1 For the third time, Scott Cole, Celine’s junior from college, called asking for money to cover his gambling debts. I tried to reason with her. "An addict will only fall deeper if you keep enabling him. We should get Scott into rehab." "Besides," I added, "we don't have the money. The last time, you had to borrow thirty thousand dollars from your friends to help him. This time he’s asking for over a hundred thousand." Celine just shot me a glare, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger. "Can't you have a little compassion? Scott is my friend! Is it a crime to want to help?" "And anyway," she scoffed, "we're already in deep. What's a little more debt?" Watching her grab her coat and hurry out into the cold night, a wave of disappointment washed over me. I shook my head. "Celine," I said, my voice low. "It's not compassion. You've just had a change of heart." ... Celine didn't return until dawn, and she wasn't alone. Scott. He gave me a sheepish grin. "Hey, Noah. Mind if I crash here for a few days?" There was a faint note of mockery in his voice that didn't escape me. "Why would I mind? You're practically family," Celine said, brushing past me. She turned and snapped, "What are you standing there for? Go make some soup to warm Scott up. Can't you see his hands are frozen?" "Oh, and don't use any shrimp," she added quickly. "Scott's been having skin allergies." Listening to her fuss over him, her voice filled with a tenderness she no longer showed me, I felt the cold wind from the open door seep deep into my bones. I must have been staring, because she frowned and shoved me toward the kitchen. "Scott is my friend from college," she warned, her voice low and tight. "Don't you dare start anything. Push me, and I'll file for divorce." She spun around and left me there. Any time an argument involved Scott, the word "divorce" was her weapon of choice. Like the time I'd objected to her borrowing money to pay off his debts. Or when they were acting out a scene during a murder mystery game night with her friends, and I had to step in when the others goaded them into a near-kiss. She was always the one being irrational, yet somehow, I was always the one to blame. I reheated last night's leftovers and brought them out. Celine was busy fussing with Scott's clothes. "I can't believe this sweater fits you perfectly," she said, her voice bright. "It looks great on you!" It was the sweater she'd given me for my birthday. I hadn't even had a chance to wear it yet. They laughed and chatted for a full five minutes before they even noticed me standing there, watching them. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Celine's face before she saw the leftovers on the table. Her expression soured instantly. "Noah Beck!" she snapped, her eyebrows knitting together. "What is this supposed to mean?" Scott immediately jumped in, playing the peacemaker. "Celine, don't fight. It's all my fault." "Of course it's your fault," I said with a cold smile. "When are you planning on paying us back? Didn't you say you were done with gambling last time? How did you manage to rack up another hundred thousand in debt?" Scott froze, then lowered his head and squeezed out a few tears. "I was trying to win the money back to pay you," he mumbled, his voice thick with fake emotion. "I was winning, but then they set me up." "I'll go sell my blood to pay you back," he choked out. I didn't believe a word of it. The first time, he'd cried and claimed his friends had tricked him into it. The second time, he'd sworn his boss had cheated him in a high-stakes game. But Celine's heart broke for him. "Noah, you are absolutely heartless!" she screamed at me. "Can't you see what he's going through? And you're still pressuring him for money! I never realized how cruel you were. I regret ever marrying you." If I were truly heartless, would I have given in twice and let her help him? But all I got in return was her blind defense of him. This "caring for a friend" had long since crossed a line, a line that should be sacred in a marriage. "Scott, don't you worry," she cooed, turning back to him. "I call the shots in this house. I'll get the money for you." She grabbed his arm. "Come on. We're going out to eat." As they headed for the door, she shoved me out of the way. "Get out of my sight," she hissed. "This past year of marriage has been the darkest time of my life. Push me any further, and I'll get that agreement we signed. We can go our separate ways." With that, she linked her arm through Scott's and walked away without a backward glance. 2 Her departure was a sharp, decisive cut, like a knife slicing deeper into the already frayed thread of our relationship. It was hard to believe that the two people who had once cherished each other could now be so at odds. Was I being too suspicious? Thinking back, I knew I wasn't. I'd had a crush on Celine in college. She was the untouchable ice queen, so I never confessed, and we barely spoke. Then, two years ago, we ran into each other at a singles' event. That old spark flared to life. I worked up the courage to talk to her, and to my surprise, she was warm and engaging. We talked for the entire afternoon and were officially a couple within a week. The year we dated was a dream. She was gentle and kind, always at my place helping cook and chatting with my mom. She'd drag me out for walks in the park, our hands clasped as we watched the sunset. Under the moonlight, we were blissfully happy. Right before the wedding, she'd said to me, "If you ever fall out of love with me, let's just part peacefully. That's why I've prepared a divorce agreement. I'll respect your decision." She signed her name right there. I thought it was a joke, a document we'd never need. I thought we'd be happy forever. But everything changed so fast. Just