Went on a blind date with my best friend. She fancied a Tech CEO, I fancied a Major General. After engagement, the Major General and I had a long-distance relationship for years. He always used "strict discipline" as an excuse, even holding hands was restrained and polite. On the wedding night, he was like a different person, tossing me all night without pity, changing sheets four times. As for my best friend, she finally walked down the aisle with the CEO after on-and-off relationships. At my best friend's wedding, my Major General husband, who usually never touched alcohol, got drunk to the point of unconsciousness. He curled up in the corner resisting everyone's approach, only my best friend's gentle comfort could quiet him down. When sending us to the car, my best friend carefully sent the precautions for taking care of him to my phone, and whispered instructions in my ear repeatedly. Looking at him leaning on my shoulder drunkenly, an indescribable sourness rose in my heart. I struggled to help him to the sofa, he backhanded pressed me under him, with a broken crying voice: "Bella, I beg you... don't marry him, okay?" The phone screen lit up, the wallpaper was originally a photo of the three of us, now cropped to only him and Bella. I froze on the spot, heart felt like being cut open knife by knife. Bella, is my best friend for over twenty years. Turns out Gavin Sterling got drunk not for blessing, but because the person hidden in his heart finally became someone else's bride. Chapter 1 My eyes instantly reddened, even voice was trembling. "Gavin, look clearly who I am?!" No response, only the sound of his heavy breathing as he fell into deep sleep. And the unconscious murmur in his mouth: "Bella..." I took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the surging emotions. After breaking free from his embrace, I ghost-driven unlocked his phone. In the chat box, densely packed were their daily sharings. Even the mess hall added a dish today, wildflowers bloomed by the training ground, saw a poplar tree dyed with autumn colors on the road... Gavin would take pictures and send to her. Just like how we looked sweet and loving when we first got together. Now we've only been married for three years, but have long lost the desire to share. I desperately needed a sense of security, once tried to find evidence that he still loved me from his phone. But was snatched away by him, eyes filled with rage I had never seen before. "Are you done? Checking phone all day, don't you feel cheap?" "Can you respect my privacy?" The ending of that quarrel was me apologizing again and again. Swore never to touch his phone again, he finally softened his face. Chat records slid down bit by bit, heart also sank bit by bit. Turns out, the phone contained their shameful feelings. Closing the screen, I turned to look at his familiar face, tears rolled down silently. Phone in bag buzzed. Bella considerately sent messages one after another, all care instructions. "Zoe, make honey water for him, wipe off his vomit, be careful not to let him choke..." She always appeared "just right" between us. Even in our most intimate moments, she would send messages, guiding me how to satisfy him more. I was so stupid, turns out all this had traces long ago. Tears smashed on the screen, I had no mind to deal with her, simply turned off the screen. Seeing no reply from me, she started calling my phone crazily. And I, just quietly looked at the heavy night color outside the window, eyes empty. Gavin's phone rang with an exclusive ringtone, he was almost instantly awake. Seeing the phone in my hand, he grabbed it with a dark face. He walked quickly to the balcony, through the glass I saw the corners of his mouth uncontrollably rising. That call lasted a full half hour, when hung up his face still carried unfaded gentleness. Turning back to the living room, his sharp eyes swept over me, accusing without a word: "Who let you touch my phone? Didn't you see Bella called you so many times? How worried she was about you!" "She just finished the wedding, tired like this still has to worry about you, can you be more sensible?" Gaze landed on his still lit phone screen, that cropped photo was exceptionally dazzling. I pulled the corners of my mouth coldly, "Since you heartache for her so much, why not file a report to apply for divorce, go be her husband." He hurriedly locked the screen, hid the phone behind him, finally noticing my red and swollen eyes. He walked over to hug me, softened his tone: "Phone always glitches, wallpaper cropped automatically, if you are unhappy, I'll change it." He deleted that photo in front of me, changed to our wedding photo. Buried his face deep in my neck, softly comforted: "Sorry wifey, I shouldn't be fierce to you, I was drunk and muddled." "Tomorrow is mom and dad's memorial day, I'll go with you." Chapter 2 Early winter wind was exceptionally biting, I stood in front of the tombstone, unconsciously wrapped tight my coat. Shoulder sank, Gavin intimately draped his coat over me. He lit the candle, gently swept away the dust on my parents' tombstone. Familiar exclusive ringtone rang, Gavin turned immediately, walked quickly