Chapter 1
When Liam finally got home, I was curled up on the sofa watching a movie.
He tossed his car keys onto the entryway table, then bent down to change his shoes. “You’ve got nothing to do, so why didn’t you answer my call?”
Liam rarely probed unless he had something to hide.
My eyes didn’t leave the TV screen. I casually replied, “The movie was too good, I didn’t notice my phone.”
“The client dinner dragged on, that’s why I’m late. You don’t need to sit here waiting for me every day. Nobody wants to see you making yourself so pathetic.”
In the past, I would have tirelessly emphasized that this was just how much I loved him.
But today, I suddenly couldn’t be bothered to say another word.
Liam stood lazily in front of me, casually handing me a luxury brand paper bag.
It was the premiere night for Liam’s company’s biggest show of the year. To celebrate the premiere and wish it huge success, I’d left work early, as usual, to cook a lavish meal and prepare drinks. I’d even invited a few of our mutual friends, expecting him to come home early so we could watch it together.
But four episodes of the show had aired, our friends had finished dinner in an awkward silence and left, and still, there was no sign of Liam, who’d promised to be back early.
I pretended not to see his gaming history, which showed ten hours straight of play. I took the shopping bag and set it on the carpet.
I’d seen this exact bag before, just a while ago, when Liam missed our wedding anniversary. Even the shape and size were identical.
Liam stared down at me for a moment, his brows furrowed, his voice turning cold. “Chloe, can you just stop throwing a tantrum?”
Buying me gifts was Liam’s go-to apology. If I accepted the gift, he’d automatically assume everything was forgiven, and if I ever brought it up again, I’d be accused of never letting things go.
Now that I wasn’t giving him an easy out, he was clearly annoyed.
“I’ll open it for you.”
Before I could speak, he unwrapped the package himself, pulling out a new bag and handing it to me. “The sales associate said this bag was really hard to get. You’ll definitely love it.”
I lifted my eyes. Liam followed my gaze to the bag I’d casually tossed on the sofa when I rushed home to make dinner—it was exactly the same as the one in his hand.
The atmosphere instantly froze.
“It’s late. Let’s clean up and go to bed. We have work tomorrow.” I said in a detached tone, getting up to head to the bedroom.
“I’ll have my assistant pick you up tomorrow. You can go pick out another one.” Liam’s voice held a rare show of cautiousness.
“No need.” I refused him without even turning my head.
The next morning, perhaps feeling that he’d truly overdone it, Liam, for the first time ever, suggested we go to the office together. Tired from a lack of sleep, I nodded.
He stood by his car, his face a mix of suppressed frustration and impatience.
I’d forgotten when it started, but Liam had begun making excuses not to let me ride in his car. He guarded his passenger seat like a sacred shrine, absolutely forbidding me to even touch it, forcing me to buy my own car. Any time I asked, he’d get all gruff and lecture me, saying my brain was rotting from too much internet, always fighting with him over some bizarre possessiveness about the passenger seat, claiming he had no time for my nonsense.
But now, his passenger seat had clearly become Ashley’s exclusive domain. It was decorated with all sorts of plush bunny toys and covered in cute bunny stickers. The passenger seat itself was customized, just to make petite Ashley more comfortable; even the vanity mirror on the sun visor had been modified, just for Ashley to touch up her makeup.
Liam glanced at me, then sighed and opened the car door, moving all the plush bunnies to the back seat.
Watching his back, I frowned slightly and said, “Don’t bother. I’ll just drive myself to work.”
Liam, still buried in the endless task of putting away the plush bunnies, mumbled, “I promised we’d go together. Ashley’s young, she just likes cute stuff, don’t take it personally.”
Even without the plush toys, the customized seat was still all pink and cutesy, still clashed wildly with the car’s overall style.
Ultimately, I didn’t get into Liam’s car.
No other reason, just a feeling of nausea that made me want to throw up.