Chapter 1

"I want to spend it with just the two of us, of course!" Maya looked at me with such an expectant look that I wondered if something had gone wrong with the truth serum. After all, in the three years we had been married, I had never doubted her love.

I studied her eyes, then tested her by resting my hand on her in a way she could not mistake for anything else.

Maya did not pull away.

Then I turned, opened the nightstand drawer, and took out the unopened box of condoms from inside.

The next second, my whole body went stiff. They were not my size.

Maya sensed the change in me. She pushed herself up and asked, confused, "What's wrong, Honey?"

"Nothing... I rushed back overnight. I might just be tired," I said.

"Then get some rest first. We have plenty of time." She winked at me.

I immediately thought of Randy Long's posts from a while back: [What should I do when she's so clingy? She's about to drain me dry.]

[Unlocked another new position. Doesn't matter if the last guy didn't teach her right. The next guy has plenty of ways.]

The rest of our mutual friends had teased him, but I was the only one who had taken it seriously. "Do you have a girlfriend now? It's not good to post things like this. It's a little disrespectful."

But Randy had simply replied, "No, she loves it. When you get home, you'll see her."

I had thought Randy meant he was bringing his girlfriend over to meet us. I never imagined this was what he meant.

I lowered my head and asked casually, "How have things been at home lately? Has Randy been giving you a hand?"

Maya paused, then smiled. "Of course. The Christmas is almost here, and there's a lot to prepare. Randy's been helping with everything. You really have to thank him properly."

"Is that so? In that case, let's have him over for dinner tonight," I said.

Maya's eyes lit up. She quickly sat up in bed and said, "Then I'll go grocery shopping. You just got back, so stay home and rest."

As I watched her hurry away, I could feel how every breath caused me pain. In the past, no matter how tired I was, I never would have let her shop and cook by herself.

But now...

Maya worked fast. Before long, she came back carrying a lot of expensive ingredients.

When she noticed me looking at them, she explained easily, "He's your friend, I can't embarrass you, can I? Besides, he has helped me so much."

I did not answer. I was such a fool. Every time she casually made me a bowl of pasta, I'd find myself moved to tears.

That night, Randy arrived empty-handed. As soon as he came in, he opened the shoe cabinet like he owned the place.

His sight landed on the slippers on my feet, and he said rudely, "Hey, why are you wearing my slippers? Give them back. You sure had it easy, dumping your wife on me like that. You nearly wore me out."

When Maya heard that, she hurried over with a glass of water and told him to sit on the couch and rest.

During dinner, Maya kept piling food onto Randy's plate until it was heaped with dishes. Meanwhile, all I had in front of me was a plate of celery, something I had never liked.

I took a deep breath, forced down the pain in my chest, and tested him. "Where's your girlfriend? Why didn't you bring her?"

Randy set down his fork and gave me a meaningful look. "Because her husband wouldn't let her."

My expression darkened as I looked him straight in the eye. "Since when did you start sleeping with married women? Aren't you afraid that someday your actions will come back to haunt you?"

He didn't take it seriously at all. "Wow, look at you, Mr. Righteous. That idiot husband of hers still thinks his wife is hopelessly in love with him. Meanwhile, he's out there risking his life to earn money for the two of us to spend."

He shrugged. "I'm just taking care of his wife's emotional and physical needs for him. Besides, it's not like I didn't put in the effort."

After saying that, he even winked at Maya.

Maya glanced at me nervously before forcing a laugh. "Randy's always messing around like this. He never knows when to stop joking. Eric, don't take anything he says too seriously. "