Chapter 3

I ignored the barely perceptible challenge in Tristan's eyes.

He always said he was afraid I'd misunderstand.

Yet he constantly did things that made me misunderstand.

How many nights had she stayed out? How many times had she been drunk somewhere else?

Ever since news of my fight with my wife got out,

Tristan's overtly inappropriate touching of my wife had turned into subtle, sneaky touching.

Normally, what had just happened would have infuriated me.

But now, I didn't care anymore.

I couldn't be bothered with the two of them in the front, with their complete lack of boundaries.

"Can you wait a few minutes? I'm waiting for a friend."

A stunning woman walked toward us.

Chloe Vance, clicking in her heels and dragging a suitcase, hurried toward me, waving as she ran.

"Cole! There you are, I finally found you!"

Chloe pouted playfully at me.

"You're so inconsiderate, not waiting for me! Do you know how long I dragged this suitcase around looking for you?"

Chloe opened the car door and slid onto the seat beside me, intimately linking her arm through mine.

"This is my first time in City A. I don't know anyone, so you'll have to take responsibility for me!"

This scene made Mira Harrington and Tristan Hayes freeze simultaneously.

They didn't understand what stunt I was pulling.

Mira immediately became alert, her brows furrowed so deeply it looked like she was trying to pinch something between them.

"Honey, is this who you were waiting for?"

Before I could reply,

Chloe introduced herself to both of them boldly.

"Hi everyone, I'm Chloe Vance, and Cole and I grew up together!"

"Grew up together?"

Mira's tone was sharp.

"Yep! We're best buddies, right, Cole?"

Chloe hooked her arm over my shoulder, saying it to Mira without a care in the world.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Mira, who was in the passenger seat.

Mira was completely stumped.

In contrast,

Chloe chattered away with me the whole ride.

"Oh my gosh, Cole, it's so beautiful! Look!"

"Cole, do you remember when we were kids..."

"Cole..."

Compared to us, the front of the car was eerily quiet.

It wasn't that Tristan wasn't talking.

Normally, whenever we went out,

Tristan was the most talkative person there.

He'd always pull Mira into conversation, going on and on.

From childhood anecdotes to the latest gossip from their old neighborhood.

He’d always talk about things I couldn't possibly join in on.

But now,

Tristan was still trying to start conversations, but Mira's responses were always terse.

After dropping Chloe off at her hotel,

Mira immediately told Tristan to pull over.

Then she opened the car door and joined me in the back seat.

Her face was black with fury.

"Why did you move to the back?"

Mira snorted. "What, I'm not allowed to sit here? What exactly is that woman to you?"

I closed my eyes, feigning sleep, deliberately avoiding the question.

"I'm really tired. Let's just go home."

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