Chapter 1

"What time did you get home last night?"

The question came out while Mike was putting on his suit. The wall clock read 6:10, but Mike suddenly stopped buttoning his shirt cuffs.

"Why?" he asked without so much as a glance in my direction.

"Just answer me," I replied shortly.

He let out a long sigh and answered coldly, "Late."

"What time exactly?" My tone started to become pressing.

Mike finally turned around with a completely flat stare. "Past midnight," he answered curtly.

"I woke up at two in the morning, and you weren't home yet," my voice trailed off, stifling the tightness in my chest.

Silence seized the room for a moment. Mike then grabbed his briefcase with an indifferent motion.

"Bella, I was working. There were meetings and overtime," Mike answered defensively.

I took a step closer, trying to look into his eyes. "Why do you always come home without an explanation?"

Mike glared at me. "Are you looking to start trouble this early in the morning?" he asked snidely.

"I just want an explanation," I replied calmly.

Mike gave a short laugh that sounded incredibly cynical to my ears. "You're overreacting," he said.

"I’m overreacting? Why are you being so defensive?" I continued.

Mike fell silent for a few seconds that felt incredibly tense. "I’m tired of all your suspicion."

Mike walked toward the door and his hand paused briefly on the doorknob. "I’m working late again today," he said briefly before closing the door with a loud thud.

My chest felt tight instantly.

I stared at the tightly closed door with a broken heart. His sharp words were still hanging in my head.

I tried to take a deep breath and go about the housework as usual.

While I was gathering Mike’s dirty laundry, something suddenly fell to the floor.

The small metal object made a loud ringing sound as it bounced off the ceramic tile.

Reflexively, I turned and found a strange key.

Attached to it was a clear acrylic keychain that read: Sakura Residence – Apt 17B. It wasn't our house key, let alone his office key...

My eyes were glued to it and my chest felt so tight, as if oxygen was thinning out.

"Maybe this just belongs to a coworker," I whispered, trying to calm myself down. However, the bad feeling in my heart was far stronger.

I immediately grabbed my phone to look up the address. The location of Sakura Residence turned out to be only twenty minutes from our house.

I walked into the bedroom toward Mike’s desk, which was always tidy.

All this time, that desk had been his private area that was never messy. I still hoped this key belonged to someone else—anyone but him.

I sat in his office chair and began to look around hesitantly. My hand moved slowly to open the top drawer, which contained pens and normal documents.

I breathed a sigh of relief, hoping my suspicion was wrong.

Just as I was about to close the second drawer...

My eyes caught a layer of cardboard that looked out of place. I lifted all the files on top of it and found a small secret compartment.

Inside, there were several papers folded very neatly.

I pulled out one small piece of paper which turned out to be a receipt from a convenience store in the Sakura area.

My hands began to shake violently as I opened the other papers...

It wasn't just a shopping receipt; it was an invoice.

The invoice was in Mike Wilson's name for Unit 17B with a twelve-month lease duration. The status was marked as paid in full, with a start date from one year and two months ago.

My breath caught instantly as I read it.

"One year and two months!" I murmured in disbelief.

All of this had been happening even before our second wedding anniversary.

Even before the pregnancy program I am currently undergoing.

My hand gripped the receipt tightly until it crumpled, while my chest felt an incredible sting.

The desk that I had always considered my husband's private space turned out to hold another dark life.

The key in my hand felt increasingly heavy because of this bitter truth.

This wasn't just a small lie; it was a very systematic plan.

I put the receipts back in their original place as if I had never touched them.

I knew my life was completely ruined.

11:20 PM.

The front door opened and the sound of Mike’s footsteps entered.

He stood in the bedroom doorway while loosening his tie with a tired face.

"I worked late," he said effortlessly.

I only turned slowly and replied shortly, "Okay." Suddenly Mike approached and hugged me from behind. It felt warm, but I knew the hug was completely fake.

I desperately wanted to pull away, but my body simply froze, motionless.

"I'm sorry I was angry with you this morning," Mike said softly near my ear.

I just wanted him to let go of me immediately.

"It's fine, go take a shower quickly since it's late," I said to get out of his embrace.

Mike looked at me for a moment as if wanting to make sure everything was still okay.

"Do you have a schedule at the clinic tomorrow?" Mike asked, breaking the silence of the night.

"Yes, a routine check-up," I answered softly without daring to look him in the eye.

He then asked me to remain patient with the program.

That sentence used to always comfort me, but now it sounded like a painful taunt.

"I have another meeting tomorrow, might be home a bit late," he continued.

I just nodded without any drama whatsoever.

This morning went on as usual, as if no big secret had been revealed.

I still woke up early to prepare breakfast and work clothes for Mike.

Everything looked normal to the naked eye.

Before leaving, he kissed my forehead like a bland, routine obligation.

"I'm off to work, don't forget to eat," he said before leaving.

I replied with a smile that I forced onto my face.

A few hours later, I got ready to go to the clinic for my routine check-up.

In the past, I always looked forward to this schedule with full hope for the presence of a child.

Now, everything felt like an empty, meaningless routine.

In the clinic waiting room that smelled strongly of antiseptic, I sat in silence among other patients.

The sound of nurses' footsteps and people's whispers felt very far away.

I felt as if I were in a different dimension.

When my name was called, I entered the doctor's room with a thin, forced smile.

The examination went quickly and the results remained stable without any major changes.

The doctor reminded me to always look after my physical and mental condition.

The word "mental" sounded very strange to my ears right now. After saying thank you,

I walked out past the administration and pharmacy toward the main door. But my steps suddenly came to a halt.

My eyes were fixed on a man standing tall at the end of the VIP hallway.

The posture and those broad shoulders were very familiar to me, even though his back was turned.

My chest felt tight, as if my heart had stopped beating.

"Mike," I hissed in my heart with mixed emotions.

He appeared to be talking seriously with a strange woman I had never seen before.

I immediately reached for my phone to check his message status.

His status showed he had just been online ten minutes ago.

Mike was supposed to be at the main office, not at this clinic during work hours.

Fear and doubt began to embrace me very tightly.

I kept watching from a distance until the man entered a room.

Suddenly the clinic atmosphere felt deathly quiet to my ears.

Was the man I saw really my husband?