to a distance to answer. Moment the call ended, he rushed over grabbed my wrist wanting to leave. I froze, "What's wrong?" Face full of anxiety, "Bella is in trouble!" "Her husband misunderstood her taking care of me at the wedding, beat Bella, I must go resolve it." If before I would definitely be more anxious than him. But now I just frowned and pulled him. "Who doesn't know Bella and I are closest best friends, how could he misunderstand you?" "If really domestic violence should call police, what are you meddling in other family's affairs? Unless you really did something shameful?" He stiffened, then threw off my hand, eyes flickering. "Zoe, what nonsense are you talking about! Can you not get jealous randomly?!" "Since you are not going, I'll go myself." I met his gaze, "Going like this won't make it clearer right? Gavin, you said you would accompany me today." His face suddenly became gloomy. "Is your heart made of iron? She is your best friend! If something happens to Bella..." He glanced coldly at the tombstone, tone sarcastic: "Just dead people, staying here one more minute, can your parents come back to life? Bella is a living person!" I looked at him in disbelief, light in eyes extinguishing bit by bit, "You go." "Apologize to mom and dad when I come back, okay?" He couldn't see the disappointment in my eyes, just dropped a sentence, roughly pulled away the coat on my shoulder and turned to leave. His coat accidentally swept down the candle, I panicked used hand to put out fire. Burning pain instantly pierced into palm, tears uncontrollably smashed down. But a gust of cold wind swept past, flames still completely swallowed parents' portrait. I slumped on the ground, leaning against the tombstone crying in breakdown. Back then, parents used every method to stop me from being with Gavin who just graduated from military academy. But dazzled by love, I still followed him without hesitation. Those three years following the army, we squeezed in the damp temporary family housing at the border outpost. Winter he led team patrol encountered blizzard, lost contact for three days. I braved minus twenty degrees cold, guarded outside communication station, hands and feet had frostbite, until seeing his figure returning with team, then fainted on ground. To support his advanced studies, I gave him all the Wedding Fund my parents gave me, lying it was bonus. Ate cheapest dishes in cafeteria for a whole year. Only then truly understood the meaning of "Military family, warmth and cold self-known" my parents said. But Gavin besides no money, gave me everything he could. So, I endured hardship gladly. Later mom and dad died in car accident, I didn't even see their last face. That day, Gavin with red eyes tightly hugged collapsed me, used his one month salary saved to buy a small diamond ring. Knelt in front of me promised: "This life absolutely won't fail you." He promoted all the way, became one of the youngest Major Generals in the army. Our life improved day by day, but his feelings for me became indifferent day by day. I once naively thought, even if whole world abandoned me, at least he and Bella wouldn't. But fact is, how thoroughly wrong I was. Phone vibrated, Bella sent an "all good" emoji. Clicked her avatar, found she updated Instagram Story. [Luckily he was there.] In the nine-grid photos, Gavin was focused on bandaging her wound. Moment clicking live photo, heartbreaking ambiguous sounds came from background. A burst of violent nausea surged up, I held the cold tombstone, couldn't stop retching. Chapter 3 "Bella, I missed you so much..." "Brother Gavin, I'm going to divorce him, will you marry me? I don't want to sneak around with you anymore." Amidst confusion and passion, Gavin softly "En"ed. Under live of every photo, was Bella's intermittent moans, and Gavin's low panting. I endured nausea, silently saved all live photos. Turned around consulted a divorce lawyer. Hospital diagnosis popped up on phone, result showed pregnant. I looked down gently touched abdomen, eye rims unconsciously red. Maybe this child didn't come at right time. Returned home, saw Bella wearing my exclusive slippers. Bella naturally took my arm, voice sweet: "I brought your favorite Red Velvet Cake, thanks to Brother Gavin saving me, thanks~" Sound of cooking came from kitchen, Gavin wearing apron leaned out, voice light: "Back? Wash hands ready to eat." This scene warm enough to sting eyes, as if they are the owners of this house. Three years dating, five years marriage, first time I knew he could cook. Remember year living in basement, I had acute gastritis pain curled in bed, he only cooked me a bowl of Cup Noodles. Housework at home, he never touched. I laughed coldly, turns out love and not love is so obvious. I stared at slippers on Bella's feet, cold voice: "Take them off!" Bella froze, "Zoe..." Under my cold gaze, she finally sheepishly changed to guest slippers, wrongly hid into kitchen. I bent down picked up slippers still carrying her body temperature, threw into trash can. At this time, Gavin rushed over angrily, ignoring I was barefoot, roughly dragged me into room. "What crazy fit are you throwing? She just experienced