Chapter 1

After catching my husband, Ethan Hayes, cheating, he knelt before me and swore he'd cut all ties with that yoga instructor.

But a month later, I saw a strange text on his phone:

[I'm sick and so scared alone in the hospital. Can you come see me?]

Watching Ethan rush out the door, I called after him mockingly:

"In such a hurry? Want me to grab you a box of condoms on your way out?"

Ethan froze, then whirled around, glaring at me furiously:

"Charlotte, I've already come back to this family. Do you have to be so nasty? She's sick—can't I just go check on her?"

I didn't try to stop him anymore.

After he left, I made a phone call.

What Ethan didn't know was that the yoga instructor's fiancé was a mob boss who killed without leaving a trace.

"Charlotte, when are you going to stop this?"

"I already told you—Vivian doesn't know anyone in this city. She's got acute gastroenteritis and is getting an IV at the hospital. What's wrong with me, as a former colleague, bringing her some medicine?"

"Former colleague?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Need me to refresh your memory about how many sex positions you two unlocked on that yoga mat last month?"

Ethan's face instantly flushed crimson.

He jabbed his finger toward my face, his voice dropping to a furious hiss.

"I already admitted I was wrong! I even slapped myself in front of your parents!"

"This entire month, I've come straight home after work every day. I've handed over all my bank cards. What more do you want from me?"

"Do you have to act like some bitter housewife and turn this home into a hellhole before you're satisfied?"

Looking at his self-righteous expression, I felt nothing but nausea churning in my stomach.

A month ago, I'd thrown photos in his face—pictures taken by a private investigator.

In those photos, he and that yoga instructor named Vivian were tangled together on a hotel bed.

Back then, he'd knelt on the floor, crying and begging, swearing he'd just had a momentary lapse in judgment, pleading for one more chance.

In front of both sets of parents, he'd slapped himself three sharp, ringing times across the face.

He changed all his bank card passwords to my birthday. He even voluntarily canceled his membership at the gym where Vivian worked.

I thought he'd truly realized his mistake.

I was naive enough to think that if I just swallowed this bitter pill, our marriage could be patched up and continue.

But I was wrong.

A dog returns to its vomit, and a cheating man never learns loyalty.

I watched him rage coldly, then turned and walked to the sofa, pulling a tablet from beneath a throw pillow.

"Ethan, you put on quite the performance."

"Coming home on time every day, even letting me check your phone whenever I want—what a reformed man you are."

I lit up the screen and hurled the tablet into his arms.

"So explain this to me."

Ethan fumbled to catch the tablet, glancing down at the screen.

Just one look, and all the color drained from his face.