Lahat ng Kabanata ng Exposed Through the Sidepiece’s Secondhand Phone: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

My pale face reflected on the cold phone screen, and it took me a long time to snap out of my reverie.Mick: [Can you really pay me $150,000? Do you grow money on trees in your backyard?]There was an immediate reply.Mandy: [I bought this phone for Felix. He’s only used it for two months, and it's still almost new. Do you think you could get this phone if he weren't mad at me? I've seen plenty of cheapskates, but you're the first one who’s thick-skinned enough to ask for such an outrageous price.]Mandy Sudds seemed frustrated and angry.She finally gave up on texting me to negotiate on the online marketplace.For some reason, I clicked into her profile. Her account was eight years old.When I bought my phone back then, I asked if she had an account on the platform. She was taken aback, but answered firmly, "No."I was surprised at her hesitation, but I now understood the reason.After that, I clicked into my buddy Felix Cliff's account. His account showed many listings, incl

The next day, I opened the door to find that Felix was not our only guest. Mandy's parents were here too. I saw them less than three times a year, and I only ever got to meet them because of Felix. After all, they were only willing to make an appearance when their godson, Felix, was around.When Felix came, Mandy entered the kitchen for the first time. We had known each other for at least a decade, but she had never cooked for me before. The first dish was a creamy mushroom soup. I was just about to scoop myself a bowl when someone slapped me hard on the back of my hand. My hands turned red instantly."That soup is good for couples trying to get pregnant. A sterile man like you doesn't deserve to have it."After that, Mandy's mother scooped a bowl of soup for Felix. "You should have more soup, Felix."When I first married into the Sudds, Mandy's mother did not treat me this way. She always made sure that I had healthy food and enough supplements, but when Mandy failed to get pr

The doctor glanced at her incredulously. "Infertility treatment. It’s medication for a person who can't have children. Don't you understand what I just said?"His tone was gruff because he had been chatting with me for the past few days and had found out about my predicament. As a man, he was angry on my behalf, and he was not at all friendly to Mandy."Are you the patient's wife? He's been admitted here for five days, but I've never seen you here once. What's the point of showing concern now?"The doctor pushed her aside and helped me with my bandage. "Your husband is healthy and in excellent health. You shouldn't blame others when you're the one with the problem."When Mandy snapped out of it, she grabbed the doctor's arm in a fluster. "There's nothing wrong with me. Are you doing the same thing as the last doctor by ganging up with Mick to lie to me? Mick is the one who has infertility issues, and I've done my utmost duty by not abandoning him."You're just lying to me because

Mandy became frustrated, and she wanted to say more, but a sharp-eyed nurse kicked her out. "That's enough. You're just annoying people. Haven't you humiliated yourself enough? Get out already!"When the nurse asked her to leave, Mandy realized all the patients were looking over at her. Even though none of them said anything, she could tell from the look in their eyes that they were calling her a b*tch.Mandy clenched her teeth and warned, "I won't get a divorce, Mick, no matter what price I have to pay!"She left after that.I looked around the hospital room, which was finally quiet, and hugged my knees. I suddenly felt really cold.My mother had brought me up on her own after my father died in a car accident when I was very young. I had never experienced the warmth of a family except from my mother. That was why, when Felix and Mandy reached out to me, they became important people in my life.I treated them as an important part of my life, but three was a crowd, and they quietl

"We're already divorced. It's none of my business whether you get pregnant. Do you think this is brave of you? When my mother's life was in danger, I begged you for $15,000 to save her life, but you told me that money had been invested in a fixed deposit and you would lose interest if you withdrew from it."You said the transaction was not worth it, but you soon spent $30,000 after that to buy Felix's boxers. The boxers were a worthy transaction, but my mother's life wasn't? How cheap was my mother's life in your eyes?"Mandy's lips turned pale. "I regret my decision."I laughed. "How does it help that you're regretting it? Can my mom come back to life? I've disappointed my mom so many times. Before she died, her last wish was for me to be free. It was her last wish for me, and I don't want to disappoint her again."When I finished talking, I checked my watch, and they called my name to board my flight. I took a step back to put a distance between us. "You should go. Let's just lea