8
After Jake returned, he never mentioned Emma again.
When I asked why he wasn’t looking for his college freshman anymore, he just muttered “we broke up.”
I asked why he wasn’t going to the office.
He gave a self-mocking smile: “The Wilson family has my brother, that’s enough. What do they need me for?”
So he just stayed at the mansion.
Sitting with me on the sofa, watching those melodramatic 8 o’clock shows.
I changed the channel, landing on a popular “winning back the wife” drama..
In the show, the male lead was kneeling in the rain, desperately begging for the female lead’s forgiveness.
Jake watched with unusual intensity, suddenly asking: “If you were the female lead, would you forgive him?”
I didn’t even turn to look at him, my gaze still fixed on the TV.
“No, I would hate him to death.”
The air seemed to solidify.
Jake finally found his voice again, with a hint of urgent defense, as if speaking for both the character and
himself.
“But what if… what if he was just confused for a moment? What if he actually underestimated his feelings fo
her, which caused the misunderstanding… wouldn’t that be acceptable?”
I turned off the TV.
The living room instantly fell silent, so quiet I could hear his irregular breathing.
I turned to face his hopeful gaze, and then, I smiled gently.
“Of course not.”
“Trust is like paper. Once it’s crumpled, even if you smooth it out, it will never be the same again.”
Looking into his eyes, I said clearly, word by word:
“Moreover, some mistakes can’t be erased with an ‘I underestimated my feelings.’ That’s betrayal.”
“And betrayal deserves hell.”
The light in his eyes completely extinguished.
5/12
1615
Chapter 2
He seemed to collapse into the sofa as if all his bones had been removed, head down, silent.
He looked both pitiful and ridiculous.
But what innocence was he pretending to have?
16:15
It was he who pushed me into his brother’s arms, treating our marriage like a dirty game that could be paus
ed or exchanged at any time.
This regretful appearance was nothing but the pathetic possessiveness of a male animal discovering hi possession had been touched by another of his kind.
It had nothing to do with love.
Nightfall.
Lying in bed, I could clearly hear the slight turning of the door lock.
Footsteps so light they were almost inaudible, but that familiar, faint tobacco smell was unmistakable in th still air.
It was Jake.
I kept my eyes closed, breathing evenly, pretending to be fast asleep.
He stood by the bed for a long time, so long I thought he might stand there until dawn.
Then, one side of the mattress gently dipped.
He sat down, leaning over, his warm breath falling on my forehead.
Just as his lips were about to descend-
My phone on the nightstand suddenly lit up with a buzz.
In the dark bedroom, the screen’s light was particularly glaring.
The caller ID was even more searing.
“Husband,”
Jake’s movements instantly froze, and then he left the room.
