2

PAST SEVEN O’CLOCK in the evening, and Alexander still hadn’t come home.

The entire mansion was quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the faint ticking of the clock.

Is he really that busy at the office now? He hasn’t even called me to let me know what time he’ll be coming home.

Theariza glanced again at the clock hanging in their kitchen, where she had been waiting so they could have dinner together. The food was already served on the table, but it was slowly getting cold.

She let out a sigh.

As for Althea, she still hasn’t arrived either. She hasn’t called. What time is she coming home? She should arrive before my husband does. What if he suddenly comes home while I’m already asleep?

She glanced toward the door, as though hoping it would open at any moment.

But it remained closed.

And the heaviness in her chest only grew stronger.

She immediately stood up and picked up her cellphone from the sofa.

She dialed her husband’s number.

“Ring… ring… ring…”

The phone simply kept ringing.

“Harder, Alex…” Althea moaned.

“Yes… I will.”

Alexander pulled her closer as their bodies remained entwined.

Althea could only moan softly from the pleasure she was feeling.

“You feel so good, Althea,” Alexander groaned.

“You feel good too, Alex…” she whispered.

Suddenly—

“Ring… ring… ring… ring…”

Alexander’s phone began to ring.

“Someone’s calling…” Althea whispered softly.

“It’s not important,” Alexander replied, choosing to ignore the call.

The phone continued ringing.

“Ring… ring… ring…”

But Alexander deliberately chose not to answer it.

Instead, he pulled Althea closer as they continued their passionate embrace.

Althea bit her lip, trying to suppress the moan that threatened to escape her throat.

“Althea…” he whispered, his voice filled with desire.

“Do you like it?” Alexander whispered into her ear, breathing heavily.

“Yes…” she answered, gripping his shoulder tightly. “You’re the only one who can make me feel this way…”

“Really?”

“Yes… only you.”

Outside the bed, Alexander’s phone screen continued to light up.

The name displayed on it was:

Wife Calling…

But Alexander didn’t care.

As if the call meant nothing to him.

On the other side…

Theariza was still standing in the middle of their living room, holding her cellphone in her hand. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen as she waited for her husband to answer.

But there was no response.

Until the call finally ended.

Slowly, she lowered her cellphone.

Maybe he’s really just busy.

Maybe he’s still in a meeting.

Maybe…

She tried to convince herself.

But deep inside her heart, there was a pain she couldn’t explain.

A feeling that something was wrong.

She sat down on the sofa and slowly wrapped her arms around herself.

The entire mansion was silent.

She looked at the table, where the food she had prepared for her husband was still waiting.

It was Alexander’s favorite.

But now…

It was growing cold.

Just like the feeling in her heart.

At the hotel…

Alexander’s movements gradually slowed.

Both he and Althea were breathing heavily as they remained close to each other.

Althea smiled while gently caressing the man’s chest.

“Aren’t you going to answer the call?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Alexander shook his head.

“Let her be.”

It was a simple answer.

But it was enough to make Althea smile.

“I’ll call her so she won’t become suspicious, sweetheart…” Althea said with a smile as she reached for her cellphone on the bed.

There was a strange glimmer in her eyes.

It wasn’t innocent.

It was filled with a plan.

“Sure… no problem, sweetie,” Alexander replied as he adjusted his clothes and looked at her admiringly. “We’re going to be living under the same roof soon anyway, right? As one real family…”

Althea smiled.

It was a smile filled with meaning.

“True…” she whispered before dialing Theariza’s number. “Wait… don’t say anything yet. It’s ringing.”

“Ring… ring… ring…”

On the other end of the line, Theariza immediately answered the call, barely letting it ring, as though she had been waiting for it all along.

“Hello… bestie?” Theariza’s voice was soft but filled with concern.

Althea’s expression immediately changed. The coldness in her eyes was replaced by sweetness and pretense.

“Bestie… I’m on my way home,” she said sweetly, even as she looked at Alexander with a smile. “I’m really sorry… it got a little late. I had to gather all my things. You know… I’ll be moving in with you until I give birth to your husband’s baby.”

There was a brief silence on Theariza’s end.

She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt a strange pain in her chest.

But she quickly pushed it aside.

“It’s okay, bestie… I understand,” she replied, forcing herself to keep her voice calm. “I’m still awake. I’ll wait for you.”

Althea smiled and slowly caressed Alexander’s chest while continuing the conversation.

“Really?” she replied, pretending to be happy. “Bestie… you’re really so kind. I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

“Tsk… bestie,” Theariza replied with a small laugh. “What are friends for? Besides… you’re doing this for us.”

A cold smile appeared on Althea’s lips.

For us?

If only you knew, bestie…

“Yes, bestie,” she replied sweetly. “I’ll do everything for you. So your dream of becoming a mother can finally come true.”

Beside her, Alexander smirked, apparently pleased by what he was hearing.

“I’ll be leaving soon,” Althea continued. “I’m already on my way there. I’m excited to live with you too.”

“Okay… take care, Althea,” Theariza replied, her voice carrying a strange mixture of happiness and nervousness. “Drive carefully.”

“Thank you, bestie,” she whispered. “And, bestie…”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you… for trusting me.”

Theariza closed her eyes for a moment before smiling.

“Always, bestie.”

After the call ended—

The sweetness immediately disappeared from Althea’s face.

She looked at Alexander.

And the two of them smiled at each other.

“She’s so easy to fool,” Althea whispered.

Alexander approached her and gently held her chin.

“Because she loves me,” he replied coldly.

“No…” Althea whispered. “Because she loves you more than she loves herself.”

And that—

Was the easiest kind of love to destroy.