Chapter 2

Vivian suddenly turned to look at me.

"You're Ryan's coworker, so you should know how much he makes a year. Tell me quietly so I have an idea—I don't want him hiding money from me later."

My heart felt like someone was stabbing it repeatedly with a dull knife.

How much does he make? Don't you know better than I do?

The lion's share went to you—a $100,000 gold bracelet. I wouldn't even dare dream of something like that in this lifetime.

I only just found out about those hundreds of thousands in annual profit shares.

And you're turning around to ask me how much he makes a year?

The muscles around my lips trembled. I almost lost control of my expression.

Vivian probably sensed something was off and tried to ease the awkwardness.

"Maybe you don't know either. That's okay."

"I've met most of Ryan's coworkers, but this is the first time I've seen you. You must be new, right?"

I suppressed the churning emotions inside me.

"Yeah, I just started recently. I really don't know Ryan's exact income."

One of the younger bridesmaids clicked her tongue. "Your husband is so great. Not only is he handsome and successful, but he doesn't even smoke."

Vivian laughed. "It's not that he doesn't smoke—he quit on his own because he wants us to have a honeymoon baby."

I nearly dropped my phone.

During the worst two months of morning sickness, I'd throw up at the slightest whiff of cigarette smoke.

I'd asked him to quit smoking. He said he couldn't—he had to entertain clients for work.

Three months ago, he suddenly changed. He threw all his cigarettes in the trash.

He said I'd always complained about secondhand smoke, so for the health of me and our son, he was quitting for good.

I'd been so touched at the time. Turns out he quit for another woman, not for me and our son.

Vivian smiled at me a bit sheepishly. "Sorry you had to hear that. These girls love to tease."

My emotions were crashing like storm waves inside me. I blurted out, "You trust Ryan that much? What if he has another family on the side?"

Vivian stared at me in shock. "What do you mean by that?"

The bridesmaids weren't having it. "Just because your own husband cheats doesn't mean you should wish the same on others, right?"

I laughed bitterly. "Actually, you guessed right."

Vivian's gaze held a hint of superiority. "My Ryan isn't like your husband. He would never betray me."

"Is that so? If this loyal, perfect man of yours is so great, where is he now?"

"He went to pick up some college friends who traveled from out of town for the wedding. He'll be back any minute."

Right on cue, her phone rang. "Honey! Where are you?"

The bridesmaids tactfully fell silent, and his voice came through clearly: "Almost there, babe. I'm so excited thinking about marrying you soon."

Vivian's face flushed red. She chided him playfully, "Just drive carefully. Stay safe."

The bridesmaids nearby heard everything and started teasing: "Oh my god, did you hear that? You've known each other for five years, you're about to share a bed, and you're still this lovey-dovey."

"Being affectionate is normal, isn't it? After all, we can only be together half the year anyway."

It felt like someone had clubbed me over the back of the head. My ears rang.

They've known each other for five years.

I don't know if I was too oblivious or if he hid it too well.

No—it wasn't that he hid it well. I trusted him too much.

I trusted him when he said the company was promoting him and he needed to rotate positions, working away from home every other month.

I thought he was ambitious then. I didn't want to hold him back.

I shouldered everything alone—childcare, cooking, working—without a single complaint.

When our son ran a fever in the middle of the night, I held him alone in the emergency room until dawn. I didn't dare call Ryan, afraid of disturbing his rest.

Turns out, during all that time "stationed away," he was with another woman.