, a wave of sadness washed over me.

I decided to see Camille one last time, just to put a final period on our ten-year history.

I stopped by McDonald’s to pick up her favorite breakfast combo.

As soon as I walked into the office, I heard the marketing team gossiping.

“Did you hear? Dustin bagged Boss Camille last night.”

“No way. Isn’t Boss Camille married to Nolan?”

“Married in name only. Her career is taking off while he just holds an empty title and plays househusband at home.”

“True. Dustin is only twenty-two, young and full of energy. Boss is in her prime, so it makes total sense, haha.”

The coworkers were chatting excitedly until they saw me, instantly freezing in silence.

“Where is Camille?” I asked calmly.

Someone nervously pointed toward Dustin’s office.

Dustin had joined the company as a management trainee, and within three months, Camille gave him a private office.

Starting from last year, she had also missed every single one of our anniversaries.

As I reached the door, muffled laughter and playful whispers drifted out.

“Dustin, stop it. We are on the clock. It will look bad if someone sees us.”

“Camille, you did not care about anyone seeing us when we checked into that hotel last night.”

“Last night was an exception. You know it was my fifth anniversary with Nolan, and I cannot stand looking at his face right now.”

A sharp, tearing pain stabbed right through my chest.

The breakfast bag slipped from my fingers, hitting the floor with a loud rustle.

“Who is out there?” Camille called out.

Snapping back to reality, I pushed the door open.

Seeing me, Camille shoved Dustin off her in a panic, scrambling to explain herself.

“Nolan, what are you doing here?”

She stepped forward to grab my arm, but I pulled away in disgust.

“I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you breakfast.”

Dustin looked at me with an unapologetic smirk.

“Sorry about last night, Nolan. The client insisted on celebrating, so you missed your anniversary with Camille.”

Camille signaled Dustin to leave.

Instead, Dustin crossed the line and invited me over to his place for dinner.

“Nolan, I owe my position here to you and Camille. I passed my probation today, so I really should treat you to dinner.”

Camille looked delighted. “Nolan, why do we not go? Dustin is actually a great cook.”

Of course he was. Otherwise, Camille would not have spent so many nights at his place.

Looking at the two of them inviting me together, they looked like the actual married couple.

Somehow, I nodded and agreed.

I was leaving anyway, so one dinner would not change anything.

I also wanted to see just how shameless they could be.