Chapter 1

The voice of my wife, Serena Green, came from the other end of the call. She sounded tired, like she'd just come out of surgery.

"I went there with the department head yesterday. His son likes lobster pasta, so I just happened to mention it."

Her tone was gentle and apologetic. "Maybe the manager misunderstood me. Don't overthink it, darling."

I couldn't pick any faults with her explanation, but the unease in my heart refused to stop growing.

"Okay, I understand. Get some rest."

I ended the call. I wanted to drive to the hospital to see her, but then I remembered she was busy saving lives, and I started feeling like I was being too petty.

Serena treated me well. Everyone considered us the ideal couple. It was only right for me to have more faith in her.

Feeling weary, I went home after sending her a message.

When I got back to the house, the scent of the coffee Serena had brewed that morning still lingered in the living room.

I walked into her study, my eyes falling on the tablet on her desk. On a whim, I tried my birthday as the password. It unlocked.

The latest photo in the album was a picture of the two of us. It had been taken outside our home just earlier today. Serena was smiling sweetly, and I had my arm around her waist. We looked like a blissful couple.

I checked the recently deleted photos. Immediately, I saw one that featured a hand with prominent knuckles holding a fork, twirling lobster pasta from a plate. The background was a booth at that romantic restaurant.

But that wasn't my hand.

I kept scrolling, my fingers trembling so much that I could barely hold the tablet.

There was a scheduled reminder in her notes app. It read, "Next Wednesday, take Mike for a follow-up appointment."

Who was Mike?

I searched through her entire contact list, but there was no one by that name.

Then I heard the sound of the door being unlocked. I swiftly turned off the screen and put the tablet back where I'd found it.

Serena hugged me from behind, resting her chin lightly on my shoulder. "Why aren't you asleep yet? Didn't I tell you not to wait for me?"

Her voice was almost coquettish.

I turned and smiled as though nothing had happened. "I was looking at our old photos. You looked so beautiful in them."

"My husband is the most handsome man, too." Serena laughed and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. "Alright, go to bed early."

She walked toward the bedroom, and I followed. I was going to ask her about the photo, but when I turned my head, the coat hanging on the door caught my attention.

The corner of a white piece of paper was sticking out of the pocket. I walked over and secretly pulled it out. It was a receipt from a cafe for two cups of coffee. One was Serena's usual order of iced coffee, while the other was a latte with extra sugar.

Serena never drank anything sweet. She said it was too cloying.

I really wanted to find an excuse to convince myself that maybe it was for work, but who would go to a cafe alone in the middle of the night and order two cups of coffee?

I stood in the doorway, watching Serena brush her teeth in the bathroom. Her once familiar figure now looked foreign to me.

"What are you staring at, darling?" She smiled at me through the mirror.

"Nothing." I slipped the receipt back into the pocket. "I was just thinking about the meeting tomorrow, and I'm a little worried about it."

"Don't worry about a thing. You're the best at what you do." She walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist.

As she leaned against me, I breathed in the faint scent of disinfectant on her.

How far had they gone?

I couldn't sleep a wink that night. The next day, I headed to the hospital under the guise of bringing her a homemade lunch.

I just wanted to see who this incredible man who stole her from me was. Even if I had to lose, I wanted to know I'd lost to someone worthy.

The elevator stopped on the second floor, where the surgical department was. I carried the insulated lunch container toward Serena's office. Just as I turned the corner, I saw a handsome young male nurse standing outside her door.

He was holding a cup of warm water as he knocked on the door. "Dr. Green, it's time for you to drink some water."

His voice was gentle and bright.

The door opened. The moment Serena took the cup from him, I saw the tenderness in her eyes.