Chapter 3

Whitney tilted her head up to listen, the soft, familiar lines of her profile looking exactly the same as always. Then Jethro let go of her, opened his arms, and pulled her into a hug.

Whitney stiffened for a moment, but she did not push him away. The two of them stood outside the private club, wrapped in each other's arms like lovers reunited after years apart.

I sat quietly in the back of the cab, watching them. I felt completely calm. The last ridiculous bit of hope I had been holding on to finally went out.

I pulled out my phone, aimed it at them, adjusted the focus, and took a photo.

"Take me to my attorney's office."

...

The conference room at the law firm was chilled by the powerful air conditioning.

I slid my phone across the table. On the screen was the picture of Whitney and Jethro embracing outside the club.

Tessa Lynch, my attorney, was a woman in her 40s who wore gold-rimmed glasses. She had the sharp, capable look of someone who did not waste time.

She studied the photo carefully before looking up at me. Her voice was professional and calm.

"Mr. Cooper, it's going to be difficult to prove infidelity with this photo alone. Courts have fairly strict standards when it comes to proving adultery. We'll need more direct evidence, such as photos showing unmistakably intimate behavior, messages between the two of them, financial records, things like that."

I smiled and took my phone back.

"There will be more evidence. Ms. Lynch, go ahead and draft the divorce agreement for me first. My requests are simple. I want Whitney to have full custody of our child. As for the marital assets, I'll take only the share I'm legally entitled to."

Tessa gave me a thoughtful look, apparently surprised by how calm I was. Then she nodded.

"Of course. I'll have the agreement drafted as soon as possible. And if you can collect more evidence, they could strengthen your position when it comes to dividing the marital assets."

"I know." I stood up. "Once the agreement is ready, email it to me. I'll be ready to sign."

By the time I left the law firm, it was already noon.

I did not go home. Instead, I wandered around the mall, bought myself a new suit, and got a haircut.

At 4:00 pm, I returned home with my shopping bags.

The house was empty. Just as I had expected, Whitney still had not come back.

I made myself a plate of pasta. I had barely finished eating when my phone buzzed. It was a multimedia message from an unknown number.

I opened it, only to see a ten-second video.

Inside a dimly lit private room, Whitney was leaning against Jethro's chest. She tilted her head up and kissed him, her expression almost reverent.

The video was crystal clear. I could see Whitney's face perfectly, even the slight flutter of her eyelashes as she closed her eyes.

The moment I finished watching it, another message came in from the same number.

[Patrick, I think the only way to be happy in a marriage is to marry someone who truly loves you. Don't you agree?]

I saved the video and took screenshots. I saved the message thread too.

At 7:00 pm, Whitney called.

"Honey, I have a work thing tonight. I might be home late. Go ahead and get some sleep. Don't wait up for me."

Her voice came through the phone, but the background was strangely quiet. It did not sound like she was at any kind of work event.

"Okay," I said calmly. "Don't drink too much."

After hanging up, I sat on the couch in the living room, turned on the TV, and put on a random basketball game. The game was painfully boring. After watching for a while, I gave up and went to bed.

Sometime after midnight, while I was half asleep, I felt someone climb into bed. She moved carefully, and I caught the faint smell of alcohol.

Whitney slipped her arms around me from behind and cautiously buried her face in the crook of my neck. Then, in the quietest voice, she whispered, "I'm sorry..."

I did not move. I kept my breathing slow and steady, pretending to be asleep.

Inwardly, however, I laughed bitterly. What was this supposed to mean? Had she suddenly grown a conscience after cheating on me? Or did she feel guilty and decide to throw me a little fake tenderness?