The Three Body Problem Novels & Stories

The problem wasn’t over yet, but at least he’s gone for now. I turned slowly to face him again. His gray eyes, sharp and cold, were fixed on me. For a split second, I felt exposed, like he could see straight through me and through my thoughts. “I… thank you,” I said quickly, bowing and forcing a smile. “And… I’m sorry for the trouble.” “That’s the third time,” he murmured, almost under his breath, before turning and walking away. I stood frozen in time for a moment, watching his facade fade down the hallway. The words echoed in my mind. The third time? My pulse skipped. Does he actually remember me? My chest tightened as I realized what just happened. Or am I just possibly overthinking thing

On our wedding night, my wife, who almost never drank, got wasted because she was supposedly too happy. Just when I didn't know what to do, my best friend sent me a long message explaining how to take care of her. I blushed, but I still followed his instructions and soothed her the way he described. Natalie, who had been making a scene, miraculously quieted down. But just as I was about to call my friend and thank him, Natalie suddenly hugged me from behind. Heartbroken, she whispered, "Ashton Hawke, you're the one I wanted to marry." As she said it, the tattoo near her heart slipped into view: a hawk with its wings spread wide. My mind went blank. Ashton Hawke was my best friend of

"X-One or X-Two?" "Neither. The signature is wrong. It's—" The wall exploded inward. Not with force. With impossible geometry. Space folding wrong. Reality origami that hurt to perceive. Through the distortion stepped three figures. X-One. X-Two. X-Three. Except X-Three was standing next to me. Which meant—

"Something I almost didn't want to tell you until I had more confirmation. But given everything else today, I think you need it now instead of later." I braced myself against the counter, some instinct telling me to hold onto something solid before she finished the sentence. "Tell me," I said. "The wire transfer wasn't a single payment," Dana said. "It was the first of three, scheduled a month apart, same amount, same account. The second payment already went out. Two days ago." I felt the floor shift again, the same tilting sensation that had followed me through every hour of this week, a feeling I was starting to think might never fully leave me now, no matter how this ended. "When is the t

The weight of it all made the air feel thin, as if the past was mixing with the present. The sensation of the liquid was overwhelming as it burned my throat, some of it spilled over my lips and down my neck, soaking my shirt. My stomach cramped so violently, yet I couldn't throw up. My vision spun, the streetlight as if mocking me split into two, then three. Fabian’s face blurred in and out, but the look on his eyes remained clear, there was a chilling satisfaction in them showing that he enjoyed every bit of distress he was causing me. My whole body felt too heavy and weak “Please,” I tried again, but it came out broken. My voice was already hoarse.

It reminded me of that winter three years ago, when Tanya had been cornered in her own home. “Does it really have to come to this, Callum? I thought I meant the world to you. You promised to take care of me forever… “Sarah is so little. Do you want her to grow up without a father? “Just come back, and I’ll get rid of Gavin. You can run the business however you see fit. Please?” I traced my ring finger. The pale indentation was a ghostly reminder of the three years spent in the shadows of our marriage. However, time could heal it all.

The call hung up after two seconds. After that, she tried video calling me, but the call also hung up after two seconds. As such, she had no choice but to continue messaging me. She wrote, "Didn't we agree to meet outside the civil office, Chad? Why aren't you here yet?" There was a reply to her message, "I said I wanted three million, but you only gave me five hundred thousand. Do you think that's enough to convince me? I won't divorce you until I get three million."

I pull out slow, stand, fix my sweatpants. She opens her eyes. Pure black. Then they fade back to blue. She smiles with Samantha’s mouth. Three bodies now. And the house is still asleep. Perfect.

*** When I woke up, Johan was sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless and smoking. He heard me move and looked back. A check landed on the bed in front of me. I stared at it. He only said a few words. "I'm bored with you." Something inside me cracked. Like porcelain shattering, sharp pieces cut across my heart. Still, my voice came out calm. I even smiled. "I've got less than three months left. Couldn't you wait a little longer?" Johan frowned. "Yara Yelton, you should know your place."

Olivia stood back and looked at me. “You want to talk Bash?” she asked me and I stared into her beautiful eyes. I didn’t, I was over this and I was over having to share her. I looked down thinking for a minute, if I stopped this it means I would have to give up Olivia and that I certainly didn’t want to do. If I had her I had to share her with Blake, it killed me and all I wanted was Olivia to be mine, completely mine. We had been a threesome for the last year and it was clear I was the only person with the problem. I think I would feel even sicker if I had to watch her be with Blake and not me. Me and Blake had been best friends since we were kids, we had shared a few women and Blake had gi