My Wife's Promise to Another Man

As Serena Skelding spoke, her eyes stayed glued to Cassian Frick. She didn't even notice when I had let go of her hand.

Cassian pushed through the crowd and lit a cigarette right in front of me.

Serena had always hated the smell of cigarettes. Once, I'd come home after a business dinner with the smell of smoke clinging to my clothes. She'd covered her nose in disgust and refused to let me inside.

After that night, Serena had blocked me on every form of contact. She'd given me the silent treatment for three whole months.

But when Cassian deliberately blew a ring of smoke into her face, Serena didn't even get angry. Instead, she took a deep breath and reminisced about the brand of cigarettes.

She said fondly, "This is the same brand we smoked the first time when we were 18."

Cassian chuckled and responded, "So you still remember. I thought you'd forgotten all about our past after you got together with Elijah."

Through the swirling smoke, everyone looked at me with a mixture of pity and amusement.

Serena finally realized something was wrong and made a half-hearted attempt to defend me. "Cassian, that's enough."

Cassian immediately pulled a long face. "I was just trying to liven things up. Besides, I didn't exaggerate anything. I was just telling the truth. Is that a crime?"

He clicked his tongue and casually held the cigarette out to Serena. She didn't refuse. Taking it between two fingers, she took a drag out of habit.

Seeing how naturally she smoked, a hurt look flashed through my eyes. It turned out Serena only hated cigarettes when Cassian wasn't the one smoking them.

I stood up abruptly and looked down at Serena. "Is it true that you two had a child?"

Serena avoided my gaze.

Then, she retorted in a matter-of-fact tone, "So what if it's true? It's not like the baby was ever born. Besides, I married you. Isn't that enough to prove that I love you? Can you stop being so petty, Elijah Langdale?"

I stared at Serena, desperately searching her eyes for even the slightest trace of guilt.

Unfortunately for me, there was none, not even a hint. All I saw was annoyance.

Cassian took a sip of his alcohol and began to gloat like a man who had already won.

"Elijah, is that all you can handle? That was the mildest thing I've said, and you can't take it already. What if you found out that every time Serena went overseas, it was to fool around with me? Wouldn't you lose your mind?"