Chapter 3

The look on my face must've been real.

Suri froze for a second.

Then the impatience came right back.

"Quit throwing a fit."

I was already sick of the way she talked to me.

Even the face I'd crushed on for years was starting to lose its charm.

"I'm your husband, right? I ended up in the hospital after trying to kill myself. You came home without asking if I was okay. All you've done is criticize me."

I looked her straight in the eye.

"What gives you the right to treat me like this?"

My anger only seemed to fuel hers.

She grabbed my wrist, her voice turning ice-cold. "Because you did this to yourself."

She wasn't squeezing hard.

But her hand landed right on the cut across my wrist.

Pain shot through me.

I clenched my jaw and didn't make a sound.

A second later, she let go.

Like she'd already lost interest, she turned over, giving me her back.

"This is the last time. Don't ever fake another suicide attempt to threaten me again."

I lay there beside her, my thoughts a complete mess.

***

The next morning, Suri was already gone when I woke up.

I got dressed and headed downstairs.

She was at the dining table, eating breakfast.

The butler, Patrick, greeted me.

"Good morning, Mr. Carter."

I paused.

Without looking up, Suri said, "Come eat."

The table was loaded with food.

'So this is how rich people live. Even breakfast is over the top.'

I sat across from Suri as Patrick set a bowl of mango tapioca pudding in front of me.

I just stared at it.

'Who eats something this sweet for breakfast?'

The smell of mango hit me, and I frowned.

"Why is there mango in this?"

Patrick answered, "Julian had the mangoes flown in. They're his favorite..."

My appetite disappeared.

"I don't want it."

A fork clattered against a plate.

Suri looked up, her voice cool.

"Connor Carter. Enough."

I was already barely holding it together.

"So now I'm not allowed to skip mango?"

"You're only refusing it because Julian sent it." Her face went cold. "Connor, when are you going to stop being so jealous?"

Me?

Jealous of Julian?

I had no idea what twenty-seven-year-old me had been like around Suri.

Probably pathetic. Insecure. Petty.

But we were married.

And she didn't even know I was allergic to mangoes?

Before I could say anything, Patrick announced, "Julian's here."

A soft voice followed.

"Suri, am I interrupting?"

A tall man walked in through the front door.

The butler and maids greeted him like he belonged there.

I only needed one look to know he was Julian.

One thing immediately stood out.

Patrick called me "Mr. Carter."

He called Julian... "Julian."

The difference said everything.

No wonder twenty-seven-year-old me had gone after him.

I was Suri's husband.

Yet I couldn't compete with the way she openly favored another guy, all because they were "childhood friends."

Anyone would've grown bitter.

Julian looked at me, concern all over his face.

"Connor, I heard you slit your wrist... Are you okay?"

I let out a quiet scoff.

I had no intention of playing nice.

I didn't know what twenty-seven-year-old me had been like around them.

Maybe he'd been a pushover.

Maybe he'd let them walk all over him because he loved Suri too much.

But I was eighteen.

I wasn't in love with Suri.

So I had no reason to swallow my pride.

Julian gave Suri an awkward smile.

"Suri, I'm sorry. Connor doesn't seem happy to see me. Maybe I shouldn't have come—"

"Then why did you?" I cut him off. "What, you here to laugh at me?"

Julian's face immediately turned red.

Suri didn't hesitate.

"Connor, stop being ridiculous."

Of course she took Julian's side.

My opinion of her dropped even lower.

At first, I'd been excited to wake up and find out I'd married the girl I'd crushed on for years.

Now?

She didn't seem that amazing.

So what if she was gorgeous and rich?

Did treating her own husband like he didn't matter make her feel better?

If she hated me this much, she never should've married me.

Julian kept his cool. "Suri, I actually came to invite you to my party."

Then he finally seemed to remember I was standing right there.

Not inviting me would've looked weird.

He turned to me with a polite smile.

"Connor, why don't you come too?"

I hadn't planned on it.

Then I caught the smug little challenge in his eyes.

I smiled.

"Sure. I'm Suri's husband, after all. It's only right I go with my wife."