Chapter 3

"There's no one from the office here tonight. I'd take a hit from your wife and call it even. But what if one day she gets mad enough to come to the office and go after me? How am I supposed to show my face after that?" Katie said.

Ryan's face went dark as thunder.

He pulled Katie tightly against him and glared at me. "Emily. Apologize."

His tone left no room for argument.

I didn't flinch. I looked him right in the eye. "Not a chance."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "If you don't apologize, we're done. For real this time."

Even though I had already made that decision in my heart, hearing him say it out loud still made my chest ache. I couldn't quite stop the tremor.

But I didn't let it show. I just gave him a cold smile. "Fine."

…

My mood was ruined, so I didn't bother going inside to ruin my best friend's night. I just went straight home.

I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep at all. But as it turned out, I slept pretty well.

Which is why, when I got up the next morning and saw Katie in the house, I thought I was still dreaming.

She was wearing Ryan's white dress shirt, her long legs bare and on full display. And Ryan—the man who never lifted a finger around the house—was actually in the kitchen making porridge.

They both turned to look at me when I came downstairs.

Ryan frowned but didn't say a word.

Katie jumped in first to explain. "Emily, don't get the wrong idea. I had too much to drink last night and threw up all over myself. I couldn't find my keys, so Ryan didn't have any choice but to bring me here."

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "No choice? He looks pretty happy about it to me."

Ryan slammed the ladle back into the pot and spun around to face me, his voice dripping with impatience. "Emily. Enough is enough."

Hearing that, I just wanted to laugh. He had another woman in our house wearing his clothes, and he was telling me to back off.

The only reason he dared to act like this was that he knew how much I loved him. That's why he'd been able to control me for three years with one stupid line about sleeping apart for a week meaning divorce.

I used to think that if I loved him enough, if I gave him enough, he would give the same back.

But I forgot—constantly making yourself smaller so someone else can feel bigger doesn't earn you their respect. It just makes them look down on you even more.

When I didn't say anything, Katie bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry for causing trouble again, Ryan. I should just leave now."

She made a move toward the door. But before she could even turn around, Ryan grabbed her wrist.

"You can't go out dressed like that. What if something happens to you? Finish breakfast first. Once your clothes are dry, I'll drive you home."

Then he looked back at me, his patience visibly gone. "Emily, it's barely morning and you already have to make everyone miserable? This is exactly why I regret marrying you."

The room went dead silent.

Ryan seemed to realize he had gone too far. He opened his mouth like he wanted to take it back.

But I didn't give him the chance. "Ryan, you're not the only one who regrets it. Neither of you has to leave. I'm the one who should go."

I turned and went upstairs.

Ten minutes later, I came back down with my suitcase already packed.

Ryan's pupils contracted slightly when he saw the luggage in my hand. A flicker of delight crossed Katie's eyes before she quickly put back on her usual innocent look.

"Emily, please don't leave. Ryan and I are really just coworkers. I honestly had nowhere else to go last night and no clean clothes to change into. He only took me in because he felt sorry for me."

I didn't want to waste my breath on her. But the act was just too much.

I couldn't help myself. "Nowhere to go? No clean clothes? So every single hotel and store in this city just shut down overnight? Is that it? You had no choice but to come to someone else's husband's house and spend the night in his shirt?"