Chapter 3

When Vanessa saw me come back, she did not stop what she was doing. She only glanced at me and said, “I thought you weren’t coming home. Whatever. I won’t lecture you. There’s some takeout left. Heat it up yourself. Oh, and don’t touch the imported lobster on the table. That’s for Tyler.”

I set my things down and looked up to see Tyler wearing his new shoes, smiling at me with open provocation.

I let their little performance play out, then looked at the table.

One plate of stir-fried greens.

One plate of lobster.

But by now, I was used to it.

Ever since Tyler stepped into our home, my wife had made sure to prepare something special for him at every meal.

When I asked about it, she answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“He’s like a younger brother to me. What’s wrong with me treating him well? Besides, he’s still growing. What, are you upset because I spent a little of your money?”

But when it came to me, even my birthday gifts came from roadside stalls.

Once, she had brought home a pair of shoes from somewhere and said she had bought them especially for me.

They turned out to be one size too small.

I could not wear them, but Vanessa only got angry.

“Why can’t you wear them? It’s not like we have money to throw around. You’ve had it too easy. Squeeze your feet in and they’ll fit.”

She forced me to wear those ill-fitting shoes for two months. Every day, they rubbed my feet raw and left me with bleeding blisters.

When I came back to myself, Tyler was wearing his new shoes and had his arm wrapped intimately around my wife’s waist.

“Thanks, Vanessa. You know me so well.”

Vanessa was smiling, but when she saw my calm expression, her face shifted.

Without making it obvious, she pushed Tyler’s hand away and took a paper bag from the couch.

Her tone softened.

“Here. I bought you a watch. How could I possibly forget about you?”

When I did not move, she patiently opened the packaging for me.

Inside was a black watch in a familiar style.

But I recognized it at a glance.

That watch had once belonged to Tyler.

He had posted a photo of a new watch on Instagram, with the caption: Some people always think what they give you isn’t good enough.

And in the trash can in the corner, I had seen this exact watch thrown away.

She had actually taken something he had discarded and given it to me.

I almost admired her for thinking of it.

I pushed her hand away and said coldly, “No thanks. I can buy my own.”

Seeing that I refused to accept her gesture, Vanessa became embarrassed and angry.

“What exactly are you sulking about? You keep saying I don’t treat you well. Now I bought you a gift, and you still don’t want it!”

Tyler let out a snort beside her, his tone dripping with mockery.

“Maybe Ethan thinks it’s not good enough for him. Then again, a style this modern probably doesn’t suit a man his age. Vanessa, give it to me. I don’t mind.”

Then he snatched the watch from Vanessa’s hand, waved it in front of me as if showing off, and turned to ask her with a grin, “How does it look? Better on me than on Ethan, right?”

Vanessa did not answer, but she smiled and nodded as she helped him adjust the strap.

Maybe I had grown too used to this kind of unequal treatment. My heart no longer stirred at all.

I turned and was about to push open the bedroom door when Vanessa quickly stepped in front of me.

Her expression looked unnatural.

“The room hasn’t been cleaned yet. Eat first, then go in.”

No matter how I looked at her, something was wrong.

I frowned, moved her aside, and opened the door.

The next second, when I saw what was inside, I froze on the spot.

The bedroom that belonged to the two of us was a complete mess. My clothes and pants had been thrown everywhere. A few pieces lay scattered across the floor, covered in footprints.

The documents and books on my desk had been torn to shreds.

The wedding photo of Vanessa and me had fallen from the wall, and the frame had cracked into pieces.

I hurried to open the closet.

Inside, Tyler’s clothes were neatly arranged.