Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
I loved my wife deeply, even though she claimed she suffered from gender identity disorder.
I married her without hesitation.
After our wedding, I always respected her boundaries. We never shared any physical intimacy.
Until today, when I found a used condom and black lace lingerie in the living room trash can.
I was about to text her and ask what was going on, but then I saw a post on SnapChat from her college junior.
"Rushing across the country for love is a gift only true lovers have."
The photo showed Daisy lying on a bed with white sheets, viewed from behind, wearing nothing but a sheer, backless nightgown.
It turned out she was capable of true love—just not with me.
I silently locked my phone and contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.
...
While cleaning the living room, I spotted a black lace teddy in the trash can.
Resting right on top was a crumpled condom, the cloudy liquid inside making it painfully obvious what had just happened here.
I froze, my entire body going rigid.
When Daisy and I first started dating, she told me she had a severe form of gender identity disorder. She claimed any emotional or physical stimulation would trigger it and make her condition worse, so I had to avoid physical touch as much as possible.
Back then, Daisy was the only light in my dark world. I believed every word.
So for five years of marriage, I never touched her. Even our hugs could be counted on one hand.
Yet the scene before my eyes hit me like a sledgehammer.
When we first got married, so that Daisy could always have fresh, home-cooked meals, I took a remote data clerk job. I didn't have to waste time commuting; the only time I spent outside was an hour a day running grocery errands.
I truly never imagined that in the single hour I spent grocery shopping, Daisy would bring another man into our home to mess around.
I pulled out my phone, wanting to ask Daisy to come home so we could talk face-to-face.
"Are you free to come home right now? We need to talk."
The second the message sent, Daisy's reply popped up.
"I have to work late today. Can't make it back. As for your dad, just go visit the cemetery by yourself. I'll go with you another day."
"By the way, I'm heading into a meeting. Don't bother me with texts."
Today was the anniversary of my father's death. He had been gone for five years.
For the past four years, Daisy had always come back to accompany me to the cemetery.
Not for any grand reason, but because my father was the man who had saved her life.
I thought this year would be the same. I hadn't expected her to preemptively shut me down before I even asked.
She had promised me she would stand by my side every year so I wouldn't have to endure that crushing grief alone.
Yet now she used work as an excuse to brush me off. There was only one explanation: someone more important had entered her life.
I swiped on my phone and happened to see a new SnapChat story from Daisy’s college junior, Chase.
When I saw the caption, my heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand blades. I could barely breathe.
"Rushing across the country for love is a gift only true lovers have. Big Sister Daisy took a three-hour flight just to be by my side for my thesis defense."
Attached was a photo of Daisy lying on a bed, viewed from behind, wearing only a sheer silk slip that exposed her entire back.
What kind of overtime work ended up in a college kid's bed?
Her supposed "work" was nothing more than a pathetic excuse to brush me off.
I let out a bitter laugh. The last shred of trust I had for Daisy vanished completely.
Wiping away my tears, I stared at the only photo I had left of my father on my phone.
Five years ago, Daisy nearly drowned while swimming at the beach. My dad, working as a lifeguard at the resort, jumped into the roaring ocean without even grabbing a life vest to save her.
Daisy survived. My dad was left behind forever in those freezing waters.
At the memorial service, I cried until I could hardly breathe.
I grew up in a single-parent home; my dad raised me all by himself. Losing him shattered my entire world.
Back then, Daisy knelt in front of his memorial photo, sobbing as she held my shoulders, murmuring to my father's picture,
"Mr. York, you gave me this second chance at life. You are like a parent to me. Please rest in peace. I will marry Liam and love him with all my heart. We will support each other for the rest of our lives. I promise you can rest easy now."
Stunned, I looked up at Daisy. She wiped her tears and gave me a faint, bitter smile.
"Liam, from now on, I'm your only family. You'll never be alone again. I will always be your rock."
I admit, I was moved. My heart surrendered to her, and from that moment on, I fell hopelessly, unconditionally in love with her.
Yet that blissful chapter lasted only a few months. Once we tied the knot, my relationship with Daisy began an irreversible downward spiral.
Daisy started staying out all night using work as an excuse. She told me she suffered from gender identity disorder, claiming that any physical touch with me would worsen her trauma and ruin her ability to live a normal life.
My heart ached for her. I never doubted her for a second. I read every book, tried every method to help her heal, only to be met with her cold remark:
"Stop wasting your energy on me. Just worry about yourself."
She moved out of our master bedroom. Every time she came home, she reeked of men's cologne, sporting obvious hickeys on her neck.
Countless times, I waited for her to come clean. I waited for her to break the ice between us.
I repeatedly lowered my standards. As long as Daisy was willing to confess everything, I would have forgiven her. Because I always believed that loving someone meant not only loving their strengths, but also embracing their flaws and darkest sides.
