Love on the Even Days

On our wedding night, my new wife casually proposed an open marriage. "I'm pregnant. From now on, I'll spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with Finley, and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at home." I forced myself to steady my trembling body and looked up at her. "When did this start?" "When you introduced us. We fell in love at first sight." A faint smile played at the corners of her lips. "The moment I met him, I finally understood what real passion felt like. With you, it was just familiarity after all these years. "By then, the news of our families' marriage alliance had already gone public. I figured I'd just settle for you and make the best of it. Then I found out I was pregnant." She rested a hand over her belly, her eyes softening with unmistakable maternal tenderness. "The baby needs a father. If you stay, you'll still be my husband. That won't change. But Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays belong to him. "If you want a divorce, that's fine too. House, cars, or whatever. Name your price. I'll give you whatever compensation you want." Chapter 1 My throat was so dry I couldn't force out a single word. The whole thing was absurd. One of them was my wife, and the other was my best friend, the man I'd known since childhood. Years ago, Finley Graham had been conned into a disastrous marriage. His wife constantly belittled him and had even become physically abusive. After I helped him get divorced, I was worried his wife would keep hounding him, so I took him in and let him stay with me for a while. I never imagined that his temporary stay would eventually lead him into my wife's bed. And he left her carrying his child. ... The silence stretched on until the night grew deep and heavy. Finally, Lexi Berry frowned and pressed me for an answer. "Well? Have you made up your mind?" I ignored the question and asked the one that had been eating away at me. "Lately, you've been coming home later and later, practically every night. Were you with him?" "Yes," she admitted. "He was sick." "Postponing the wedding, changing the venue, even changing the entire theme..." I pressed, raising my eyebrows. "Those were his ideas too, weren't they?" "Yes." She nodded. "Seeing us plan our wedding upset him." Every answer landed like a blade driven straight into my chest. All her bizarre, cold behavior over the past few months made sense now. She had done them all for another man. "Edward," she added impatiently, "what's the point of dredging up the past? If you want a divorce, I'll have my attorney deliver the paperwork tomorrow." The fragile composure I had fought so hard to maintain shattered on the spot. "I'll never agree to it!" My voice rang through the room as I glared at her. "You want me to step aside so the two of you can have a happy family? Don't even think about it!" "Fine." Lexi rose, grabbed her coat, and headed for the door. "Wait!" I called after her. "Where are you going?" "Today is Wednesday," she replied matter-of-factly, peeling my fingers away from her arm, one by one. "This is our wedding night!" I said with wide eyes. She looked back at me, as if I were an unreasonable child throwing a tantrum. "We established the schedule," she said evenly. "Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays belong to him. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays belong at home. You agreed to this." The clock on the wall already read six in the afternoon. Lexi frowned and strode toward the foyer. "Stick to the schedule. If you can't accept it, file for divorce." "Lexi, wait!" My chest burned as I chased after her. I tore off my wedding ring and hurled it at her. "To hell with your damn schedule!" The heavy ring grazed her wrist, leaving a sharp red mark across her skin. Ever since she had taken control of the Berry Group, no one had dared lay a hand on her. Her gaze turned cold in an instant, but I was unfazed, letting out a bitter laugh. "Serves you right!" But instead of getting worked up, she merely shook her head. "If you want to trash the house, go ahead. Just don't hurt yourself." She walked out, and I lost my mind. Chapter 2 I took Lexi at her word. I went on a rampage through the mansion, smashing every vase, lamp, and piece of furniture I could get my hands on. Glass and porcelain exploded across the floors, showering my hands with dozens of tiny cuts. I barely felt any of them. There was a gaping emptiness in my chest, as if someone had ripped out my heart. Through the shattered doors, I could hear the estate staff whispering among themselves. "Can you blame him? His wife left him on their wedding night to be with another man, and that man happens to be his best friend." "He got left all alone on his wedding night. What a poor guy." "Actually, Ms. Berry is the pitiful one. Imagine marrying a lunatic like this one. She must have the worst luck in the world." ... Their voices drifted farther and farther away until exhaustion finally dragged me into sleep. I dreamed of Lexi when she was younger. Back then, no matter how packed her schedule was, she would carve time out of back-to-back meetings just to cook for me. Sometimes, she'd come home carrying my favorite French toast simply because she'd remembered I was craving it. Whenever I got sick, she would stay at my bedside, praying to every god she could think of for my recovery. At night, she would curl up against my chest, clinging to me like she never wanted to let go. "Edward, I love you so much." In the dream, we were wrapped tightly in each other's arms, yet a bone-deep chill suddenly ran through me. I instinctively reached out, trying to hold her tighter, but my arms closed around nothing. I jolted awake. For a few seconds, I lay there staring into the darkness before reality crashed back down on me. It had been all just a dream. It was Wednesday yesterday, and she had gone to be with Finley. When I reached for my phone, a flood of breaking-news alerts filled the screen. [Media Darling Edward Murray Faces a Marriage Crisis on His Wedding Night!] [Explosive! Newlywed Lexi Berry Abandons Her Husband on Their Wedding Night for His Best Friend—and They Already Have a Child!] ... The marriage alliance between the Berry and Murray families had been the talk of the town. Everyone had been watching. The moment Lexi walked out on our wedding night, the media pounced. Now dozens of related hashtags were exploding across social media. I clutched my phone until my knuckles turned white. A cold, mocking laugh escaped my mouth, and I headed straight for the television station. A story this explosive? There was no way I was going to sit this one out. And so, during the morning news broadcast, the humiliated husband at the center of the scandal went on air himself and reported the story. The internet erupted into bedlam. By the time Lexi stormed into the studio, the entire country was talking. