Chapter 2

Halfway there, Sophie received a message and suddenly turned the car around. She glanced at me several times before speaking with a hint of guilt in her voice.

"The clinic's probably closed by now. It'll be faster to get the first aid kit from Zachary's place."

I could see right through her little scheme. But the blood loss was making my head throb, and I didn't have the energy to argue. I just urged her, "Let's hurry, then."

I didn't expect Sophie to drive us to the apartment for our married life. She had actually let Zachary move in and stay there long-term.

She quickly got out of the car and told me, "Wait here. I'll be right back."

I leaned back against the seat as my consciousness gradually began to fade. When the cold woke me up, it was already the middle of the night. The wound had scabbed over by now, but I'd lost so much blood that half my arm was practically numb.

I stumbled out of the car, and a kind passerby noticed my condition and safely got me home.

After I got home, I saw a video my friend had sent two hours ago.

In the video, Zachary was sitting close to Sophie, drinking with a group of her girl friends. When one of the girls accidentally touched Zachary's hand, Sophie immediately shot her a glare before pulling Zachary even closer to herself.

Her protectiveness was clear. In this eerily familiar scene, I felt my heart get violently wrenched.

I could still remember that night. I'd been at a work dinner until midnight and had just gotten home, getting ready for bed, when Sophie dragged me out to join her gathering with friends.

I'd been happy at the time, thinking Sophie wanted to introduce me to her friends. Even though I didn't feel well, I forced my exhausted, alcohol-heavy body to go along with her.

But once we got there, Sophie only treated me like a servant, ordering me to pour tea and water for her friends and clean up their trash.

When Sophie got up to use the bathroom, one of her friends placed her hand on my chest and said with a laugh, "Sophie treats you pretty badly, doesn't she? Why don't you be with me instead?"

Because of Sophie's attitude toward me, they actually thought I was some kept man Sophie had on the side. I quickly pushed her away, only to have a bottle of red wine poured over my head.

"Do you think you're too good for us? Stop putting on airs!"

Sophie came back just in time to see this scene. Her friend immediately switched tactics, claiming I had tried to harass her. I frantically tried to explain, but all I got was an icy glare.

"Enough! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

Not only did Sophie refuse to believe me, but she had personally called the police and had me taken to the station. I spent a day and a night at the police station before she finally bailed me out.

Later, I found out that during that entire day and night, Sophie had been by Zachary's side, helping him beat a newly released multiplayer competitive game. Afterward, she brushed it off with a casual "I made a mistake".

Whenever I tried to bring it up again, she would snap irritably, "Ethan, do you always have to win every argument? I have so many things to deal with every day. I don't have time to hash out these trivial matters with you!"

Now, watching the video and seeing the evident protectiveness in Sophie's eyes toward Zachary, my heart gradually grew cold. Even though I was exhausted, I still forced myself up and started packing Sophie's things that she'd left at the house.