Chapter 1

My blood rushed to my head. I kept dialing Elsie Gadd’s number over and over, but she did not pick up. By the time I called again, her phone was already switched off. I sat on the couch and smoked through the entire night.

She did not come home all night. It was not until the next morning that she finally returned.

“Leon, you’re up so early?”

I looked up at her. She did not notice my bloodshot eyes. Those were the obvious signs I had not slept at all.

“I was playing cards all night. I’m exhausted. I’m going to sleep first.” She yawned and walked past me straight toward the bedroom.

I called out to her. My voice, unused for hours, came out hoarse and rough. “Didn’t you say you had to work overtime at the company last night? How did you end up playing cards?”

A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly regained her composure.

“It was the first day of New Year's. The company's not that unreasonable. I only stayed a little while before my boss let me off early. Since I was already out and had nothing to do, I went to play cards with my friends. You’re not going to be jealous over that, right?”

She pouted, looking slightly annoyed. “I need my own social life too. I can’t revolve around you all the time, can I?”

Her explanation was flawless, but I still caught a hint of guilt in her voice.

I glanced at her and did not press further. “Alright. Go get some rest. I’ll call you when it’s time to have dinner.”

She quietly let out a sigh of relief, plugged her phone in to charge, and went to bed.

After she had been asleep for about half an hour, I went to pick up her phone. It asked for a passcode. We agreed that neither of us would put a passcode on our phones to give each other complete peace of mind.

I never thought she would be the one to break that promise.

Her phone lit up. It was a message that popped up from someone saved as Aaron.

[So? You got home that late. Did your husband suspect anything?]

I frowned. Before I could react, another message came through.

[Can we meet again next time? I really like you.]

[Let’s try something new next time. I promise it’ll take you to another level.]

My heart tightened violently, my fingers went cold, and my heart clenched. She had been lying to me all along. Lately, she had been leaving early and coming home late, saying work was crazy at the end of the year and she barely had a moment to breathe.

I even felt sorry for her, making her soup every day so she could recover, and it turned out everything I gave her was for someone else.

When no reply came, he stopped texting.

I tried a few passcodes, yet none worked. I was afraid that Elsie might wake up, so I put the phone back exactly where it was.

She finally woke up around noon. The moment she opened her eyes, she rushed out looking for her phone. Only when she saw it untouched on the table did she let out a sigh of relief.

“Honey, you didn’t go through my phone, did you?”