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded sharply. I caught the faint scent lingering on her. The unmistakable trace of intimacy, mixed with expensive perfume. It sent a wave of violent nausea straight to my stomach, but I simply shrugged. "Reporting the news!" I raised an eyebrow at her, unable to hide the bitter satisfaction in my eyes. If they were shameless enough to betray me in public, I had no reason to protect their dignity. "You've gone a bit too far," she said. Her voice was soft, almost gentle. What came next, however, made me feel like plunging into an icy lake. "Finley was threatened by your fans. They sent him dead rats, and he was so terrified that he fell and hurt himself." She paused, stressing her tone. "When you do something wrong, you have to face the consequences." Before I could react, her security team surged forward. Their hands clamped around my arms like a vise as they dragged me toward the fountain outside. Then they shoved my head underwater. Cold water instantly flooded my nose and mouth, my lungs burning. Panic clawed through me as the world dissolved into darkness and roaring silence. Through the warped blur beneath the surface, I could make out the shocked faces of people gathered around us. They stared, whispered, and pointed. Lexi stood above me, folding her arms. Her cold indifference made my heart ache worse than the lack of air. One second, two seconds, three seconds... Finally, she called out, "That's enough. Pull him up." I collapsed onto the pavement, coughing so violently it felt as though my lungs were tearing apart. Lexi lowered her gaze to my drenched, miserable state. "Edward, we need to have a real talk." The security team quickly cut the livestream and cleared the area. Chapter 3 We sat across from each other in silence, the tension between us so thick that I could barely breathe. Lexi stared at me, her expression unreadable. "We agreed on everything last night, so why are you making a scene now?" she finally said. "I told you. If you can't take this, just divorce me." "I'm not divorcing you!" I yelled, still trembling from the cold, but my eyes burned with stubborn determination. "As long as I stay in this marriage, you and Finley are shameless cheaters, despised by everyone." Lexi's patience ran out, her voice dropping an octave. "You don't want to force my hand. I can cut off your entire financing network if I want to, and you know it." I naturally knew what she was capable of. The woman in front of me was no longer the powerless girl my dad had once rescued. Over the years, she had built herself into the undisputed corporate queen of Noruaspire. Almost every major company in the city had dealings with her in one way or another, and she had enough influence to squeeze a struggling corporation until there was nothing left. If Lexi decided to cut our funding, it wouldn't take more than a week for us to collapse. "Are you seriously so heartless?" I shouted indignantly. "When you were being beaten and left on the verge of death, my dad saved you. He took you in and treated you like his own daughter for all these years. In return, you're threatening to destroy the company he built?" "That depends on you." Lexi reached across the space between us and brushed the hair back from my temple. Her fingers lingered there for a moment before sliding down to cradle my cheek, as though she hadn't just threatened me at all. She added, "As long as you stop making trouble, the Murray Group will be fine." The tenderness of the gesture only made the pain worse. My eyes burned, and before she could see the tears gathering there, I turned my face away. I couldn't understand it. How had we gone from loving each other to this? After a long silence, she let out a soft sigh. "Forget about what happened today. Honestly, you should spend more time in the lab. I'll put another 80 million dollars into your research." She took my hand and took me home. By the time we arrived, the house had been cleaned thoroughly. Every broken piece had been cleared away, and aside from a few faint marks, there was hardly any trace of the madness that had taken over the place the night before. Lexi guided me onto the couch, then sat beside me and took my injured hand. She carefully cleaned the cuts and rubbed ointment over them with utmost tenderness. "Didn't I tell you not to hurt yourself?" Her voice was soft, carrying the faint frustration of someone who had warned me countless times before. My throat tightened, and I looked away. "It has nothing to do with you." Right then, an older voice came from behind us. "Edward, why are your eyes so red?" I froze and turned around. "Dad? What are you doing here?" Chapter 4 I paused, then realized why Elmer Murray had come. He must have seen the morning's headlines. I hurriedly rubbed at my eyes and forced a smile. "The wind was strong outside. I must have gotten some dust in my eyes on the way home." Lexi immediately played along, slipping an arm around me and nodding. "That's right. And I was just helping him get it out." Elmer studied the two of us for a few seconds. Seeing us sitting together so