Chapter 2

Mia's voice cracked with a sob. She buried her face in my chest.

She felt so small, clinging to me like a helpless, guilty kitten.

I felt a warm dampness spreading across my chest. Her tears were soaking through my pajamas.

I reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face. My anger seemed to soften, and my voice carried a hint of hesitation.

"Alright, Mia. Stop crying."

"So, you won't divorce me?"

She looked up at me with wide, teary eyes—the perfect, calculated angle.

I knew exactly what she was doing. She had practiced this look in the mirror a thousand times.

After a long pause, I finally gave her the answer she wanted:

"Fine."

After we both cleaned up, Mia became incredibly eager to make up for lost time.

But her plans were ruined when my phone rang. It was a work emergency.

Using work as an excuse, I spent the entire night in my study.

Mia must have felt guilty. The next morning, I received a notification—she had wired $100,000 into my bank account.

Since my wife loved solving her problems by throwing money at me, I was more than happy to accept it.

For the next few days, Mia went out of her way to please me.

She made breakfast in the mornings and bought me expensive gifts after work.

One evening, I came home late after a busy day at work. I walked in to find Mia busy in the kitchen, preparing a massive feast.

When she saw me, she gave me a sweet smile and told me to wash my hands for dinner.

Normally, the maid handled all the cooking. But to get back in my good graces, she had actually cooked herself.

At the dinner table, she kept piling food onto my plate, before coyly suggesting we finally consummate our marriage tonight.

"Babe, don't sleep in the study tonight, okay?"

I quickly calculated the date in my head and nodded.

After dinner, I carried Mia into our bedroom.

The room smelled of sweet lavender incense, and the bed was sprinkled with rose petals.

Mia had prepared everything to perfection.

As things started heating up, I pinned her beneath me. My hand slid down to her waist, tracing her curves.

Suddenly, my fingers felt a warm, sticky wetness.

Mia's period had just started.

Realizing what happened, Mia gasped and rushed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she walked out. She wrapped her slender arms around my neck, her voice dripping with sweet regret.

"Babe, my period started."

I gently stroked her hair, acting disappointed but understanding, and got up to make her some warm chamomile tea to soothe her cramps.

In the kitchen, I brewed the tea, poured it into a mug, and slipped a sleeping pill into it.

Mia drank the tea and was fast asleep within minutes.

After pulling the blanket over her, I quietly picked up her phone from the nightstand.

I opened SnapChat. The group chat I had seen before was indeed gone.

Aside from my contact pinned at the top as "Hubby," there were only work messages.

I logged into her burner account. Sure enough, the familiar seven-member group chat popped up.

The latest message was sent that morning. Mia had sent a quick update to the boys:

[I'm busy keeping my husband happy right now. But after tonight, big sister will be back to play with you boys!]