In our six years of dating, my wife, Elena, had never prepared a birthday gift for me. This year, however, she had a claw machine delivered to our apartment. I was so busy signing for the delivery that I didn't notice her stiff, awkward expression. "This is so creative! What made you suddenly decide to get me a gift?" Elena forced a smile but didn't say a word. I eagerly stepped up to play, but she frantically tried to stop me. "Noah will be here soon. Let's play it later." Noah was my childhood best friend. We shared the same birthday, and for over a decade, we had celebrated together almost every year. I gave her a puzzled look but didn't stop what I was doing. "It's fine. Noah isn't an outsider." The claw machine glowed with pink lights, and I grabbed my first mystery box. I tore it open. Inside was a dazzling diamond ring. My ears turned red. I quickly grabbed the second box. Inside was a massage coupon. 【A 60-minute full-body massage for my darling husband.】 I smiled and maneuvered the claw to grab a third box. Inside was a simple piece of paper. 【A maid outfit for my baby, Noah.】 I stared at the name "Noah." My mind exploded. This surprise birthday gift wasn't meant for me. The "outsider" wasn't Noah. It was me. … The claw machine’s lights were still flashing. I stood frozen. Elena saw the piece of paper in my hand, and the color drained from her face. "Julian, let me explain." I looked up at her, my movements mechanical and numb. She avoided my eyes. "The seller must have messed up the order..." My hand clenched into a fist. The diamond ring dug painfully into my palm. "Is that right? Then call the seller right now. Put it on speaker." Elena didn't move. She lowered her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "Julian, you're being ridiculous." The digital lock on the front door beeped, and Noah walked in. He was carrying a cake, a warm smile on his face. "Happy birthday, Jules!" He immediately sensed the suffocating tension in the room. "What's going on? It's the birthday boy's big day, who's giving him a hard time?" Noah shot Elena a half-smile, his tone incredibly intimate. "Elena, how many times do I have to tell you? Don't take advantage of Julian just because he's a nice guy..." My composure completely collapsed in a split second. My face was devoid of emotion as I hurled the items in my hand violently at Noah. He looked stunned. Then he looked down at the diamond ring lying by his shoes, and the piece of paper fluttering to the floor. The cake slipped from his hands and splattered across the hardwood. Noah's face went a shade paler. "Jules, it's not what you think, I..." Before he could even attempt an excuse, Elena stepped in front of him, shielding him with her body. Her voice turned ice-cold. "Julian, if you have a problem, take it out on me. Don't take your anger out on Noah." My chest throbbed with a sickening, rhythmic pain. I took a deep breath, squeezing the words out of my throat. "How long has this been going on?" Noah gritted his teeth, shaking his head frantically. But Elena grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers in a grip that brooked no argument. "It started three years ago. It was an accident. I didn't want to hide it from you, but Noah refused to hurt you." "Julian, I’ve wanted to end things for a long time. You're just... too complacent." My eyes widened. I started shaking uncontrollably. Three years. For three years, Elena had refused to let me touch her. Even our kisses had become passionless and dismissive. I tried to talk about it, but she always used work stress as an excuse. It turned out she was just "saving" herself for Noah. Elena always said she was busy, so I learned to get used to being alone. I got used to her working late and taking endless business trips. Even when I got into a car accident and was rushed to the ER, she just casually said, “Well, at least you’re okay.” My endless understanding and compromise had only earned me the label of being "too complacent." Noah's lips were pressed into a tight line. He looked terrible. "Elena, stop it!" Elena gripped his shirt, her eyes turning red. "Noah, don't blame me. I didn't put the wrong shipping address on purpose. This is fate." "I'm so sick of this! I can't hide it anymore!" My stomach cramped violently. I doubled over, unable to bear the pain. But Elena didn't even spare me a glance. Her fingers still tightly intertwined with Noah's, she pulled him toward the door. "Noah, it's your birthday today. You are not allowed to be sad. We'll deal with this tomorrow." But it was my birthday, too. The door clicked shut. I collapsed onto the floor, utterly drained of strength. The apartment was dead silent. The only sound was my own ragged breathing. I managed to fumble for my stomach medication, swallowed a pill dry, and fell into a delirious sleep. When I woke up, the algorithm on my phone recommended an ad for claw machines. I clicked on it by mistake. The top-rated, pinned review was from Elena. 【The product is great. It bought me my good luck. Everything is finally back on track.】 【I ordered a new one for my baby hubby. He’s finally stopped giving me the cold shoulder.】 