Chapter 2

Greg unceremoniously ordered enough oysters and clams to cover the whole table.

"Noah, eat more of these oysters. They are good for you." Greg glanced meaningfully at Joanna. "Joanna often complains to me that you're lacking in a certain area."

Then he picked up a bunch of clams and bit into them, coating his mouth with the sauce.

Joanna sat next to Greg and across from me at the table. She did not refute him. Instead, she covered her mouth and chuckled. "Greg, don't speak nonsense. Leave him with some dignity."

Under the table, I could clearly see Greg rubbing Joanna's calf with his foot. Joanna did not dodge. Instead, she lifted her foot and hooked it around his.

[Patience level is rising... Current progress: 10%.]

The system's notification echoed in my mind.

Greg opened a bottle of beer and pushed it right in front of me. "Come on, drink! Don't act like a girl. I heard your monthly salary is only $8,000? Joanna must've suffered being with you."

Joanna sighed and looked at me bitterly. "Yeah. I wanted to buy that new bag, but he kept dragging his feet. Greg is better. That necklace he gave me back then was worth over $10,000, and he gave it to me without even blinking."

I picked up the wine glass and politely filled Greg's glass instead of getting angry. "You're right. I'm indeed incapable. I'll need your help with Joanna's fitness routine from now on."

Greg laughed and reached out to hold Joanna's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll train her well."

Joanna blushed and shyly pushed him away, but her efforts failed.

When it was time to pay, the waiter brought the bill over. "Sir, that'll be $860."

I took out the card my salary was paid to and deliberately made the swipe fail. "Sorry, insufficient balance."

I awkwardly scratched my head and used a credit card.

Greg scoffed and spat on the ground. "What a nuisance, having to use a credit card for a meal. Joanna, what do you see in a man like this?"

Joanna rolled her eyes and took Greg's arm. "I see him as honest and easy to control."

On the way home, Joanna sat in the passenger seat and covered her nose. "Noah, what's that smell in the car? It smells fishy. Get the car washed tomorrow. Give it a thorough cleaning inside and out. Also, Greg said he's a little short on cash lately. Don't you have $50,000 left on your credit card limit? Cash it out and lend it to him."

The veins on the back of my hand gripping the steering wheel bulged as I nodded in agreement. "Okay."

[Mission completed! Reward: Panoramic listening device.]

Back at home, I slipped the miniature listening device into the fold of her phone case while Joanna was taking a shower.

I put on my earphones and immediately heard the sound of water from the bathroom and Joanna's voice as she sent a voice message, "Darling, that idiot agreed. Tomorrow, I'll make him cash it out. Also, we need to hurry up with that thing we discussed. I'll transfer his premarital assets and then dump him."

Greg's voice came through. "Hehe, you're smart. Did I hurt you tonight?"

"Hehe, shut up! You're so annoying..." I took off my headphones and threw them on the table. My stomach churned.

The bathroom door opened. Joanna came out wrapped in a towel, her hair still wet. She walked up to me and looked condescendingly at me. "Noah, I think we should have a child."

She touched her belly, her face serious. "I've thought about it. I'm not getting any younger. Go to the hospital for a full checkup tomorrow, especially for your sperm motility. Also, for the sake of raising our child, you'll have to give me your bank card from now on. Men shouldn't have money. Money corrupts you."

The next morning, I pretended to go to the hospital for a checkup, but I actually went to the bank and the Ministry of Housing.

The results chilled me to the core.

The card in my name, with $500,000 in savings, had been emptied by Joanna in batches. The remarks were all 'loans' or 'shopping'. The recipients were all Greg.