I stared at the group chat on my husband’s phone: [She checks on me constantly. Demands I be home by nine. No booze, no smoke smell on my clothes. Just a pile of bullshit rules. She treats me like a dog!] [Now that her family went bust, if she tries to control me like that again, I’m divorcing her!] I didn't dare say a word. I stopped checking on him. I stopped ordering him around. But then, my husband pinned me to the bed, eyes red and full of grievance, demanding answers: "Why aren't you controlling me?" "Why aren't you ordering me around?" "Did you... did you get another dog?" Chapter 1 Chase walked through the door at 9:01 PM. Just as he stepped inside, I blocked his path, my tone sharp. "Do you know what time it is?" Chase frowned impatiently, glancing down at his Patek Philippe. "Traffic was a nightmare on I-405. I’m literally one minute late. Is this necessary?" I let out a cold laugh. "You dare to be one minute late today, tomorrow it’ll be ten minutes. What’s next? Staying out all night?" He looked like he wanted to argue but stopped himself, his face a mix of exhaustion and disbelief. After a few seconds of a standoff, he sighed. "I’m sorry. Can I come in now?" I huffed lightly. "Fine. I’ll forgive you this time. But if you’re late again, don't bother coming back!" Just then, my phone rang. It was my dad. "Zoe, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?" I rolled my eyes. "Dad, are we really doing this? Give me the good news." Dad was silent for a moment. "Actually, let's start with the bad. The company is under. We’re bankrupt." I froze in place. "The good news is, we salvaged just enough cash. I’m taking your mom and brother to Europe to start over. You stay here and live a good life with Chase. He won’t mistreat you." "I'll call you once we get settled." Dad hung up, leaving me standing there in total disarray. Chase walked out of the bathroom carrying a foot bath basin filled with hot water. He placed it in front of me, knelt down, skillfully took off my socks, and guided my feet into the water. The warmth brought me back to reality. Chase looked up at me. "What’s wrong? You look pale." I looked at him, my voice trembling. "My family is bankrupt." Chase didn't look surprised. He spoke calmly. "Your dad’s company has been on life support for a while. I injected capital to help, but the deficit was too massive. It was a sinking ship." I couldn't process it all at once. I stood up, water dripping, and went straight to the bedroom to sleep. Chapter 2 I couldn't sleep soundly. I woke up in the middle of the night. Chase was already asleep next to me, wearing his silk eye mask. But his phone on the nightstand lit up with a notification. I couldn't help myself. I quietly reached over and took it. His passcode was my birthday. I had forced him to memorize it back in the day, drilling it into his head until he couldn't forget. I unlocked it and opened the group chat. It was his "Boys Club" thread. [Finally, our boy Chase grows a spine!] I frowned and scrolled up. [It’s infuriating!] Chase had typed earlier. [I was one minute late today, and she blocked the door! I had to apologize just to get in!] [Now that her family is bankrupt, if she tries to control me like that again, I’m divorcing her!] His friends chimed in: [Take this chance to fix that princess attitude of hers, Chase. Show her the old you. Prove you’re not whipped.] [See? You didn't listen to us, and now you’re suffering. Before the wedding, I told you the Vanderbilt princess was hot but crazy.] [Chase is a shark in the boardroom, but at home, he’s treated like a poodle. It’s embarrassing, man!] [Once Chase fixes her, we can go back to pulling all-nighters and drinking like the old days.] [Agreed.] [+1] My hands trembled slightly, but I kept scrolling. [She pushes it too far! She actually makes me wash her feet! Treats me like a servant!] [She treats me like a target practice dummy during her period! If I move while sitting next to her, she throws a pillow and says I’m disturbing her aura. If I stay still, she yells that I have no conscience and don't care about her. Breathing is a mistake at this point!] [She doesn't even see me as a...] I turned off the phone, unable to breathe. So, Chase had this much resentment toward me. He must hate me. He must want a divorce badly. I had nothing now. My parents and brother were gone, and their numbers were already disconnected. If we divorced, what would I do? Chapter 3 Chase and I were a classic business merger marriage. Chase had a first love back in college, a scholarship girl. They didn't last long before his family broke them up. His mother gave the girl a million dollars to disappear to Europe. After that, he never dated again. Until he took over the company and married me. He seemed reluctant at the time, probably still hung up on his ex. I didn't care. Among the pool of eligible bachelors, Chase was the top pick. He was gorgeous, fit, capable, and clean—no secret mistresses or scandals. We met once before the wedding. We got married in a rush and moved in together. He worked late, coming home at ungodly hours, ruining my beauty sleep. Worse, he often smelled like expensive scotch and cigars. I hate the smell of alcohol. I was raised spoiled. Marriage wasn't going to change that. So, I set rules: Home by 9:00 PM. No alcohol smell. No smoke smell. At first, Chase ignored me. He came home late, reeking of booze. So, I changed the locks. He knocked for twenty minutes before I opened the door, yawning. "Next time you’re late, or I smell whiskey on you, you’re sleeping on the porch." He laughed in anger. But after that, he was home by nine every night, smelling of mints and soap. So, I started pushing boundaries. I wanted my shrimp peeled. I wanted him to wash my feet—water temperature had to be perfect. If I was moody on my cycle, he was my punching bag. My mom treated my dad this way, so I thought it was normal. But today was different. I had to turn over a new leaf. I couldn't let Chase hate me anymore. Chapter 4 I planned to wake up early and make Chase breakfast. But I overslept. Chase was already awake. Habitually, I stuck my foot out from under the duvet. He picked up a sock and started putting it on me. Halfway through, I realized—bad idea! I couldn't order him around anymore! I bolted upright, snatching the sock from his hand. I pitched my voice an octave higher, sweet and syrupy. "Hubby, I can do it myself." I had never called Chase "Hubby." The word felt foreign in my mouth. I wasn't the only one weirded out. A flash of shock crossed Chase’s eyes. He froze for a few seconds, then stood up and walked out without a word. When I finished getting ready and went to the kitchen, breakfast was already on the island. Chase placed a glass of fresh juice in front of me, fully dressed for work. Before leaving, he walked up to me with a scowl, leaning in for a kiss. This was another rule I established: a kiss before leaving. Although he always complied, he usually looked like he was signing a bad contract. I didn't dare force him now. I pushed him away gently. "You don't have to force yourself to kiss me. Go to work." He stared at me, his expression reading, What kind of game are you playing now? I shooed him away again. He turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, he spun around, stomped back to me, tilted my chin up, and kissed me aggressively. He didn't stop until I was breathless. He wiped his mouth, looking at me with pure annoyance. "Can we stop with the mind games?" "Playing hard to get doesn't suit you." ??? I was baffled. Hard to get? What mind games?
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