I asked Daisy countless times,
"Is there anything you want to tell me? No matter what you did, I won't blame you."
Daisy only looked at me with disgust and impatience.
"If you're so bored, get a real job outside. Stop being so paranoid all day! Do you think I'm like you, cooped up inside the house twenty-four seven? I have a career. I deal with all kinds of people. If you can't handle that, maybe we should just split up."
I didn't dare bring it up again. Daisy acted without fear because she knew damn well she was my only reason to keep living.
I originally wanted to keep my eyes closed and keep loving her blindly. But what I saw today made that impossible.
If that was the case, it was time to cut the cord on this toxic marriage.Pulling my thoughts back together, I packed up the memorial flowers and took a cab to the cemetery where my father was buried.
For the past few days, the city had been drenched in rain, and the temperature had plummeted.
Holding my umbrella, I shivered in the biting wind.
I leaned down slightly and placed the white chrysanthemums on my father's headstone.
"Dad, how are you doing on the other side all these years?"
"Daisy and I have been married for five years now. Overall, life has been pretty good. Don't worry about me. The hardest days are behind us."
Even though I was thoroughly disgusted and disappointed with Daisy, I didn't want to burden my father with the petty, miserable details of my life.
Holding my umbrella, I stood in front of his grave, rambling on for hours.
Only when my throat went completely dry did I slowly start walking home under the rain.
Halfway there, Daisy called.
She spoke with her usual arrogant, demanding tone.
"Liam, come pick me up at the airport. It's raining, and I don't feel like hailing a cab."
I gave a cold laugh.
"I'm at the cemetery. I didn't drive, so I can't pick you up."
Daisy was silent for a few seconds before snapping at me,
"Did you seriously have to go today? I told you I'd go with you tomorrow! What difference does one day make? Why are you always so rigid?"
"Is a dead person really more important than someone living? Do you have any idea how crucial my meeting was today?"
"Daisy, if my dad had pulled you out of the water tomorrow instead of five years ago, do you think you'd still be breathing right now?"
"And if my dad hadn't died that day, the one six feet under would be you. Do you still think it's not important?"
Without waiting for her reply, I hung up.
By the time I walked back to our apartment, the sky was pitch black.
I opened the door and took off my soaked jacket.
Just as I flicked on the living room lights, I was surprised to see Daisy sitting on the sofa, arms crossed, glaring down at me.
I paused for a second, then continued hanging up my clothes as if she weren't there.
Daisy couldn't hold back. Her voice was ice-cold.
"Liam, what the hell did you mean by what you said earlier?"
"Are you wishing death on me? I've stayed by your side for five years. Do you even have a heart?"
Ignoring her, I grabbed a towel from the balcony and walked toward the bathroom.
Daisy took a few quick steps and grabbed my arm.
"Keep playing dumb and see what happens!"
I turned to look at her, my expression completely flat.
"I have nothing to say to you."
The very next second, Daisy slapped me across the face without warning.
Stunned, I held my cheek and stared at her in utter disbelief.
Daisy seemed to realize she had crossed the line. She froze, her face flushing crimson.
"I... I didn't mean to! But you forced my hand!"
"I told you I'd go to the cemetery with you tomorrow! My schedule was packed today. What childish tantrum are you throwing?"
"You stay at home doing nothing all day, and you expect me to be just like you? Maybe you should look in the mirror and reflect on your own problems!"
I let out a soft laugh.
"Were you really working? A friend of mine works at your company. She said you took the whole day off. So where exactly were you?"
"I... I was on a business trip, of course! You think I'd lie to you?"
Caught red-handed, Daisy began to stammer.
Without a word, I stepped straight into the bathroom.
The moment the hot water poured over me, everything seemed to click into place.
Over the past five years, my one-sided endurance had been the only thing keeping this marriage alive.
Daisy had chosen to be with me mostly out of guilt and humanitarian pity. Perhaps she cared for me once, but right now, our relationship was nothing more than a pile of loose sand—the slightest breeze would scatter it away.
I was done walking on eggshells for this kind of love.When I came out after showering, Daisy was sitting on the living room sofa, staring at her phone.
She didn't seem to notice me, completely engrossed in a voice call.
"Babe, why did you have to rush back? His dad died, not yours! Why do you care about him so much? I'm so turned on right now, I can't even sleep. I miss you so damn much."
"Don't you miss me? You kept begging for more today..."
A crisp, youthful male voice came through the phone's speaker.
"Is that Chase? You two seem awfully close," I remarked casually.
Daisy jumped in fright, frantically locking her screen.
"What Chase? I was just watching a TikTok video! You're overthinking things. What does this have to do with him?"
