Chapter 1

I joked with my husband Damian about having an affair.

Who would've thought he'd let out a long sigh of relief when he heard the news?

"Emma, that's great. Actually, I've been keeping something from you for a long time too."

His face bore a relieved smile that made my heart sink.

"Since you've cheated, let's break up. Your best friend Chloe is pregnant, and the baby's mine. She's been living in the apartment right below us. Every time I said I was working late, I was actually taking her to prenatal checkups."

"I've always felt guilty about this, but now that you've cheated too, I don't feel bad anymore. This house goes to me—consider it compensation for your affair."

That night, he even told me outright he was going to sleep with Chloe.

Watching him rush to leave, I laughed coldly.

Want a divorce? There was no way I'd let him off that easily.

A month later, Damian knelt before me with red-rimmed eyes.

"Emma, I'm begging you, divorce me already!"

"What's with that look?"

When Damian saw I wasn't saying anything, his smile became even more unbridled.

"We're both adults. Since you found some other guy first, leaving me this house as compensation isn't too much to ask, right?"

He straightened his collar, his tone full of calculating entitlement.

"Besides, you're usually so dull and boring, and you just lie there like a dead fish in bed. Chloe is so much better than you—understanding, gentle, and adventurous. Not emotionally clueless like you."

Listening to his shameless remarks, I felt my stomach churning, disgusted to the point of nausea.

"When did you two start sleeping together?"

I forced my voice steady, staring at him intently.

He shrugged carelessly and answered without hesitation.

"About two years ago, right when your dad died."

Two years ago.

Those three words crashed down on me, freezing every drop of blood in my veins in that instant.

Back then, my dad had died suddenly from a heart attack. I'd completely broken down, unable to eat anything.

I cried myself senseless every day.

I thought Damian was leaving early and coming home late to support our family for me.

Turns out, while I was drowning in grief, he was tumbling in bed with my best friend!

"You had that miserable look on your face all the time back then—it was so depressing. I couldn't stand seeing you like that."

"Chloe saw how stressed I was and invited me downstairs to comfort me. We ended up having sex."

He made his affair sound so noble, as if he were the one who'd suffered the greatest injustice.

Looking at this man I'd shared a bed with for five years, I felt he was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

He didn't care whether I lived or died. He turned toward the door and changed his shoes.

He couldn't wait to go downstairs to his gentle haven—he didn't want to stay even one more second.

With his hand on the doorknob, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me.

"Oh, remember to make some chicken soup for Chloe tomorrow."

"She's been having severe morning sickness lately and can't keep anything down. She's lost so much weight."

"That chicken soup you made when I was in the hospital last time tasted pretty good. Chloe would definitely love it."

Hearing this, the fury in my chest exploded.

Last time he was sick?

That was a year ago when he'd gotten into a serious car accident, broke two ribs, and nearly died.

When I got the call from the hospital, I was terrified out of my mind. I rushed to his bedside and took care of him day and night without rest.

To make him chicken soup to help his recovery, I didn't wear gloves while handling almonds, and my hands had an allergic reaction and swelled up red.

Enduring the piercing itching and pain, I'd simmered the soup for four whole hours and fed it to him spoonful by spoonful.

"That car accident—was that also because you were going to see her?"

I forced my voice to stay calm.

He paused for a moment, then waved his hand irritably, looking completely impatient.

"Oh come on, that's all in the past. Why bring it up now!"

"Chloe said she wanted some macarons from that shop on the west side of town. I was rushing to see her and drove too fast, so I crashed into the guardrail."

"Anyway, now that we've laid everything out, we can each live our own lives. I wish you and your new lover a long and happy life together too."

He revealed the truth so casually, completely shattering the last shred of marital affection I had for him.

So that accident that nearly killed him was also to please his little mistress.

The scars my hands still bore from tearing them raw for his sake now seemed like the biggest joke in the world!

I stood there in despair, too exhausted even to question him further.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to bark orders at me.

"Pack up my stuff from the study tomorrow."

"From now on I'll live downstairs. I'm not coming back—don't want to disturb you and your boy toy."

"I'll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers and send them to you. Sign them as soon as possible."

BANG—the security door slammed shut heavily.

The empty living room held only me.

I walked to the window and looked at the lights coming on downstairs, unable to hold back a cold laugh.

Did he think one flippant sentence could erase two years of betrayal and deception?

Did he think taking my house would let him live happily ever after with his mistress without a guilty conscience?

Dream on.

Divorce?

That would be letting this pair of cheaters off too easily.

Since he was so convinced I'd cheated, I'd make that joke come true.

I would make them pay a much more painful price. I'd personally smash to pieces the love they were so proud of and the happiness they'd built together.