Chapter 1

On our third wedding anniversary, my wife lied and told me she had to go on an out-of-town business trip. In reality, she snuck off to a clinic and aborted our baby.

When I found out the truth, my heart turned completely to ash.

I dialed Chloe’s number to demand an explanation, but the voice on the other end belonged to Julian, her first love.

"Hello? My wife is asleep right now. If there's a message, I can pass it along tomorrow."

I didn’t say a word. I hung up in silence, feeling as though our three years of marriage had been nothing more than a pathetic joke.

That night, I smashed the anniversary cake and the gifts I had spent weeks preparing. I sat alone in the living room, drinking until sunrise.

In that moment, it finally hit me: our marriage was over.

A week later, Chloe called me for the first time since leaving.

She told me she had just landed at the airport and ordered me to pick her up.

I looked out the window. It was pouring rain outside. In the past, I would have grabbed my jacket and rushed out the door without a second thought.

This time, I simply said, "I'm busy," and hung up.

When she finally made it back to the apartment, her makeup was ruined, and water dripped from her soaked hair.

Her face was livid, and her eyes glared at me as if she wanted to tear me to pieces.

I only gave her a calm, detached glance before looking back at my screen to continue working on my architectural blueprints.

Chloe looked ready to explode.

Furious, she stormed over and slammed her high heels into my desktop computer tower over and over again, only stopping once the machine was completely smashed.

"Ethan, what the hell is wrong with you? Lounging at home playing games instead of coming to get me?"

"Are you blind? Didn't you see how hard it's raining out there?"

"I bust my ass working every single day to support you, and you can't even show a little consideration? If you went out and got a real job, I wouldn't have to carry this whole family on my back!"

I looked up at her bitter, angry face.

Chloe seemed to have completely forgotten that the moment she mentioned she disliked gaming, I hadn't touched a single video game in our three years of marriage.

The only reason I stayed home was that she constantly complained about her hectic job. She hated coming home to a dark, empty apartment. She begged me to quit my job so I could look after her and take care of the house.

To give her peace of mind and a warm home, I agreed.

After quitting, my entire world revolved around Chloe.

While taking care of her daily needs, I used my free time to design architectural projects. Over the years, I made just as much money as she did, often even more. Even her current promotion to Project Director was secured through my personal network.

Yet she never acknowledged any of my sacrifices. She stubbornly convinced herself that because I stayed at home, I was just a freeloader mooching off her paycheck.

"What? You play dumb the second I mention getting a job?"

"Are you even a man, Ethan? Do you honestly expect me to support you for the rest of your life?"

"No," I replied calmly. "I've already started sending out my resume."

Hearing that, Chloe's expression softened slightly. "You'd better."

"I'm starving. Hurry up and make me something to eat. I'm going to take a hot shower."

She barked the command and headed straight for the bathroom without looking back.

When she came out and saw the dining table completely bare, her suppressed temper flared up again.

"You're still messing with that broken computer? Did you not hear a word I just said?"

"Chloe."

I called her name in a quiet, even voice. She froze for a few seconds. Ever since we got married, I had never addressed her by her full name like that.

"Was that week-long trip really for business?"

She didn't answer, but I caught the flash of panic and guilt in her eyes.

"What do you mean by that? Are you accusing me?"

"Ethan! Are you so bored sitting at home all day that you've turned into a paranoid, jealous housewife?"

I let out a dry, bitter laugh. Even now, Chloe was trying to shift the blame onto me, acting as if all our problems stemmed from my supposed uselessness.

"When I called you last night, Julian picked up."

The moment the words left my mouth, Chloe scoffed defensively. "Oh, so that's what this drama is all about. You're throwing a tantrum over jealousy."

"The company budget was tight, so they booked us rooms at the same hotel. What's the big deal?"

"Besides, it was a room with two separate beds. Nothing happened! Your mind is disgusting, Ethan."

"Julian is ten times the man you'll ever be. He has a successful career, and he actually knows how to treat a woman. If I could do it all over again, I'd choose him over you in a heartbeat!"

Every word hit like a hammer. If she had said this in the past, I would have bent over backward to make it up to her, blaming myself for not doing enough. But now, I felt strangely empty. I had gone completely numb to the pain.

Seeing me quiet and unresponsive, her tone softened slightly.

"Alright, look. I know I was gone for a while, and I neglected you. But everything I'm doing is for our future."

Chloe stepped closer, tiptoed, and pressed a soft kiss against my lips.

"There. That's your reward. Now go wash my laundry. I'm exhausted from the trip, so I'm going to take a nap."

Whenever we fought, she used this exact trick. A quick kiss, and she assumed everything was forgiven. In her mind, no matter what line she crossed, a little affection could erase it all.

She tossed her dirty clothes into my arms.

As she turned around, something slipped from her coat pocket with a soft thud.

I bent down and picked it up. The ultra-thin label instantly burned into my eyes.

The sight struck me like a bolt of lightning, knocking the breath straight out of my lungs. I nearly lost my balance.

It was an opened box of condoms.

Peach-flavored.