Chapter 1
I married the man I had secretly adored for seven years.
For three years of our marriage, he brought different women home every night.
It made me a laughingstock among our peers.
Finally, I decided to let myself loose and started dating a younger man.
Turns out, I stumbled upon a young scion from a prominent family, absolutely obsessed with me.
He wasn't after my money or status; he wanted *me*. He cried, begging me for a real commitment, a proper place in his life, again and again in bed.
Seductive whispers and low groans echoed through the dimly lit living room, grating on my ears.
The moment I pushed open the front door, I saw a torn dress in the foyer, fragments scattered. Down the hallway, women’s lingerie and a man’s dress shirt lay strewn on the floor.
That light blue shirt was crumpled into a messy ball.
I couldn’t be mistaken. I had personally picked it out for Julian Blackwood when we first got married.
Looks like he couldn't even wait a second, I thought, a bitter laugh in my throat.
The two in the living room were still at it. There was no need for me to stand there and eavesdrop.
After flipping on the living room light, I walked straight towards my own room.
I'd only taken two steps when I heard a woman's startled cry. Following the sound, my gaze met Julian's.
There wasn't a hint of embarrassment in his eyes at being caught.
I wasn’t particularly close to them, only close enough to see Julian's bare torso, his muscles well-defined, his physique impressive. A few red scratch marks marred his chest, likely a result of their intense passion.
I tore my gaze away and headed for the stairs.
Just as I was about to go upstairs, Julian's nonchalant voice drifted after me: “Why are you back so early today?”
If it were before, I might have retorted, “Otherwise, how would I have caught you in the act?”
But I was used to it by now. After all, I couldn't even remember how many times I'd "caught him cheating" in our own home.
After a long, busy day, I was utterly exhausted and had no desire to speak further with Julian. I simply mumbled, “Work wasn’t too heavy at the office today.”
I assumed Julian wouldn't press the issue, but to my surprise, he was completely out of character today. “Let’s go to dinner this weekend. There’s a new, upscale French bistro that just opened; I hear it’s quite good.”
If my mind had been hazy with sleepiness just moments before, his words instantly snapped me awake. I couldn’t quite make out Julian’s intentions. Inviting his wife to dinner this weekend, right in front of the woman he'd just been with—the audacity of that man!
A surge of dark amusement possessed me. I turned to look at Julian, meeting his slightly smiling eyes. “Alright.”
Almost immediately after I spoke, I could feel the woman's intense stare from the sofa, impossible to ignore.
She had an incredibly innocent face, though the seductive glint in her eyes hadn't quite faded.
She wore an oversized, baggy top, and her exposed neck and collarbone were covered in hickeys. She looked like she'd just been thoroughly 'taken care of.'
When our eyes met, hers held a mix of pride and triumph, along with a hint of jealousy. My acceptance of Julian's invitation had probably ruffled her feathers.
I found it rather amusing. She was clearly young; her little schemes were transparent, written all over her face.
I decided to add fuel to the fire, dropping, “You know, out of all the women he’s brought home, you’re my favorite type.”
I could literally see Julian's face darken. The girl's face went stark white as she heard my words, her eyes welling up, on the verge of tears.
I frankly had no interest in witnessing the classic melodrama that would follow. It would simply be Julian embracing her, offering comfort, and then the two of them tumbling back into bed.
Every time Julian brought a woman home, he would restore everything in the house to its original state before I woke up the next morning.
I truly didn't need to worry about it. After all, no matter what my attitude was, Julian would never change because of me.