Chapter 2

I briefly told him what happened.

He swore on the phone, then asked, “Where are you?”

“Drinking.”

“Stay put, I’m coming over.”

“No need. Just help me find out who that guy is.”

He swore a few more times and hung up.

I continued drinking.

The owner came to tally the bill, glanced at the empty bottle, and looked like he wanted to say something but held back.

I paid and stood up to leave.

Back home, Lauren was lounging on the couch, watching TV.

Seeing me enter, she paused, then frowned. “Why are you back?”

“My business trip was canceled last minute.”

She just mumbled “Oh,” and her gaze shifted back to the TV. “Did you eat? There’s leftover pizza in the fridge.”

I looked at her profile and suddenly felt like she was a stranger.

We’d been married for seven years, and I traveled for work more than a dozen times a year.

Every time I came back, she’d enthusiastically ask what I wanted to eat, then go to the kitchen and make it for me.

And now, she was telling me to eat cold, leftover pizza from the fridge.

I stood in the living room, saying coldly,

“I want to discuss the restaurant again.”

She turned her head, a hint of impatience on her face.

“What’s there to discuss? I’ve already worked out the details with him. The contract’s being signed tomorrow.”

“$1.8 million? Don’t you think that’s too little?”

“I had it appraised. That’s what it’s worth. Besides, the restaurant business is tough these days. Better sell it while someone’s interested.”

“But that’s my dad’s life’s work!” I cut her off.

She stood up, her voice rising. “It’s always about your dad! If I hadn’t been running that restaurant, it would have collapsed long ago!”

“Do you know how hard it is to run a business now? Do you know how annoying it is to deal with those customers and suppliers every day? You don’t know anything!”

I looked at her. “But you can’t just sell the restaurant without discussing it with me.”

“Discuss what? I’m the legal owner, I have the right to decide.”

“Did you see the message I sent? If you really sell the restaurant, we’re getting a divorce,” I roared.

Lauren paused, then sneered.

“Tony, are you being childish?” She crossed her arms, tilting her head as she looked at me. “Just because I want to sell a restaurant, you want a divorce? Do you think marriage is just a game?”

I pressed my lips together. “That’s not just any restaurant!”

“What’s so special about it? It’s just a building, a few private rooms, a few tables, right?”

“Yes, your dad worked his whole life on it, but that was his business. What does that have to do with me?”

“I married you, not that restaurant.”

I frowned. “You didn’t use to say that.”

“Me, before?” she scoffed. “You know that was ‘before.’ I used to go along with you because I didn’t want to fight, didn’t want us to be at odds.”

“But now I’ve realized I can’t spend my whole life tied to some crumby restaurant, dealing with drunk customers who act crazy.”

“I have my own ideas. I don’t want to manage the restaurant anymore. I want a better, more relaxed life. Is that wrong?”

After a long silence, I asked her, “Who did you sell the restaurant to?”

“I sold it to George, my high school classmate,” she said. “Good thing he’s a familiar face, otherwise it wouldn’t have sold for this much.”

I looked at her, but didn’t reply.

She grew a bit uncomfortable under my stare, shifting her gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I had it appraised before,” I slowly began. “Given the restaurant’s reputation over the years, and its monthly revenue, it’s definitely worth more than $1.8 million.”

She paused, then frowned. “Who did you get to appraise it? They must have been making things up. Do you even know what the restaurant market is like right now?”

“Of course, I know,” I nodded. “Actually, you know the truth yourself.”

“What do I know?” She stood up. “George’s price is already very fair. Do you think restaurants are easy to sell these days? I talked to him for a long time before he even agreed to take it!”

“Talked for a long time? Since when did you start talking?”

She opened her mouth, but said nothing.

“These past few days while I was on my business trip?” I continued. “Or even earlier?”

“What are you implying?”

She glared at me.

“Tony, just say what you mean. Don’t be so cryptic.”