Chapter 1
I actually thought he’d finally given up on Chloe, the girl who held his heart. But for three years after we got married, he was barely ever home, always out and about with her.
I couldn’t be bothered to catch them red-handed, so I just got bored and started an online relationship.
Then, to my shock, I found out my online boyfriend was none other than Julian, Declan’s best friend.
I just couldn’t reconcile the sweet, clingy guy who begged for hugs every day online with the intimidating Julian I knew in real life.
I freaked out and broke up with him.
But Julian burst into my apartment, crying and begging me to forgive him, not to leave him.
As he was pleading, Declan suddenly walked in.
Panicked, I shoved Julian into the closet.
Declan hugged me, whispering, “It’s over with her. From now on, I’ll focus on you. Let’s have a baby.”
Julian, furious, kicked open the closet door. “No way! I don’t agree!”
Declan threw a lavish birthday party for Chloe on a cruise ship. My best friend, Taylor, couldn’t stand it and insisted on dragging me along to catch them and humiliate the other woman.
I was about to refuse, but then I remembered my online boyfriend had sent me his location, and it was somewhere nearby.
So, hoping I might bump into him, I went along.
But as soon as we arrived, the birthday party was already over. We didn’t even catch a glimpse of Declan or Chloe.
Taylor was so mad she started swearing like a sailor. I let her rant for half an hour before I finally managed to calm her down.
“Let me take you home. I told you, don’t bother trying to catch them.”
Even if we did, what would be the point?
After dropping Taylor off, I walked alone down the street, glancing back at the bar behind me, and then stepped inside.
I ordered a glass of red wine at the bar, but it tasted bitter, so I only took one sip.
My online boyfriend sent me another message.
[My friends moved to a new spot, a bar, but don’t worry, babe, I won’t have any contact with anyone else.]
A thought flashed through my mind. Could it be the very bar I was in right now?
I typed a reply.
[What’s the bar called? Do you have a room number?]
He actually sent me the address and the room number.
And a teasing remark, too.
[Missing me, babe? It’s too late now. Next time you want to see your husband, let’s pick a proper time. Our first meeting has to be special.]
A smile played on my lips. What I didn’t say was, we might just meet tonight.
I hurried upstairs. The corridors were a maze, but I finally found the room number he’d given me.
The door wasn’t fully closed; it was slightly ajar.
They seemed to be playing a game inside, and I heard Chloe’s voice.
A surge of alarm went through me. Had I gone to the wrong room?
I glanced back, realizing I hadn’t made a mistake at all. This was definitely the room number my online boyfriend had given me.
“Julian! Your turn. Truth or Dare?”
From my angle, I couldn’t see Julian’s face, only his back. His shoulders were broad, and he had a great physique.
He was Declan’s best friend, closer than brothers since they were kids.
Julian lazily drawled, “Truth.”
“Who were you just texting, smiling so happily?” Chloe casually asked.
Julian glanced at Declan, who was sitting beside him, and said, “Aubrey. My girlfriend.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Chloe gave a dry laugh. “What a coincidence.”
She quickly looked at Declan, who seemed oblivious, and instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
My heart lurched. That was my name, and my online username.
It couldn’t be such a coincidence…
But the very next second, my heart sank. Julian’s phone screen was projected onto the big monitor.
And there, glaringly obvious, was my chat window.
“Whoa, Julian, you’re into online dating? And she’s older?”
Julian frowned, smacking the person next to him. “Give me my phone back.”
He snatched his phone, his expression faltering slightly, and started to walk out of the room.
I was terrified and immediately fled the scene.
As soon as I reached the stairwell, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
In my panic, I just hit hang up.
[Babe, why aren’t you answering? Do you not like me anymore?]
The messages that followed were a rapid-fire flood of pathetic, adorable emojis.
Seeing those messages, I took a deep breath.
How could Julian, with his unapproachable face, say such things to me?