The attached photo was of Noah looking out a window. It was taken at a high-end restaurant with a view of the river. Fireworks exploded in the night sky. On the table sat a massive bouquet of champagne roses and a cake. It's true what they say. If someone truly cares, you never have to teach them how. I squeezed my eyes shut. I just felt an overwhelming sense of apathy. Early the next morning, a knock on the door woke me up. It was the claw machine company's retrieval team, coming to process a return. Maybe I looked unusually pale, because the technician couldn't help but stare at me. "Are you alright, sir? Sorry to bother you. The customer said she put a lot of thought into the machine for a surprise for her lover, and requested we retrieve the defective unit immediately." "I'm fine. Go ahead." They had barely hauled the machine away when Noah called me. "Bro, I got so trashed last night. Let's meet up at our usual spot. We need a bowl of that coconut chicken soup to cure this hangover..." It was our tradition. That coconut chicken place near our old college campus—we had been there countless times. Every time we had a hangover, we'd go there the next day. Before I could speak, Elena snatched the phone. "Julian, he was in a bad mood last night and drank too much." She paused for a second. "Is your stomach feeling better?" "Look, Noah didn't do it out of malice. We couldn't help how we felt. He didn't want to ruin your friendship. Can you please just..." I hung up before she could finish. That evening, I forced myself to go out. A friend had bought a new house and invited everyone over for a housewarming party. When I got there, I realized Elena and Noah were both there. Of course they were. The host was a mutual friend. The AC in the house was blasting. Right after I walked in, Elena sneezed. I instinctively started taking off my jacket, but I froze midway, my movements halting. Noah very naturally draped his own jacket over her shoulders. No one noticed the exchange. Our friend punched me lightly on the shoulder, feigning a complaint. "Jules, took you long enough! Your wife’s been here for ages. What's going on with you two? Having a fight?" My tone was perfectly even. "We didn't fight. We broke up." The room went instantly silent. Everyone's shocked gazes shifted to Elena and Noah. Noah looked down, clearly embarrassed and humiliated. Elena calmly explained. "It's true. Julian and I broke up a long time ago. The man I love now is Noah." Our friend looked stunned, and a hint of anger crept into his voice. "Elena, what kind of sick joke is this? What do you mean 'a long time ago'?" "Jules was just talking to me last month about proposing. You..." I grabbed my friend's arm. He stopped talking, but shot them a look of pure disgust. The atmosphere for the rest of the night was incredibly tense. I left early. Elena chased me out and stopped me. "Julian, did you really have to humiliate Noah like that?" "Colluding with your friends to embarrass him in front of everyone? Do you have any idea how much that hurts him?" She looked at me with absolute contempt. "Post something on your socials right now. Tell everyone we broke up ages ago. Don't try to pin the 'homewrecker' label on Noah!" My gaze swept coldly over her, then to the figure hovering in the distance. "Isn't he?" "No, he isn't!" Elena snapped at me, her eyes filled with disappointment. "Noah has constantly prioritized your feelings. And how do you treat him?" "He always sacrifices his own happiness to take care of you. Do you think you're some kind of royalty? Noah deserves to be loved far more than you do!" I zoned out for a second. Noah was my neighbor growing up. When he was ten, an accident took both his parents. His relatives abandoned him. My mom took pity on him and brought him into our home. We practically grew up together. Since we were kids, whatever I had, he had too. It wasn't my fault he always felt like a burden and acted overly cautious. I never imagined that when we grew up, I'd have to share my partner with him too. I calmly found my voice again. "Think whatever you want, Elena. I'm not the one who did something wrong. I won't apologize, and I won't explain a single word for either of you." I ignored her and got into my car. In the rearview mirror, Noah pulled Elena into his arms. Her shoulders were shaking. Love often feels like a debt. Elena was probably feeling sorry for Noah. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. When I shared things with Noah in the past, I never expected to get them back. Walking away from the wrong person now was no big deal. I just... needed a little time. I went to work as usual the next day to hand in my resignation. The HR intern, a kid from a wealthy family, looked at me hesitantly. "Bro, you finally found out?" I was confused. "Found out what?" "You seriously didn't know? Aren't you quitting because you broke up with the CEO?" She looked surprised, leaning in to whisper. "It's about the ninth floor. Everyone knows. No one is allowed on the ninth floor because it's Secretary Noah's private lounge." "Ms. Elena specifically ordered that no one was allowed to tell you." She was talking about Noah. Elena absolutely loathed nepotism. Yet when I joined the company, she openly acknowledged our relationship. She also had no problem chewing me out in front of the entire office over a mistake in a proposal. But now, she was unapologetically flaunting her favoritism for Noah in front of the whole company. She never gave my feelings a second thought. She made me play the clown in their little romance, right under everyone's noses. Noah hadn't had much luck with jobs after graduation. He was arrogant and hopped from job to job. I frequently sent him money to help him out. Then one day, he told me: "Jules, I passed the interview at your company! We're gonna be working together!" He didn't have much experience, and Elena’s standards for a secretary were high. But I was too busy being happy for him to think much of it at the time. Looking back, Elena had broken her own rules for him. I took the stairs to the ninth floor. I punched in Noah's birthday on the digital lock, and the door clicked open. The faint smell of coffee filled the air. Morning light poured through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, gleaming on the hardwood floors. A huge framed photo hung