Chapter 2

"You don't need to update me on her condition. I don't care. And if you think I'm going to help clear her name? Dream on."

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm, refusing to let my voice shake.

Ryan let out a cold laugh. He said "fine" three times in a row.

"As of today, I'll be staying at the office. Emily, don't you dare come crawling back to me."

…

The door slammed shut behind him. My heart felt like it was being crushed in a vise, the pain so intense I could barely breathe.

Just then, my phone buzzed twice. I thought it was Ryan.

But it was Katie.

Katie: [Emily, my period cramps were really bad today, so Ryan gave me a ride to the hospital. Please don't get the wrong idea.]

Katie: [Honestly, only insecure women feel the need to be suspicious all the time.]

I stared at the screen for a few long seconds. I didn't reply. I didn't delete the messages either.

So this was the emergency that had Ryan so panicked he left me stranded in the middle of a storm—period cramps. Something almost every woman goes through.

The last time I had my period, the pain was so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. All I asked for was a glass of hot water. He called me dramatic.

I laughed bitterly to myself. Love and indifference really are that obvious, even if nothing physical had happened between them yet.

Three days passed. Ryan still hadn't come home.

I didn't waste the time either. I started packing up my things, little by little. The house was his before the marriage, so I was the one who had to leave.

On the fourth day of our "separation," my best friend invited me out for a night on the town. Before, I would have said no—I had to be home waiting for Ryan.

This time, I said yes without a second thought.

But of all the luck—the one night I actually went out, I ran into the two people I wanted to see least in the world.

Ryan's eyes lit up when he saw me, but just as quickly, that look was replaced by annoyance.

He frowned. "Did you follow me here? Don't you have any shame? Because I do."

Before I could say anything, Katie jumped in with a smirk. "Come on, Ryan, don't be so hard on her. Emily's just worried you might actually divorce her. I mean, there are only three days left until that week is up, right? But Emily—" she looked at me, "—you're kind of embarrassing the rest of us women. If I were you, I would've held out until the very last day before coming to beg."

The people with them started laughing and piling on.

"Gotta hand it to Ryan—master of his household. He's got his wife wrapped around his finger. Take notes, everyone."

Ryan looked pleased with all the praise. He turned to me with a condescending tone.

"Fine, I get it. I'll come home tonight. Now go. Don't ruin everyone's night."

I'd heard him talk to me like this before. Back then, it didn't seem like a big deal. But tonight, for some reason, I felt sick to my stomach.

I looked up at his smug face and said coldly, "Whether you come home or not doesn't matter to me. And I'm not here for you."

With that, I walked right past them and headed into the club.

No one had expected that. They all just stood there, frozen for a second.

Katie was the first to recover. She grabbed my wrist. "Emily, he already said he'd come home tonight. Stop pretending. If you push him too far and he gets really mad, you'll just end up blaming me again."

"Katie," I said, "the only way you get your shot with Ryan is if I divorce him. So save the fake concern. It's disgusting."

I yanked my hand away. I barely used any force at all, but she still let out a little shriek and stumbled backward.

She didn't hit the ground, though. She fell right into Ryan's arms.

Her eyes went red, her face the picture of wounded innocence.

"Ryan, I think I should just quit. Because of your wife's jealousy, everyone at the office already talks about me like I'm a homewrecker."