Chapter 5

Ally just stood there, stunned.

A moment later, something that almost looked like guilt crept into her usually cold expression.

She tightened her grip on my arm.

"Let's go on a trip. You've been cooped up at home long enough."

I thought of the foreign language exam I still had to prepare for and shook my head.

"No, I'm fine here."

Her arm went rigid around mine.

"But I already booked it."

"Then take someone else."

"Robby," she frowned. "It's a couples' retreat. Customized for us."

I lowered my eyes. Fireworks bloomed in her irises.

If I'd heard this even a few days earlier, that she'd actually put thought into planning a couples' retreat just for us, I'd have thrown my arms around her without a second thought. I'd always loved playing the part of her husband so much that I wanted the whole world to know we were together.

But now, I just smiled faintly.

"Thanks for the thought. But I really can't go."

Disbelief washed over her face.

I gently pushed her hand away.

"It's freezing out here. Let's go back inside."

I turned and opened the door. When I looked back, Ally hadn't followed.

Instead, she climbed into her car, slammed the door hard enough to echo through the street, started the engine, and drove off.

She always did this. Whenever we disagreed, she'd leave me standing there, then block every way I had of reaching her and wait for me to burn through all my own frustration before I came crawling back, ready to "let bygones be bygones," too worn out to fight anymore.

But this time, I didn't send a single message.

I opened the door and went inside.

Ally didn't come home for an entire week.

I didn't ask about it either. Every day, I just had tea with Clayton, drilled vocabulary, and practiced my speaking. I'd also officially started my new job, and Clayton had already advanced me part of my salary.

"The share transfer still needs a little time, but you'll get it all back eventually. Our equity's actually gone up a lot since you got married."

Clayton filled me in cheerfully on how the company had grown over the years.

The more I listened, the more it stung.

"You've worked hard all these years."

Just as I said it, my phone chimed with a notification from Instagram, from someone I'd marked as a close follow. It was Zack.

I used to always be bothered by how close Ally was with her childhood friend living overseas, since she made a point of visiting him every single time she traveled abroad. Part of me hated the thought of them being so close, and part of me couldn't help wanting to know exactly what went on between them. So, more out of my own discomfort than anything, I'd marked Zack as a close follow.

His latest post showed him in sunglasses, sitting in a helicopter, his arm around someone's shoulders as he snapped a happy selfie. The caption read: [Who says childhood friends can't go on a couples' trip?]

The person beside him wore sunglasses and a mask too, but I recognized Ally at a glance.

I didn't call to demand an explanation for why she'd taken Zack along. I just gave the post a like and unfollowed him.

The moment I set my phone down, Ally called.

"I'm coming home for dinner tonight."

"Oh," I said, not quite catching her meaning. "Should I save you a plate?"

There was something restrained in Ally's voice.

"Robby, you really don't know what I mean?"