on the wall. A wedding portrait. Elena and Noah stood with their foreheads resting against each other, smiling, their eyes shining with happiness. My breath hitched. This wasn't just Noah's private lounge. This was their home. All those nights Elena stayed at the office "working late," she was probably right here with him. "Meow." A cat darted out from nowhere and tilted its head at me. I looked down and hurriedly stumbled backward. Elena loved cats, but I was severely allergic to them. I used to feel guilty about it, but she would earnestly tell me: "It's just a cat, Julian. You are the most important thing in my life." The cat wasn't scared of strangers. It happily chased after my feet, rubbing against my ankles. I turned to leave. "Jules!" Noah walked out from an inner room and grabbed my arm in a death grip. "I've thought a lot about this over the past few days. You have to listen to me..." "I know you're angry, but I genuinely hope you can give us your blessing!" My throat constricted. My voice shook. "Let go!" "No, Jules. You're the most important brother I have. The past few days have been torture..." My chest tightened. I couldn't breathe. I violently yanked my arm away. Noah stumbled backward, hit a low cabinet, and nearly fell. That was the exact moment Elena arrived. There were cameras on the ninth floor. The second she saw I was there, she came running. "Noah!" Elena pushed past me, anxiously catching him. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He shook his head, his eyes a little red. Elena's face went completely cold as she shot a glacial glare at me. "How far do you have to push him before you're satisfied?" I coughed violently, unable to speak. She noticed something was wrong immediately, but she didn't care. "Look, Julian, we were never meant to be." "I love cats. I've always wanted a cat. And you happen to be severely allergic." I froze. Six years ago, when she confessed her feelings to me, Elena had sworn: "Julian, our names sound so perfect together. We're soulmates." My breathing was becoming labored. I couldn't think about it anymore. I reached for my phone to call 911, but my hands wouldn't cooperate. My phone slipped from my grasp, hitting the floor and shattering the screen. I couldn't stand anymore. I collapsed onto the floor, completely devoid of strength. Noah frantically pulled out his phone to call 911. But Elena stopped him. "Wait." She looked down at me, her voice terrifyingly soft. "Julian, promise Noah you forgive him. Promise you'll give us your blessing..." "And I'll call an ambulance for you right now." Elena's words cut through the ringing in my ears, slamming into my heart like a sledgehammer. To them, my forgiveness and blessing were more important than my life. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the sheer terror erupting in Elena's eyes. "Julian!" When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed. The room was quiet. I could hear the doctor sternly reprimanding someone at the door. "How are you looking after the patient?! With an allergy this severe, he shouldn't even be within fifty feet of a cat!" Elena's voice was hoarse. "I'm not family. We're just friends." "I never brought him anywhere near cats before. I didn't realize it would be this bad..." She was wrong. She, Noah, and I weren't friends anymore. We had nothing to do with each other for the rest of our lives. And I had told Elena that when I was a kid, a cat allergy nearly killed me. That was the first time I ever saw her cry. She told me she was terrified of losing me. Her past devotion was real. Just as her current disregard, born from faded love, was also real. The hospital room door opened. I didn't want to talk, so I closed my eyes and pretended I was still unconscious. "Noah, go inside. I'll wait for you downstairs." Elena sounded exhausted. Noah agreed. He sat down in the chair next to my bed. "I'm sorry, Jules. I'm really sorry. I never meant to take anything from you..." "But I was just so starved for love. Elena was so good to me. She loved me, and I couldn't push her away." Since I didn't wake up, he finally found the courage to confess how it all started. While I was on a business trip overseas, a stalker followed Elena. She couldn't reach me, so she called Noah. They had never told me about this. "Jules, you didn't know anything. Elena was terrified that day. The guy was practically glued to her. She was crying so hard her eyes were swollen. She was losing her mind." "I beat the guy until his face was covered in blood. I almost went to jail." "Elena was so scared after that, so I went over every day to stay with her. I had to sleep in the same bed with her just so she could feel safe enough to fall asleep." Noah let out a helpless chuckle. "You see? It's fate. You can't blame anyone. You can only blame yourself." "Blame yourself for not protecting her. Blame yourself for not being there when she needed you most." "Oh, by the way, Elena's pregnant. You used to say you wanted to be the godfather to my kids." "You always let me have my way when we were kids. Just let me have this one last thing." After Noah left, I slowly opened my eyes. My throat was too dry and painful to speak, so I sent a text message instead. 【I booked a flight to London for the day after tomorrow. I'll see you then.】 I was discharged the next day. I went home to pack while the apartment was empty. My body still hadn't fully recovered, so I lugged my suitcases into a taxi and booked a hotel near the airport for the night. I had just checked in. My phone suddenly started vibrating non-stop. It was Elena. She was finally calling. My finger hovered over the screen for a long time. Finally, I pressed the button.
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