intimately, with Lexi taking care of me as though nothing had happened, the worry in his eyes finally eased. He didn't press us any further. Instead, he headed into the kitchen, saying that he'd prepare dinner so the three of us could sit down together that evening. The moment he was out of sight, Lexi started to stand up. I quickly grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?" "It's getting late. I need to check on Finley." "What? Today is Thursday. You gave me your word!" "I married you, while Finley has been left with no title and no place in my life," she said, trying to pull her arm free. "He has already given up so much for me, and he's lost weight because of it. Now that I'm pregnant, the baby needs its father too. I'm going to stay with him for the next few days." I tightened my grip, refusing to let her go. "My dad is here! You can't leave!" She pulled harder. "Edward, stop this." I lost my balance and stumbled backward. My heel caught on the edge of the rug, and I went down hard, the back of my head striking the floor as the room tilted violently around me. Then everything went black. ... When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital room. The doctor cited extreme emotional distress combined with severe sleep deprivation. Lexi hadn't left after all. When Friday morning arrived, she was still sitting right beside my bed. "It's Friday," I rasped. "Why are you still here?" She picked up the tray and scooped a spoonful of oatmeal into a spoon, blowing on it before bringing it to my lips. "The doctor said you're under a lot of emotional strain," she sighed. "I'm your wife, so taking care of you is what I should be doing." The warm food settled in my empty stomach and sent a small measure of comfort through my battered body. For a brief, dangerous moment, I almost let myself believe that maybe she still cared. But in the next instant, a phone call dragged me straight back to reality. Lexi answered immediately, and Finley's weak voice came through the speaker after a quiet cough. "Lexi? I think I have a fever. I can't find any medicine..." The line suddenly went silent, and Lexi's chest tightened. In the next second, she scrambled up from her chair, preparing to rush out regardless of everything. "Where are you going?" I asked, my voice tight. "Aren't you going to take care of me as you promised?" She stopped with a frown, finally looking back. "Finley isn't feeling well." Her eyes took in my pale face and the hospital bed beneath me. A flicker of hesitation crossed her features before she added quietly, "Next time, I'll choose you." With that, she walked out of the room. The winter wind howled outside the windows, rattling the glass and sending a deep chill through me. How could I still be waiting for her to choose me? She smiled bitterly, silently mocking myself for ever believing I mattered more. Then, without warning, a pair of large, heavy hands clamped tightly over my mouth and nose. I struggled instinctively, clenching my hand so tightly that my fingernails dug into my palm. Chapter 5 The sharp pain in my palms kept a sliver of my consciousness intact. Through the haze, I could just make out a figure standing nearby—a woman with a single eye visible beneath the shadows. It was Natalie Ford, the last surviving member of the Ford family and Lexi's most bitter enemy. Decades ago, the Ford family eliminated the Berry family. Afterward, they hired thugs to brutally torture and beat young Lexi. Elmer chanced upon the scene and saved her life. 20 years later, Lexi rose to power and exacted her revenge, systematically destroying the Ford family until almost no one remained. ... By the time Lexi arrived, Natalie had already hoisted Finley and me high into the air, leaving us hanging side by side from separate ropes. She stood beneath us with a knife in her hand and gave Lexi a choice. Only one of us would walk away. Lexi stared up at us as the wind whipped our bodies back and forth. Her teeth clenched so tightly as though she wanted to tear apart Natalie with her bare hands. Time ticked away, second by excruciating second. Natalie slowly dragged the blade across my rope. Then she moved to Finley's rope and did the same thing. Back and forth, she worked her way through the ropes, keeping us both swinging helplessly above the ground. When Lexi's eyes shifted toward me, a desperate spark of hope flared up in my chest. Maybe this time things would be different. "Lexi..." She had promised me only yesterday that she would choose me. And I didn't want to be the sacrificial lamb every time. "Finley doesn't even..." "Ah!" Finley's blood-curdling shriek cut me off. "Lexi! I can't hold on any longer!" "Edward..." Lexi closed her eyes and drew a slow breath. "Finley has never had your strength. His health has always been fragile, and he's been sick lately. I have to choose him." My heart seemed to stop beating at those words. I could only stare as the guards lowered Finley safely to the ground. The instant his feet touched down, Lexi rushed forward and caught him in her arms, holding him close as though the rest of the world no longer existed. She never once looked back at me. A deafening pop echoed through the rafters as my rope snapped. I plunged downward, my body shattering upon impact against the concrete. "Edward!" Through the haze, I thought I heard someone screaming my name. Then the world went dark. ... When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the familiar hospital. My heart was finally, completely dead. Lexi pushed the door open, taking in sight of me lying pale and battered on the bed. "Natalie has been taken care of," she said after an agonizingly long silence, stepping forward to grasp my uninjured hand. "Finley doesn't have your resilience. You've spent years fighting in the business world, but he's physically weak, and he's been sick lately." I stared at her, but my chest felt hollowed out. No pain, no sorrow, and no rage. "I'm tired," I said. "The divorce agreement is on the nightstand. Sign it."