six months into our marriage, Scott Cole, the heartthrob from her college days, reappeared. Celine found him an apartment and brought him meals. She helped him find a job. They were on the phone constantly. She grew impatient with me, telling me I couldn't compare to Scott. She called me a failure, stuck in a dead-end job with a fixed salary. She praised Scott, calling him a dragon in shallow waters, destined for greatness. We fought about it constantly. When I'd try to tell her to be more mindful of boundaries, she'd accuse me of being jealous and paranoid. As a fairly traditional guy, I found the idea of divorce humiliating, especially after only a year of marriage. But my head was telling me to cut my losses before things got any worse. Buzz. Buzz. My phone vibrated, pulling me from my thoughts. It was my mother. "Son," she said, "the bank just called. They said large personal transfers are now subject to a 24-hour delay." I froze. "Mom, what are you talking about? Why are you transferring money?" "Celine called," she explained. "She said you two had a failed investment and were deeply in debt. She asked me to transfer all my retirement savings to her. I haven't been able to reach her since, so I thought I'd check with you." My blood ran cold. My fists clenched so tightly my knuckles cracked. I never thought… I never thought Celine would stoop so low as to target my own mother to pay off her college crush's gambling debts. How could she? The audacity was insane. "Don't worry, son," my mother said, her voice filled with concern. "I'll ask some friends to borrow money." "No!" I said, my voice sharp. "Don't borrow anything. And you hold onto your retirement money. Don't give it to anyone, especially not Celine. You'll never see it again." When Celine and I got married, her family demanded a new house and a huge sum for the wedding, draining every penny my mother and I had saved. And now she was after my mother's life savings? Not a chance. My mom was silent for a few seconds. "Son, did you and Celine have a fight?" "It's okay, Mom. I can handle it. I'll explain everything in a few days." I reassured her and hung up. Moments later, my phone rang again. It was Celine. "Noah Beck!" she yelled, her voice shrill. "What did you tell your family? I already told you, what's a little more debt? What are you so afraid of? We can just default if we have to!" "I'm at the karaoke bar, the one from that party we went to," she continued, not letting me get a word in. "You have ten minutes to get over here and explain yourself! Or you'll lose me for good!" She hung up before I could reply. I pulled on my down jacket and headed out. Not to explain. But to end this. 3 The moment I stepped into the private karaoke room, I saw Celine and Scott surrounded by a cheering crowd. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" "Just think of it as making up for your missed chance back in college!" In that instant, it all clicked. All my doubts, all my questions, were answered. No wonder she went to such great lengths to help him. No wonder she was always comparing me to him. No wonder his arrival had shattered our once peaceful life. They had been in love all along. "Celine, you have to forgive me," Scott said, feigning reluctance as he leaned in, puckering his lips. "It's a dare. I have to do it." A blush crept up Celine's cheeks. Then, she spotted me standing in the doorway. She shot to her feet, calling my name. Everyone turned. "Ugh, buzzkill!" "Worst timing ever." "He just appears out of nowhere like a ghost. Trying to give us a heart attack?" The complaints came one after another. And my wife, Celine, said nothing in my defense. She just listened. I guess she agreed. I had ruined her moment with Scott. "Ahem." Scott cleared his throat and forced a smile. "Noah, man, don't get the wrong idea. We were just playing a game." All eyes were on me again, expecting an explosion. But I just nodded calmly. Celine blinked in surprise, then a slow, smug smile spread across her face. She sat back down, crossing her arms. "Well? Explain." She thought I was backing down, surrendering. She put on her queenly airs, ready to receive my apology. The air in the room was thick with mockery. Scott, in particular, looked triumphant. I met Celine's gaze, my voice even. "There's nothing to explain." "My father died young. My mother raised me by herself. It wasn't easy. You will not touch a single cent of her retirement savings." The room fell silent. Everyone stared, shocked. The smile vanished from Celine's face. She jumped to her feet, pointing a finger at me. "Noah Beck! Your mother had it tough? What about Scott? He's had it tough too! And it's not like we wouldn't pay her back." I shook my head and glanced at Scott. "Can he?" "I promise I'll pay it back!" Scott declared, puffing out his chest. His words were empty. A gambler's promise is worth nothing. But Celine still believed him. "You hear that? Scott promised. What more do you want?" Her friends chimed in. "Scott was the campus heartthrob, top of his class. He could get a high-paying job anywhere. What are you worried about?" "It's just a loan. You're so cheap you won't even do it for your own wife." "We're all friends here. We're supposed to help each other out! Besides, what's a little more debt? People online owe millions and still live it up." "Yeah! Can't you be a man and take a risk for once?" "Celine really has to put up with a lot, being with you..." "Do you really want to lose her?" Listening to them, I finally understood what it meant to fan the flames. I couldn't be bothered to argue. "Noah Beck!" Celine shouted, seeing my silence. She played her trump card again. "Don't think I won't divorce you!" "Then let's get a divorce," I said quietly.
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