Chapter 1

Three days after I asked for a divorce, I spotted my husband Derek's car parked by the roadside.

My best friend Vivian was inside, her arms wrapped around my husband. When she saw me, she smirked and said:

"Emma, you really need to stop fighting with Derek. He's been asking me to drink with him every night lately. Last night, he even held me naked while we slept."

My husband quickly explained, "Don't be ridiculous. If you hadn't suddenly put on her nightgown, would I have mistaken you for her?"

I smiled calmly and said to my best friend:

"He has a sex addiction. If you two aren't planning on having kids, make sure you use protection."

The moment I said that, Derek's face turned dark.

"What did you just say?" Derek asked, shocked.

A flash of surprise crossed Vivian's eyes, but then she burst out laughing.

"Emma, I was just joking. I've explained this to you before—Derek and I are just friends."

Derek's expression softened slightly as he spoke:

"There were other people drinking with us. Besides, Vivian has been your friend for years. Even if you don't trust me, you shouldn't distrust her."

In the past, hearing something like this would have driven me crazy.

But now, I felt nothing.

The air fell silent. Then Vivian said:

"Oh, and I only wore your nightgown because I forgot to bring a change of clothes when I came over last night. I couldn't exactly sleep in your bed smelling like alcohol. Don't overthink it."

Seeing that I remained unmoved, she suddenly smiled as if remembering something.

"By the way, that lingerie of yours is pretty sexy. Can you send me the link? I want to buy one too."

I shook my head calmly.

"He bought it. I don't have the link."

Vivian froze for a moment, her smile stiffening.

"Derek bought it? I never would have guessed. He looks so proper, but apparently he's into this kind of naughty stuff. No wonder he said he didn't like the boxers I got him for Valentine's Day. Turns out they weren't sexy enough for him."

I thought back to last Valentine's Day, when my relationship with Derek had hit rock bottom.

He had never been one to make the first move, but suddenly he asked me to dinner at my favorite restaurant.

For once, I felt a glimmer of the warmth we used to share.

Then Vivian showed up with a group of people. They wheeled in a hideous cake and started singing "Since U Been Gone."

Then Vivian pulled out matching his-and-hers underwear and laughed loudly: "This is my Valentine's gift for you two."

And just like that, she left.

I threw a glass of water in Derek's face and slapped him.

He pressed his lips together impatiently and said, "She's always been like this. You know that. She's your friend too—what's there to argue about?"

Yeah. Before I met Derek, I thought Vivian would be my best friend for life.

We'd shared the same pair of jeans, sipped from the same smoothie with one straw, and whispered our deepest secrets to each other late at night.

Until Derek came along, and I became the third wheel.

I cried until I had no tears left and confronted him.

"Derek, do you have any conscience at all? I cut ties with my own parents to marry you!"

His response was cold:

"You already had a bad relationship with your parents. That has nothing to do with me."

Those words were like a knife through my heart, and they finally woke me up.

Thinking about all this, I said to Vivian:

"He's bought quite a few nightgowns like that. If you like them, take them all. I don't want them anymore."

Hearing this, Derek suddenly sneered:

"Emma, I thought you'd have calmed down by now. Turns out you've just switched to playing hard to get. Don't you ever get tired of being so dramatic?"