I was the second to last person to know about my husband’s affair with my best friend. Our mutual friends were already taking bets on whether I would ask for a divorce. "Elena would never leave him. Liam makes way too much money!" "Honestly, it’s her own fault for being such a doormat. Otherwise, how could someone else steal his attention so easily?" "Hey, Liam, aren’t you going to say something? Is your wife going to divorce you?" My best friend was sitting on Liam’s lap, laughing as she kissed him. "I doubt Elena will divorce him. She's practically a parasite. She wouldn't dare." Liam raised an eyebrow, stubbed out his cigarette, and suddenly pulled her in for a passionate kiss. I stood right outside the door, trembling. I suddenly realized they had invited me here on purpose. They wanted to see my reaction. But I was even more of a coward than they imagined. I didn't even have the courage to walk in. Instead, I pulled out my phone and made a call. The person on the other end was my best friend’s husband. "Sarah’s drunk at the Apex Lounge. You need to come pick her up." Sarah’s husband, Mark, had a history of violent outbursts. He would definitely be braver than me. "Who is she drinking with?" Mark’s voice over the phone was icy. I replied immediately: "Just some friends. Mostly guys, getting a little rowdy. You should get here as soon as you can." Mark said "okay" and told me he was on his way. I hung up and turned to leave. Sarah had once proudly told me: "Mark looks like a quiet guy, but he almost killed a man for me once." "Ever since then, he always carries a knife. Just in case someone tries to mess with me again." I had barely reached the lounge entrance when my phone rang. It was Liam. His tone was casual and lazy. "You’re already here, aren't you?" My lips moved, but no sound came out. He continued, "The waiter said you were standing outside for a while. So you heard everything?" His voice was gentle, but the words were incredibly cruel. I let out a soft "mm-hmm." Liam chuckled. "Coward." It was true. Everyone knew I was a coward. Back in high school, I just followed Liam around like a shadow. If he hadn't protected me, I probably wouldn't have even made it to college. "You're really not going to come in? Are you that scared? "Playing make-believe is boring." I could hear people cheering and laughing wildly in the background. Then, Sarah took the phone. Her voice was cheerful. "If we knew you were this terrified of losing him, we wouldn't have tried so hard to hide it. "But doing all those things behind your back... it was such a rush. "I got to test-drive your husband for you. He’s pretty amazing in every department. I think I’ll keep him." "Sarah, if you keep going, she's going to cry." "Liam, aren't you going to comfort her?" Someone chimed in again. This time, Liam spoke with a rare seriousness: "Stop it. If she cries, I'll have to deal with it later. "Elena isn't like you guys. She's easy to please. Don't bully her." He took the phone back, his voice becoming clearer. "Where are you? The bathroom? I'll come find you. It's hard to get a cab around here." I glanced down the hallway and saw him freeze for a moment, holding his phone. He hung up when he saw me. Liam looked satisfied, even taking a twisted kind of pleasure in the situation. He walked over to me and ruffled my hair. "She's not like you. You're the official Mrs. Sterling. Why are you crying? "Alright, alright. I'm not going to divorce you." His tone was patronizing, like a master soothing a pet. Just then, Sarah stumbled out of the room, holding her head. She staggered and fell perfectly against Liam's chest. Liam immediately wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand resting on her bare skin. Sarah tilted her head against his chest and lazily opened one eye to look at me. "Liam, my head hurts. They made me drink too much. "Take me home. Elena knows everything now, so there's no point hiding it. "She won't mind, right?" She looked right at me as she said the last two words, her eyes full of blatant provocation. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Mark, asking for the exact address of the lounge. I sent him my location. After sending the message, I looked up and stared at Liam. "What if I do mind?" Liam looked a bit conflicted. He tried to push Sarah away, but she clung to him like mud. "We've done it so many times already. Why are you playing the gentleman now?" She laughed and looked back at me. "Didn't you say it yourself? Elena just lies there like a dead fish in bed. Zero passion!" She was speaking to Liam, but her eyes were fixed on me. Liam shot me a nervous glance. "I was just joking. Just playing around." I dug my nails into my palms and let out a light "oh." "Then I'll go with you to take her home." "Excuse me?" Sarah asked in disbelief. I looked at them both with steady resolve. "Didn't you say your head hurts? Liam and I will take you home." I grabbed her arm stubbornly, forcing her to lean on me instead of him. Liam was taken aback for a second, then seemed amused by my reaction. He reached out and tapped my nose. "Well, look at that. Finally getting a little jealous? It's good to see some fire in you." His actions and words were intimate, acting as if nothing had changed. It made me sick to my stomach. But I didn't let it show. Back in high school, the school bully's girlfriend had cornered me in the bathroom and cut up my clothes. I had looked exactly like this back then. Liam was the one who warned her off. He frowned, stared at me for a long time, then took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. "You need to show some spine," he had said. That girl never came back to school after that. Liam thought it was his doing. He didn't know that when she and the bully were making out behind the bleachers, her father had caught them. And I was the one who led her father there. She was forced to transfer schools, and naturally, she never had the chance to bully me again. I liked having Liam play the hero, so I never told him the truth. "But I booked a hotel room... who said I was going home?" Sarah's voice pulled me back. She blinked innocently, her eyes full of triumph. She looked at Liam. "Don't you want to come? But bringing Elena along might be a little awkward." Liam looked back and forth between us. Before he could say anything, I spoke up: "Liam. Let's go home." I stared at him, softening my tone. Right in front of me, Sarah wrapped her leg around his, staring at him intensely. "I brought that outfit you wanted me to wear last time to the hotel. If you miss it tonight, I'm never wearing it again." Liam's pupils dilated, his interest clearly piqued. "Elena, you go home first." He finally gave his answer. My eyes welled up with tears. "Are you sure?" He nodded, then frowned. "Be good. Unless you want a divorce." I took a deep breath. Even breathing hurt my chest. Sarah scoffed. "Did you really want to stay and watch? That seems a bit too cruel, even for you." I stayed silent. She suddenly leaned in and whispered in my ear: "Do you know when our first time was? "It was when you had your miscarriage. You were in the hospital, and we were in your bed. "Elena, if you know what's good for you, you'll divorce him." I started shaking uncontrollably. That was my first baby with Liam. I had hoped for it for so long and took such careful care of myself, but I still lost it. While I was in the hospital, Liam kept saying he was busy with a project. I got through it all alone. So that was it... I stared at Sarah. "Why would you do this?" "Liam is a goldmine, and he's gorgeous. A guy like him is rare. "Someone was going to snatch him away from you eventually. It might as well be me. "I've been wanting to ditch my husband anyway." I checked the time. Mark should be here in about ten minutes. "Will he just let you go? Didn't you say he has a terrible temper? That he almost killed someone? Aren't you afraid?" At the mention of Mark, Sarah's tone lost some of its bravado. "He's an idiot. All muscle, no brains. If I crook my finger, he'll do whatever I want. "Worst case scenario, I'll trick him into a divorce. He's just as gullible as you are." She acted so nonchalant, completely dismissing Mark. "What if he catches you cheating?" A flicker of fear crossed Sarah's eyes, but it vanished quickly. "He won't find out. He's probably out doing deliveries right now. "I trained him like a dog. You wouldn't understand." I sneered internally and subtly glanced at my phone. It was a message from Mark: [I'm almost there.] I suddenly didn't want to let them off so easily. I wanted to see the mad dog bite. So, I looked at Liam with a pathetic expression. "I'll wait for you in the hotel lobby. When you're done, we can go home together. Please?" I played the role of the desperate, subservient wife perfectly. Surprise flashed in Liam's eyes. "Why are you acting like this... am I really that indispensable to you?" Sarah immediately snapped, "Elena, how can you be so pathetic?! "After everything, you're still throwing yourself at him? What do you even get out of this?!" I ignored her, looking at her like she couldn't possibly understand. "If it wasn't for Liam in college, I wouldn't have known what to do. "He paid my living expenses for all four years, and he's supported me ever since. "Sarah, I can't survive without him." It was true that Liam was incredibly good at making money. By the time he was twenty, he had a significant amount of assets. He made millions while still in college. With him, I never had to worry about money. That's how I was able to get my master's degree and eventually my Ph.D. Sarah was speechless, her face turning dark with anger. Liam looked at her with annoyance. "Don't talk to her like that." He added, "I told you before, keep Elena out of our business. "And I'm never going to divorce her to marry you. Are you getting other ideas?" Sarah's expression changed instantly. She quickly tried to appease him: "That's not what I meant. I just didn't want her to ruin the mood." "I won't!" I shook my head quickly. Liam looked exasperated. "Baby, this is the last time. I promise I'll treat you well from now on, okay?" I nodded contentedly. "Okay, I believe you." Liam's gaze lingered for a moment. "Silly girl. What would you ever do without me?" Without him? I would inherit everything, of course. We got into Liam's car. Another message from Mark came through. [I'm here. Which room are you in?] I looked up just in time to see a flash of yellow rushing toward the lounge entrance, only to be stopped by security. Mark looked furious and agitated, practically on the verge of losing control. I quickly replied: [I'm so sorry, Sarah drank way too much. I'm taking her to a hotel to sober up first. Just meet us at the hotel.] After sending the message, I turned to Liam. "Do you really have to do this? Liam, I'm giving you one last chance. Let's keep things civil." Sarah scoffed. "If you can't handle it, don't pretend to be so understanding." Liam frowned. "I already told you, this is the last time. Besides, you couldn't leave me even if you tried." "Okay," I said. "I won't cause a scene." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a new message from Mark: [Thanks. I'll be there in twenty minutes.] Liam drove fast. We arrived at the hotel in fifteen minutes. "We're here. Do you want to come up and watch? You could even try on my outfit. "Though I doubt you could pull it off." Sarah provoked me again, her eyes sweeping over my chest. I ignored her and looked at Liam. "I'll wait for you downstairs. "But I know the manager here. Can I come with you to the front desk while you check-in?" Liam looked slightly moved for a second. "You really are made of putty." I smiled bitterly. "What can I say? I love you too much." Liam sighed. "Let's go." Sarah tried to say something else, but Liam shot her a warning look. "Elena is my wife. I have to show her some respect in front of others." Sarah stomped her foot in frustration but could only watch as Liam and I handled the check-in. I walked them to the elevator. As soon as they stepped inside, Sarah threw herself into Liam's arms. I turned my head away, looking heartbroken. I waited until the elevator stopped on the 7th floor before heading back to the front desk. "Could I get another key card? "My husband just went up, but I need a card to use the elevator." The receptionist handed me a spare key card immediately. Just then, Mark rushed through the revolving doors, panting heavily. Our eyes met. I smiled. "You made it. I just grabbed a key card." I sighed heavily. "Sarah and my husband just went up together. Let's go." Mark's face visibly changed color.
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