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《When My Wife Plays Wife for Another Man》全部章節：第 1 章 - 第 10 章

10 章節

Chapter 1

When I pushed open the door to my parents' place, I found that they already had a full spread waiting on the table.Everything was still steaming, and every dish was a favorite of Charlie's and mine.The moment Mom saw us, she hurried over to greet us.Dad scooped my son, Charlie Reed, into his arms, smiling as he showered him with questions.There were five place settings laid out on the table, though. The fifth was for my wife, Joanna Jensen.I sat down and picked up my fork, but I had no appetite.Mom noticed something was off with me. She placed a braised short rib on my plate and asked softly, "Where's Joan? Why didn't she come with you?""She went to Ryan's. I'm used to it by now," I said flatly, as if it didn't matter at all.Mom's face fell. Dad stopped playing with Charlie and let out a heavy sigh.They both knew that Ryan Quinn, Joanna's brother-in-law, was a bottomless pit.Five years ago, Joanna's younger sister, Vivian Jensen, had died in childbirth, leaving Ryan

Chapter 2

To my surprise, Mom took my hand. Her expression was firm. "You should have divorced Joan a long time ago. I don't want you spending the rest of your life miserable just for Charlie's sake. He has us, his grandparents. He'll have everything he needs."You're our child too," she continued. "Your dad and I can't just stand by and watch you suffer."Dad nodded and added, "If Joan can't get her priorities straight, and if there's no room in her heart for you or Charlie, there's no point in holding on to a marriage like that. Don't worry. Your mom and I will always be in your corner."Their words finally lifted the weight that had been pressing down on my chest.Six years of marriage, and I'd compromised again and again, backing down every single time. I'd convinced myself that if I could just hold out a little longer, Joanna would finally see who truly mattered.I was wrong. From beginning to end, Charlie and I had never come first for her.Charlie set down his fork, ran over, and wr

Chapter 3

Without saying a word, I hung up.I opened my feed and saw the photos Ryan had posted a few minutes earlier. They were taken during a family dinner at his parents' house, where he'd brought Cynthia to celebrate the holiday. One photo captured Joanna in profile as she stood over the stove in the kitchen.The caption read, "Nothing beats bringing my little family of three home to Mom and Dad for Twelfth Night."What stung most was seeing that my mother-in-law, Marilyn Jensen, had liked the post.Knowing Joanna's entire family had such warped priorities, I couldn't even bring myself to feel angry anymore.I liked the post and left a comment. "Joanna's specialty is spicy crab. Make sure she cooks plenty."…Less than a minute after I closed the app, Joanna's call came through."Ethan, what was that supposed to mean? Why are you liking and commenting on Ryan's post?" she demanded. "It's the holidays, and now you've gone and upset him. All those relatives are watching. You might not

Chapter 4

I didn't hold back any longer. "So, you think I've had it easy? Every time Charlie and I needed you, you were by Ryan's side. Anyone who didn't know better would think I was the one who lost my wife. Why don't you just go be with Ryan? Let's get a divorce."Joanna stood frozen for a long moment before finally coming to her senses. Her voice took on a pleading tone."Honey, I was wrong. Please give me one more chance, okay? From now on, I'll put you and Charlie first. Just trust me one more time."Her apologies always came easily, and they were cheap. I'd heard the exact same words countless times over the past three years. After every argument, she'd admit she was wrong and promise to change. Yet the moment Ryan called, she'd drop everything and run straight to him.I didn't believe a word of it anymore.When I remained silent, she turned straight to Charlie."Charlie, don't you have that huge Lego set you wanted to build with me? I'll build it with you right now."Charlie glanc

Chapter 5

Joanna pounded on my parents' door like a woman possessed.The instant it opened, she grabbed my wrist with a bone-crushing grip. Her eyes were bloodshot."Ethan, what right do you have to divorce me? I'm not agreeing to a divorce!"Charlie had been building a Lego set. At the sound of her voice, his hands jerked, knocking over what he'd just built.Like a startled animal, he darted behind Mom.I wrenched my wrist free. There was a dark red ring around it."Joanna, I gave you your chance. You're the one who threw it away. Charlie and I haven't been able to count on you since the day he was born, and we certainly don't need you now. Sign the papers. Then, you can devote yourself to taking care of Ryan, since that's clearly what you've always wanted."Joanna pulled out the divorce agreement and hurled it to the floor, sending the pages scattering everywhere."We've been married for six years, and we have Charlie! How can you talk about ending it like it's nothing? All I did was h

