Chapter 2

Three hours later, Lily and I checked into a hotel overseas.

The moment I turned on my phone, Vivian's messages poured in.

"Are you in the bedroom? I have some paperwork to deal with, so I need to go out. I might be back late."

"If you're tired, sleep first. I'll wake you when I get home so you can blow out your birthday candles."

I didn't reply.

A knock sounded at the door, and Lily came in singing "Happy Birthday" with a cake in her hands.

"Happy birthday, Evan."

Lily really was my childhood sweetheart. We had simply been separated in our teens and lost touch for years.

The day we found each other again, I had spent two full days standing alone on a rooftop, waiting for Vivian to answer. One hundred fifty-six calls, and not one of them went through.

When I finally gave up and came downstairs, I was so numb that I didn't realize I'd stepped on broken glass until the blood was pooling around my feet and wouldn't stop.

Lily found me. She got me to the hospital, begged the doctors to save me, and stayed beside me the whole time.

And when I woke up, she took my wedding photo with Vivian and smashed it to the floor.

"It's one patent," she said. "Give me a year. After that, you divorce her."

She kept her word.

Vivian's calls kept lighting up the hotel nightstand, and I ignored every one of them.

Lily and I spent two carefree days abroad. When I finally came home, Vivian was sitting on the couch, expressionless.

"Three hundred calls, and you didn't answer one."

I glanced at her.

"Maybe next time I draw your name, I'll answer."

I didn't wait to see her reaction. I went straight to the bedroom, exhausted.

Just as I was drifting off, the mattress dipped behind me and Vivian wrapped her arms around my waist.

My eyes flew open. I got out of bed almost instinctively and stepped away from her.

She must have seen the flash of disgust in my eyes, because her face darkened.

"Evan, I'm your wife. I'm almost thirty. Isn't it time we had a child?

"Why won't you let me touch you?"

Because I found her filthy.

The first time she drew Julian's name and went to spend the day with him, I told myself they were only keeping each other company. Then I found them kissing like they couldn't bear to separate, and even after I caught them, Vivian simply said:

"I drew Julian. That means I can do whatever I want today."

Julian even punched me.

"She didn't draw you. Stop bothering us."

I stared at Vivian, and she stared back. Then I deliberately put on the same troubled, indecisive expression she used to wear, and her face fell.

"Maybe we should draw lots. If you want a baby, let's leave it to luck."

I pulled out the jar, and once again the long slip had Lily's name on it.

I shrugged.

"Guess you're unlucky. Go to bed."

A muscle jumped in Vivian's jaw. She forced herself to breathe slowly.

"Are you feeling sick today? If-"

Before she could finish, Natalie called again.

"Julian said a window shattered at his place and cut his hand. He's alone and bleeding pretty badly. Are you going over?

"That lunatic husband of yours is probably asleep by now. If he asks, just say you came to see me."

I heard every word, and I pretended not to. I rolled onto my side and faced away from Vivian.

After a long silence, she said softly, "Okay." Then she looked at me, her voice hoarse.

"Evan, I'll give you time. Think carefully. Nobody can tolerate a spouse being passive-aggressive forever."

After she left, I opened my eyes.

She couldn't tolerate it? Did she really think I had? Why should I be grateful for leftovers someone else threw away?

The next morning, Lily sent me a link and begged me to buy something for her, so I did.

The charge notification synced to Vivian's phone, and she stormed over.

"Women's underwear. Size small. Evan, are those for me?"

I kept eating breakfast.

"They're for Lily. She kept pestering me, so I bought them."

Pain flashed across Vivian's face.

"What exactly do you want me to do? You nearly killed yourself trying to make me stay before, and now I'm back.

"But suddenly you've invented some woman who doesn't exist. You ignore my calls. You won't let me touch you. You're buying underwear in the wrong size just to humiliate me.

"Do you enjoy watching me grovel?"

Actually? A little.

I laughed. Her expression twisted, and she swept everything off the table onto the floor.