Chapter 2

I turned my head away from her hand.

Theresa froze for a moment, then broke into a smile.

"Are you angry? Because I brought a man home without discussing it with you first?"

Three days ago, I had brought up IVF with Theresa.

She'd said, "Don't worry, leave everything to me."

Then she came home with a young man named Lucas Landon.

She said we could have a child using a sperm donor.

Money for goods, a clean transaction, no strings on either side.

I stayed silent for a long time before I asked her.

"Theresa, if even having a child has to be handed off to someone else, then am I even the child's father?"

But Theresa didn't take it seriously.

"Adrian, you have a low sperm count and a heart condition. The doctors said you're not fit to have children. I'm only thinking of you."

Just like now, seeing how awful I looked.

Theresa sighed and coaxed me the same way she always did.

"Adrian, the child I carry will be yours anyway, so of course you're the only father."

"I've pulled you back from death's door more than once. You're too weak. I really can't bear the risk of losing you."

"So this time, listen to me, all right?"

She said it with such feeling.

Her eyes even went a little red.

If I hadn't heard it with my own ears last night, I probably would have hugged her and apologized all over again.

I lowered my head and drank my congee.

"So he agreed?"

Theresa nodded. "His family doesn't have money. I gave him a sum, and he jumped at it."

"Good."

Theresa visibly relaxed and hugged me from behind.

"I knew you were the most reasonable one. Adrian, once the baby is born, the three of us will have a good life together."

I closed my eyes, sneering inside.

Whose family of three was this, really?

For two weeks straight, Theresa left early and came home late, suddenly so very busy.

When she came back, she reeked of men's cologne.

Every time she saw me frown, she would explain in a gentle voice.

"It was Lucas. He went with me for a blood test today, and he suddenly got faint at the sight of blood. He must have brushed up against me by accident."

I didn't expose her lie.

Of course, Theresa had no idea that at this very moment, in the drawer of the coffee table, sat a stack of photos a private investigator had just handed me.

They documented her leaving early and coming home late all month, going to Lucas's apartment.

Her car parked at the foot of his building, and Lucas rushing over to take her into his arms.

In the bedroom, on the balcony, in the bathtub...

Embracing, kissing.

I even had a recording saved on my phone.

Lucas asked nervously, "Theresa, we're not using protection again?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Isn't a child exactly what we want?"

Every day I watched these things, listened to them, like I was torturing myself.

Until the evening, when Theresa came home after claiming she'd been working late.

She looked radiant, as if something had left her glowing.

I pretended not to see the hickey on her neck.

"Theresa."

"You see Lucas every day. He's younger and better-looking than me. Could you fall for him?"

Her hand paused as she set down her bag.

Then she laughed out loud.

"Adrian, what are you dreaming up all day?"

"Aren't all these meetings with him for the sake of our child?"

"My exams, blood tests, my ovulation shots—someone has to be with me for every one of them. You're in poor health. If not him, then who?"

She reached out and cupped my face, her thumb brushing under my eye.

"Adrian Sanchez, in this whole life, I'll only ever fall for you."

"What is Lucas? Just a tool."

"Once the baby's born, he takes the money and leaves. He and I have nothing to do with each other."

I stared at her neck.

The hickey on the side of her neck was a glaring red.

"Then what's this?"

Theresa instinctively reached up to cover it, then made herself lower her hand as if it were nothing.

"Last night I fell asleep against the seat in the car, waiting for Lucas's blood test results. It's probably a mosquito bite."

She flicked my nose. "Is it because I haven't been around that you're overthinking things again?"

"I promised you—once this busy stretch is over, I'll spend real time with you."

That night, I came out in a bath towel and undid it right in front of Theresa.

In the past, whenever she saw this, her eyes would light up and she'd throw herself at me, breathing fast.

"You know I can't resist you fresh out of the bath, and you still play me like this on purpose."

But now, she only glanced at it.

Then, frowning, she wrapped the towel back around me.

"Honey, I've been really tired these past few days. I'm just not in the mood. Another time, okay?"

I stared into her eyes. "You haven't touched me in a month."

Theresa's eyes shifted away.

"Work is wringing me dry. I've got no energy left."

Someone else was doing the wringing, more likely.

"Fine. I understand."

I turned and walked away. The truth was, tonight I was only testing her.

A woman who's already filthy—I wouldn't touch her again.

Theresa shut the study door and, inside, made a video call to Lucas, cooing over him.

And I dialed my lawyer directly. "Draft me a divorce agreement."