Chapter 6

I felt no grief over the end of our marriage, only relief that it was finally over.Mom and Dad hugged me. Their eyes were red-rimmed as they patted my back. "Ethan, it's finally over."Charlie held my hand and wiped my tears away with his chubby little fingers. "Daddy, we get to live with Grandma and Grandpa from now on, right?"I crouched down and pulled him close. "I'll never let anyone treat you badly again."The day after the ruling took effect, Joanna transferred the court-ordered assets into my account.She didn't call; she just sent a text that was a few words long."Ethan, I hate you."I read it once, then deleted it without a second thought and blocked her number for good.Let her hate me or resent me. None of it had anything to do with me anymore.I thought that was the end of it—that Joanna and I could go our separate ways and each find our own peace. However, I never expected Ryan to show up at my door, full of resentment and malice.That afternoon, while I was b

Chapter 7

When Ryan heard the neighbors whispering about him, his face went pale, then flushed bright red. All his swagger drained away.He glared at me. His eyes were full of venom, but he didn't dare come any closer.In the end, all he could do was stomp his foot and slink away.I watched him go without a ripple of emotion.The farce was finally over. Joanna and Ryan's selfishness had turned them into strangers. At last, I was free of them both. Charlie and I could start over.…After causing that scene, Ryan never showed his face again, and Joanna stopped intruding on our lives too.Life settled into a quiet, steady rhythm. I kept up with work and took care of Charlie. Now and then, we went for walks with my parents, and little by little, the days began to feel warm and peaceful again.However, a month after the divorce, as the seasons changed, Charlie caught a cold. It quickly developed into pneumonia, and he ended up in the hospital.That night, his fever spiked to 102 degrees, and

Chapter 8

Wendy handed Charlie the sticker as promised. He took it, and a faint smile broke through his tears."Thank you, Dr. Garcia," he whispered.Seeing him smile again, Wendy stood up and turned to me."His pneumonia isn't too severe. As long as he gets his IV fluids on schedule and responds well to treatment, he should be able to go home in about a week. In the meantime, make sure he drinks plenty of water, eats light meals, and stays warm."I looked at her, and deep gratitude washed over me. "Thank you, Dr. Garcia."She listened to Charlie's heart and lungs, checked his temperature, and asked a few detailed questions about his symptoms.Once she confirmed that everything looked stable, she reassured me with a gentle smile. "Everything looks good for now. If he starts feeling unwell, just press the call button by the bed, and I'll come right over."After Wendy left, Charlie held up his superhero sticker, beaming. "Daddy, Dr. Garcia is so nice. She's even nicer than Mommy."My heart

Chapter 9

"Okay. Thank you, Wendy," I said sincerely.It was the first time I'd called her by her first name.Wendy smiled, then turned and left.I watched her go, then looked down at the business card in my hand. My mind was a storm of conflicting emotions.I had no idea how this chance meeting would change my life, but I knew Wendy had stepped into my dark, gray world like a ray of sunlight, bringing a warmth I hadn't felt in a long time.…After Charlie was discharged from the hospital, I bought a bouquet of flowers and took him back to thank Wendy.She was writing patient notes at her desk in the pediatrics office. The moment she saw us, she set down her pen and stood up with a warm smile."Charlie! You're out of the hospital," she said. "Are you feeling better?"Charlie ran over and handed her a drawing. "Dr. Garcia, I'm all better! I drew this for you."The drawing showed a doctor in a white coat holding a little boy's hand, with a small heart drawn beside them. The lines were cr

Chapter 10

Sometimes, on her days off, she'd invite Charlie and me to a park, an amusement park, or the countryside for a picnic.Wendy had a real gift for looking after people. Every time we went out, she made sure to pack Charlie's favorite snacks and toys beforehand. She'd even gently wipe away his sweat and hand him water whenever he got thirsty.Charlie grew more attached to her by the day. Whenever he saw her, he'd run over, wrap his arms around her legs, and shout, "Wendy!"One day, Charlie's preschool hosted a family event that required both parents to attend.Charlie hung his head glumly. "Daddy, all the other kids have a mommy and a daddy. I'm the only one who doesn't."His words cut right through me, leaving me at a loss for how to comfort him.Just then, Wendy called. As soon as she heard what was happening, she didn't hesitate for a second."It's okay," she said. "I'll go with Charlie."…On the day of the event, Wendy took time off work and showed up in casual clothes, join

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