Chapter 1

When I walked into the hotel, my wife ran into her boss. Without a second thought, she turned around and slapped me across the face.

"Xavier, help! This creep is trying to harass me. I'm so scared," she whimpered.

I was branded a pervert and surrounded by an angry mob. They didn't hesitate to beat me to the ground.

My wife didn't look back. She just clung to her boss's arm and walked away.

It turned out I wasn't just a victim. I was the most humiliated husband in the world.

1.

When I finally limped home covered in bruises, Rhea was wearing a lace slip dress. She was on a video call with Xavier, and her chest was almost completely exposed.

"I'm so lucky you were there today," she said, her voice trailing off into a flirtatious giggle. "I don't know what would have happened to me otherwise."

She was purposely acting cute, her tone rising in a way that made my skin crawl.

"I'll make you a special breakfast tomorrow to pay you back," she promised.

Hearing the door, she shifted the camera slightly. When she saw me, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, but it vanished instantly.

I gave her a cold, empty look. Without a word, I grabbed the first-aid kit and headed for the bedroom.

Before I shut the door, I heard Xavier ask if someone had just come home.

Rhea didn't even hesitate. "Oh, that? It's just my brother."

I slammed the door shut, the sound echoing through the apartment.

I stared at the bottle of antiseptic in my hand, feeling dazed. Today was my birthday.

After dinner, Rhea told me she had booked a room at a boutique hotel for us. I was touched and excited, pulling her toward the entrance with a smile.

But at the door, she suddenly slapped me. Then she threw herself into the arms of Xavier, who was standing just a few feet away.

"He told me if I didn't sleep with him, he'd kill our contract," she sobbed into his chest.

Xavier started shouting, calling me a piece of trash who didn't respect women. I just stood there, staring at my wife in his arms.

Xavier saw I wasn't leaving, so he riled up the bystanders to attack me. While I was being kicked on the pavement, Rhea walked away with him without a single backward glance.

Eventually, the hotel security broke it off and helped me up. One of them muttered, "Man, why did you mess with the hotel shareholder and his girlfriend?"

"His girlfriend?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Yeah, they come here all the time," the guard replied.

The rest of his words were a blur. The only thing looping in my head was that they came here all the time.

I had walked home with a fire in my chest. But the moment I opened the door and heard her voice, that fire turned into cold, dead ash.

Rhea pushed the bedroom door open and walked in. I didn't even look up as I started dabbing medicine on my cuts.

She reached out to take the bottle from me, but I pulled away.

"Babe, I had no choice," she said, her voice softening. "Everyone at the office thinks I'm single. If the truth got out, all my hard work would be for nothing."

She grabbed my sleeve, using that sweet, manipulative tone she always used. It made me feel physically sick.

I capped the medicine and stood up. "I'm sleeping in the guest room," I said, walking past her.

I didn't care how much she stomped her feet or yelled behind me.

As I lay on the guest bed, the disappointment was so heavy I could barely breathe. I sent a quick text to my best friend and closed my eyes.