Chapter 4

I did not want to back down.

“What? You’re bold enough to cheat on me, but you don’t have the guts to let me call you out on it?”

Harold tugged at the corner of Lana’s shirt. He looked utterly wronged and pitiful.

“Lana, just let it go! It’s just wine, after all.

“It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have joked around with Weston.”

I was doused with red wine, but Lana laughed it off as a prank.

In contrast, Harold’s hair was only a little wet, but Lana could not help admonishing me for him.

Lana looked at me in disappointment.

“Look at Harold! Not only is he younger than you, but he’s also kinder and more generous than you!

“Can’t you learn from him?”

I sneered. “Learn what? Learn how to steal someone’s partner, or how to be a homewrecker?”

Before I could finish, Lana slapped me so hard my mouth filled with blood.

Compared to the slap she had given me that night, she was clearly furious this time.

“Apologize to Harold! Delete that post right now.”

I swallowed the metallic taste. “In your dreams!”

Harold pretended to be startled and took a few steps back.

“Weston looks so aggressive! I hope he doesn’t resort to domestic violence later on.”

He continued, “Lana, since my buddies are all here, how about I show Weston what it means to back down?”

Lana gave a barely perceptible nod.

The next second, fists rained down on me.

Back when we first got together, I had only suffered a small cut from a fruit knife. Yet Lana had rushed me to the hospital in a panic.

When she saw the blood from the wound, tears of worry streamed down her face. She seemed to be in more pain than I was, even though I was the one who was injured.

She cradled my wound and swore she would never let me get hurt again.

But this time, she had given Harold the right to hurt me. She let him hurt me time and time again.

Harold stomped on my face and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

“Weston, what does it matter that you’re married to Lana? The only person who truly matters to her is me.”

I said nothing. My gaze was fixed on the pendant around Harold’s neck.

I had one just like it, although mine was just a cheap rosary.

When Lana gave it to me, she said she had begged for it by performing feats of devotion after a long and far walk to the cathedral.

I treasured it and kept it close to my heart.

But it seemed that the gift was not just given to me alone.

Harold picked up the car keys from the ground and said in a playful, whiny tone, “Lana, I haven’t had a car to drive lately, so I’m just going to take this Mayvoche.”

Lana nodded and completely ignored me when the car belonged to me.

Over the years, whenever Harold asked for something, I had to hand it over, even if it was my favorite stuff.

I pushed myself up against the wall, intending to take my keys back.

Lana thought I was going to hit Harold. So, she kicked me and sent me crashing back to the floor.

My head slammed into the corner of the table. My vision was tainted red.

Seeing this, Lana panicked and lunged toward me. “Weston! I…”

To my surprise, Harold stepped in to block her with dramatic flair.

“Weston, you’re scheming, aren’t you? You poured red wine on yourself just seconds ago, didn’t you?

“Lana, don’t be fooled. He’s just putting on an act.”

Lana actually believed him and stopped in her tracks.

“Weston, you’d better watch your step. Stop resorting to these underhanded tactics!”

With that, she led her group straight out of the private room.

I lay in a pool of blood. Waves of dizziness washed over me.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

“The video we filmed earlier. It’s time to release it…”