And he’s actually older than me, yet he pretended to be some younger college guy!
Chapter 2
I sprinted all the way home, my back drenched in sweat.
My phone now had several new photos of abs.
The muscles were perfectly defined, very eye-catching.
But I was in no mood to appreciate them.
[Don’t be mad, babe. I’m coming home now. I’ll never go to shady places again.]
[Babe, please talk to me…]
I sent a voice message.
“Sorry, my husband’s home. Don’t text me today.”
There was a pause on the other end.
Soon, another message came through.
[Babe, didn’t you say your husband was never home?]
I replied without batting an eye.
[He came back today.]
[Okay, babe. I know I’m not supposed to be seen.]
I knew Julian understood I was lying, but he couldn’t call me out.
I had never hidden the fact that I was married, and he also knew my husband was Declan.
When we first got together, he said he didn’t care, that he could wait for me to get divorced. Before that, we could be platonic, just a spiritual connection.
But I never thought he’d hide his identity. His age and even his name were all fake.
And the big question: Did Declan know what Julian was up to? Hooking up with his best friend’s wife behind his back.
I slapped my face, annoyed. It was all my fault for not insisting he send me a photo.
My fault for trusting a stranger online so completely.
I ignored Julian for a few days, planning to ice him out until he got the hint.
I didn’t think he’d dare to just show up and expose everything.
Julian had to have some shame, right?
But Julian, shamelessly, kept sending me messages.
Constantly asking, Is your husband gone? Is your husband gone?
I typed a single word.
[No.]
Not long after, I saw Declan and Chloe trending on Ins.
The two of them were shouting declarations from a hot air balloon.
“Chloe! I love you!”
“Declan! I love you too!”
It had gone viral just because the hot air balloon cost a staggering fifty million dollars.
Netizens were gushing with envy, joking that they were just NPCs in a grand romance, witnessing another fairytale billionaire love story.
All I felt was awkwardness. Didn’t they think shouting from the sky was totally ridiculous?
What if a bird pooped on them?
Not long after, the trending topic was completely scrubbed clean.
My mother-in-law called me.
“Aubrey, Declan’s just having a bit of fun. Don’t make a fuss, dear. He’s very busy with work, it’s normal for him to unwind. A man, well, who doesn’t have a few people around them? The Maxwell family only recognizes you as their daughter-in-law.”
My voice was flat. “Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t make a fuss.”
Hearing that, my mother-in-law quickly hung up.
They were being so public about it that people had forgotten I was the original wife. What good would a fuss do now?
Honestly, before the marriage, I actually did make a fuss.
Declan and Chloe were childhood sweethearts, while Declan and I met later. Strictly speaking, I was the latecomer.
My father was Declan’s father’s army buddy. After my dad was killed in action, Declan’s father adopted me. I was sixteen then, and my looks had blossomed; I was quite pretty.
Declan was smitten at first sight and made a grand show of pursuing me.
Declan’s father thought it was a great idea and decided to arrange our engagement.
But Declan’s mother didn’t like me. She thought I was from a common background and wasn’t good enough for her perfect son.
Not long after the engagement, Declan changed his mind. He said his feelings for me were just a passing fancy, and the one he truly loved was Chloe, his childhood sweetheart!
I was furious and constantly at odds with Chloe.
We competed in academics, in dancing, in talents.
But other than academics, I was inferior to Chloe in everything. I’d never had any exposure to classical arts.
Declan and his friends often mocked me, calling me an unsophisticated country bumpkin.
Yet, whenever I scored better than Chloe on a test, Declan would accuse me of being too competitive and not as gentle and lovely as Chloe.
Right after high school, I poured every ounce of my effort into my exams and became the top student. While I was basking in joy, I heard Declan scornfully say, “She only knows how to bury her head in books. What good is that? She’s not worthy of being my wife.”
Chapter 3
My heart instantly sank. I had actually thought Declan still had some feelings for me.
Turns out, he’d always looked down on me.