Despite her defensive words, an unnatural flush crept up her cheeks.
I didn't have the energy to argue with her. I turned around and headed into the bedroom. Some things were better understood in silence.
After turning off the lights, I lay in bed.
At some point, Daisy slipped in. She crouched by the bed, wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Don't be mad anymore. What happened with your dad's memorial was my fault. I'll go with you again tomorrow."
I peeled her hands off me.
"No need. You were right. Work comes first."
Daisy didn't get angry. Instead, she looked at me with seductive, hooded eyes.
"Speaking of which... we've been married for so many years and never been intimate. Why don't we try tonight...?"
If this had been the past, I would have leaped at the chance, giving Daisy an easy out. But now, I only felt disgust.
Was this guilt from cheating? Or did she think I would tolerate anything, so throwing me a crumb of affection was enough to placate me?
"Don't you have gender identity disorder? Forget it. I don't want to force you."
For now, I didn't want to expose her just yet.
"Okay then... get some rest," Daisy said, sounding visibly relieved as she turned and walked away.
I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The moment I closed my eyes, memories of Daisy flooded back like a relentless tide.
I didn't know when our relationship had decayed to this point. Perhaps because we never had a strong emotional foundation to begin with, Chase's appearance was simply inevitable.
They had met at a bar.
Shortly after we got our marriage license, I accompanied Daisy to a company mixer at a nearby bar.
Chase was working as a bartender there. At the time, I was too busy taking drinks for Daisy to notice the blazing desire in her eyes whenever she looked at Chase.
That night, Daisy claimed she had to drive a coworker home and didn't return until morning.
From then on, Chase's name appeared frequently in our lives. Daisy told me he was her college junior, studying the same major, which gave them an endless supply of things to talk about.
Later, Chase added me on SnapChat. He subtly flaunted their romance on his story, every single photo hiding traces of Daisy.
I knew everything all along, yet I clung to a foolish sliver of hope.
I had demeaned myself so much that I demanded practically nothing from her.
But now, I was truly exhausted.
The next morning, when I got up to wash my face, Daisy was already gone.
I didn't pay it any mind. After getting ready, I threw myself into my work.
By the time I finished compiling the financial data for the day, it was already late afternoon. I stretched my back, thinking about cooking some dinner.
Just as I stood up, the doorbell rang.
I opened the door to find Daisy standing outside with Chase behind her. Their fingers were tightly intertwined. Anyone passing by would have assumed they were the married couple.
"Chase is doing his internship here in the city. I was worried he wouldn't adjust well, so I brought him here to stay with us for a while."
"Liam, sorry for the trouble. Don't worry, once my internship ends, I'll move out," Chase said with a smirk, standing tall like he owned the place despite being an uninvited guest.
"Oh, why bother explaining things to him? My house is your house. Come on in!"
Without waiting for my permission, Daisy pulled Chase inside.
She seemed to have completely forgotten that I was the one who paid the down payment and every single mortgage installment on this apartment.
"Liam, Chase is a guest. Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and cook us some dinner!"
I almost laughed out loud from sheer anger.
"What kind of guest? The kind you share a bed with? Or the kind you get naked with?"
Daisy's face drained of color. She stood up, craning her neck to yell defensively,
"What are you talking about? How dare you slander Chase and me! I already told you I have gender identity disorder! How could I possibly do something like that?"
I gave a cold smile, walked to the entryway, picked up yesterday's living room trash bag, and hurled it right in front of Daisy.
"Do you take me for an idiot? Aside from you and Chase, who else would sneak into this house to do something so filthy? How much longer do you plan on lying to me?"
"And another thing—you weren't at work yesterday. You flew out to see Chase! I know everything! Yesterday was the anniversary of my father's death! You knew how broken I was, so why the hell would you treat me like this?!"
By the end of my shout, my eyes were burning with tears.
Daisy's expression shifted through several shades of guilt, but she ultimately said nothing.
Instead, Chase stood up with a casual shrug.
"Liam, I apologize for all of this. I was going through a bad breakup, and Big Sister Daisy was just worried about me, so she came to keep me company. As for what's in that trash bag... we both had too much to drink..."
Before I could speak, Daisy cut in, dragging Chase toward the door.
"Chase, don't apologize to him! He's just making a scene out of nothing! Come on, I'll take you out to eat. We don't have to put up with his crap!"
I let out a heavy sigh.
"Daisy, let's get a divorce."
Hearing that, Daisy froze. She turned around, looking at me with a mocking smirk.
"Fine, let's divorce! I've wanted out of this marriage for a long time anyway! A grown man who sits at home all day with zero ambition—you're completely pathetic."
The next second, the front door slammed shut.
This time, my heart was completely dead to her.
Chapters (3)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Watch & Promotions
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