Chapter 3

During the early years of our marriage, Rachel and I had been deeply in love. We had been poor, and we had struggled, but we had never even raised our voices at each other. In our circle, we were known as the perfect couple.

Everything changed half a year ago, when Rachel’s younger sister and Daniel were in a car accident.

Her sister died on the spot, while Daniel got lucky and survived. However, he stayed in the hospital for two full months.

After that, he developed PTSD and naturally became Rachel’s patient.

From then on, he kept finding excuses to interfere with our lives.

At first, he said his body hurt and that he needed treatment, so he would show up at her office during work hours every few days.

Later, he started asking for treatment after work, and it slowly turned into asking her to go to his place.

One time, my stomach illness flared up. Rachel had been taking care of me, but the moment he said he was in pain and scared, she left without hesitation and stayed with him for the entire night.

When she came back the next day, she looked exhausted and explained that he was her patient and her brother-in-law, so she could not ignore him.

Things like that kept happening repeatedly.

Once, I was invited to a formal dinner and needed to bring a partner. She had already agreed to go, but after Daniel said he felt unwell, she left without even telling me.

My business partners started wondering whether I even had a wife, or if she was just an excuse I used every time. I almost became a joke to everyone.

In the end, I could not hold it in anymore.

“Who matters more to you, Daniel or me?”

She got angry when I asked that.

“Sam, are you seriously comparing yourself to my patient? Is Daniel not pitiful enough? My sister is dead, and he has PTSD. He is the last thing she left behind. I have to protect him.

“And I am a psychologist. No matter what, I cannot ignore him. He is only my brother-in-law. Are you really jealous over something like this?”

I felt unbearable pain.

Her heart had already shifted toward Daniel little by little.

Each time, she used the same excuse about him being her last connection to her sister.

Whenever I showed the slightest dissatisfaction, she called me childish, narrow-minded, and overly sensitive.

She never once asked why I had become like this.

I still remembered our fifth wedding anniversary. I had concluded a business trip early just to surprise her.

However, when I opened the door, I saw her holding Daniel tightly. Their lips were locked together, and they were completely lost in the moment.

My mind went blank. I trembled as I demanded to know what they were doing.

Rachel pulled away from him and explained calmly that they were doing trauma exposure therapy. They were recreating the scene from the day her sister died.

She said it was to help Daniel face danger again and accept reality so he could heal.

Her explanation sounded righteous, but the blush on her face gave her away.

Daniel stood behind her with a smug smile full of provocation.

Before I could even react, she said coldly, “You’re not getting angry again, are you? You know this is for treatment.”

I was so angry that I almost fainted. Daniel covered his face and apologized, saying, “Sorry, this is my fault. I got too into it.”

Then, he ran out.

Rachel immediately chased after him.

I watched her leave and felt nothing but coldness in my heart.

…

After leaving my in-laws’ place, I went straight back to the house Rachel and I lived in.

It was my property from before the marriage. Only my name was on the deed. I bought it back then just so I could marry her.

I personally supervised the decoration and design, all to create a warm home for us.

However, when I pushed open the familiar door and looked at the memories that filled the place, I felt sick to my stomach. I almost threw up.

So, I packed everything that belonged to me and called a moving company to take it all away.

Then, I sent Rachel a message.

[Move out within three days. I am selling this house.]

After that, I removed her access from the fingerprint lock and changed the password so it would only work for three more days.

Right after I finished, my phone started ringing nonstop.

In the family group chat, my father-in-law and mother-in-law were furiously cursing at me.

Their words were so harsh that it sounded like I was an enemy or a parasite who lived off of them instead of the son-in-law who gave them at least 200,000 dollars every birthday.

No one else in the group replied. The relatives acted as if they had not seen the messages at all.

At the same time, Rachel posted a new update.

In the photo, she wore a brand-new silver ring. She was also holding Daniel’s hand, and their fingers were intertwined.

The caption read, [For treatment, I can give everything. Unlike a certain someone who has a dirty mind...]

If this had happened before, the photo alone would have driven me mad.

This time, my heart was completely calm.

I picked up my phone and called my manager.

“James, put an end to the psychology research investment I approved earlier.”

He sounded surprised, but he immediately answered, “Understood, Chairman. I will handle it right away.”

“Also, file a report at Third Hospital. Report that the head of psychiatry, Rachel, is having an improper relationship with her patient, Daniel.

“Submit all the evidence formally.”