that kind of thing, don't you know how fragile her emotion is?" "Just a pair of slippers, worth you making fuss like this? Tomorrow I buy you ten new pairs!" I stood barefoot on cold floor, chill rushed from soles to heart. "It's different." "Where different?" He frowned tight. My voice very light, "This was bought by you specially for me first day moved into new home." "You said, this is our home's new beginning... I usually bear not wear." That time he held my face, eyes bright and serious. "Zoe, later I treat you like little princess, never let you eat a bit bitterness." But now, he forgot all. His expression slightly relaxed, sighed, leaned down dropped a kiss on my forehead. "Alright, my fault, didn't consider your feeling, pay attention next time." "Don't be angry, eat first, okay?" He reached out want rub my hair, I sideways avoided. He paused, took me back to living room, considerately pulled chair for me. At table, I chewed mechanically, every bite tasted like wax. "Bella wants divorce, afraid being pestered, stay at our home for this period." Gavin tone plain, like saying an ordinary small matter. I froze, chopsticks in hand "Snap" heavily fell on table. Stomach suddenly overturned, I violently got up rushed into bathroom, holding toilet violently retched. Gavin gloomy face followed to door, coldly looked at my embarrassed appearance. "Zoe, what do you mean? Necessary to show disgust so obviously?" "I not, I just——" Morning sickness two words not said out, interrupted sternly by him. "So many empty rooms at home, what if let her stay few days?" "Weren't you best with her before? Why become so narrow mean now?" "Friends helping each other, isn't it should be?" I held sink looked up, red eyes straight looked at him. "Are you really just friends?" Chapter 4 Gavin's body obviously stiffened. Bella walked close red eyes, fingers helplessly twisting hem of clothes: "Sorry, all my fault... caused you quarrel, I leave now." Gavin turned without hesitation chased. Door pushed open again, my sight landed on their ten fingers interlocked hands. Gavin released hand like electric shock. He tone stiff, "So late, unsafe for her alone, find house tomorrow." Bella playfully stuck out tongue, silent showing off, like thorn pricked into my heart. "Zoe, can I sleep with you tonight?" I suddenly felt a bone-piercing fatigue, turned back to room. Late night tossing and turning, Bella still came uninvited, lay beside me. "Zoe, Brother Gavin doesn't love you long ago, why not obediently fulfill us?" I couldn't bear anymore, pulled her off bed. "Can't pretend anymore? A third party snatching best friend's husband, also worthy talk fulfill?" "Bella, do you know destroying Military Marriage is illegal?!" She face sank, suddenly sneered: "So what! This play should end, you forced me!" Dim light shone on her twisted face. Next second, she grabbed bedside lamp, fiercely smashed on her own forehead! Blood instantly gushed out, she stuffed blood stained lamp base into my hand, eyes cold as knife. My brain blank, froze on spot. When Gavin rushed into room, just saw me holding bloody lamp. And Bella paralyzed on ground. He horrified hugged her, roared at me: "Zoe! You want to kill?!" I trembled scared by his shout, lamp fell with sound. "Apologize!" His eyes burning with raging fire. Bella breath weak, "Brother Gavin, don't blame her... but I hurt so much..." Voice fell, she "coincidentally" fainted in his arms. "Go get car key!" He sternly shouted at me, picked her up rushed out. I panic clutched cold key chased up. In car, he anxiously stepped gas pedal to floor, bumpy all way. My stomach overturned, opened window uncontrollably retched. In rearview mirror, his eyes looking at me only disgust. Just stopped steady at hospital entrance, I worried bumpy road affect fetus, hurriedly picked up phone want book ultrasound check. "Still have mind play phone now!" "If Bella has any accident, I'm not finished with you!" "You just reflect well in car!" Gavin heavily knocked off my phone, smashed into roadside sewer. Before I react, Gavin immediately locked car door. I panic beat car door, "Let me out! I pregnant!" His hand holding Bella paused, looked up coldly glanced at me. "To delay Bella treatment actually lie, we took measures every time! How possible pregnant!" After that, left without looking back. Air in car thinner and thinner, after journey torture, abdomen bursts of falling pain. Blood overflowed from under body, face also became pale. Survival instinct made me fiercely beat car window, "Help, help!" Don't know how long passed, dry hoarse mouth still calling help. "Quick save person!" More and more people gathered. "Bang" sound smashed one by one, I completely fainted. Until Bella condition stabilized, Gavin finally remembered me. [Bella safe, you come apologize, this matter passed.] [?] Message stone sinking sea, his heart fierce sank, "Bad, Zoe still in car!" He ran out hospital like crazy, constantly dialing phone, while phone quietly lay in sewer vibrating crazily. "Quick pick up phone!" He urgently opened car door, scene entered eyes made his pupils shrink instantly!
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