Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
On Valentine's Day, I posted my boyfriend on Instagram for the first time.
Not long after, a comment made my blood run cold:
"Wait, isn't that Mr. Sean Carter from our firm? Hasn't he been married with a kid for years?"
The comment came from Jenna, an ex-coworker who had been in the corporate circuit for six years and knew everyone.
Before I could even process it, she sent me a direct message with a photo.
It was a wedding picture. Sean stood there in a sharp tuxedo, beaming with joy next to a gorgeous bride.
"Taken three years ago. The whole company attended."
"Chloe... did he lie to you?"
So that was why he always claimed it was inconvenient to FaceTime on business trips. That was why he insisted on keeping our relationship off social media.
My phone buzzed. A text popped up from him:
"Didn't we agree to keep things between us? Delete that post right now."
I sent him the wedding photo without a single word.
After that photo was sent, the phone went dead silent for thirty seconds.
I sat on the edge of the bed in my apartment, staring at the screen showing "Read," digging my nails into my palms until it hurt.
Sean called immediately.
I picked up and stayed quiet.
He paused for a few seconds, his voice hushed. "Chloe, let me explain."
"Go ahead."
My voice sounded eerily calm.
"I am married."
"But it was arranged by our families. There’s no love left between us. We've been separated for two years."
"You're the only one I love. I didn't tell you because—"
"Because you were afraid I'd walk away," I finished for him.
Silence on the other end.
"Sean, when you told me to delete that post, did you think I was that easy to fool?"
"No, Chloe, please listen to me—"
"I'm listening."
He choked up. "My marriage is just a formality for business ties between our families. I have a kid, but it was an accident. Back then, she—"
He took a sharp breath.
"I'm not spending the rest of my life with her. I was planning to file for divorce by the end of this year and bring you home to meet my parents. I've genuinely been preparing for it."
My knuckles turned white around the phone.
"Preparing for what?"
"Preparing how to turn me into your secret side home?"
"Don't say it like that."
"Then how should I say it? Teach me."
He didn't answer.
I heard faint breathing and the rustle of papers on his end. He was probably still at the office.
I hung up.
I tossed the phone face-down onto the mattress.
I paced around the room twice, feeling a suffocating weight on my chest.
The phone buzzed repeatedly. Seven or eight texts popped up in a row.
"Chloe, don't be like this."
"I really don't love her anymore."
"I love you."
"Think about the past two years we've spent together. You know how good I've been to you."
"I bought you whatever you wanted. Have I ever said no to you?"
"I was just waiting for the right moment."
"Give me a little time. Once I settle things with my family, we can start fresh."
"Please don't shut me out. I'm begging you."
Seeing those last three words, I flipped my phone back over.
More notifications came in, but I ignored them.
Two months ago, he went on a business trip to Seattle.
I happened to be visiting a client in Seattle as well. When I asked which hotel he was staying at, he said the company booked everything as a group and it wasn't convenient for visitors.
I hadn't thought much of it back then. Now everything made sense.
The phone vibrated again.
It was a screenshot of a PayPal transfer: ten thousand dollars.
The note read: *Buy something you like. Please don't be mad at me.*
Staring at those words, I let out a bitter laugh.
It was always like this.
A fight? Buy a designer bag.
The silent treatment? Send a cash transfer.
Whenever he forgot an anniversary, he would make up for it the next day with a luxury necklace or bracelet.
Over the past two years, the jewelry he gave me could fill an entire vanity case, and the handbags took up half my closet.
I used to think this was his way of showing love.
Now I realized it was just his way of buying peace of mind.
I opened the transaction and refunded the money.
A second later, the phone rang again.
"Chloe, what is this supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it looks like."
"Can you stop making a scene? I know you're upset. Hit me, curse at me, do whatever you want—just don't do this. Let's talk like adults.""Talk about what?"
I leaned back against the headboard.
"Talk about how you played me for two whole years? Or talk about how skillfully you bounced between two women?"
"I didn't."
"Then tell me: last weekend when you claimed you were working late, were you at the office, or at home tucking your kid into bed?"
Silence hung over the line.
I already knew the answer.
"Chloe."
His voice grew raspy.
"I know I messed up. But can you give me one chance? I swear I'll divorce her. I keep my promises."
"Sean, do you honestly believe that as long as you throw money at me and say sweet words, I'll wait around forever?"
My voice began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Did you really think I couldn't live without you?"
"I never thought that."
"Then why are you still lying to me right now?"
"I—"
"Go back," I said, closing my eyes. "Go back to your house. Go back to your wife and your kid. Don't ever come looking for me again."
"Chloe—"
I ended the call and blocked his number.
The room fell deadly quiet.
Outside, night had fallen. City neon lights leaked through the gaps in the blinds, flickering against the ceiling.
I pulled my knees to my chest and buried my face in them.
About forty minutes later, the doorbell rang.
Then came the sound of a key turning in the lock.
My head snapped up. The door swung open, and Sean stood in the doorway, holding a massive bouquet of red roses and several luxury shopping bags.
He wore a charcoal dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. His hair was messy, as if he had sprinted all the way here.
He set the flowers on the entryway console, kicked off his dress shoes, and walked in.
"Chloe." He knelt down in front of me, looking up and reaching for my hand.
I shifted away, avoiding his touch.
His hand hovered in midair, frozen for two seconds, before he slowly pulled it back.
"I know you're furious. Say whatever you want, I'll take it."
He took a velvet jewelry box from one of the bags and clicked it open. Inside lay a diamond necklace, its center stone catching the light with a blinding sparkle.
"I ordered this last week for our anniversary."
I looked down at the necklace.
It was gorgeous. Just his style—tasteful, delicate, and outrageously expensive.
Whenever he gifted me things like this in the past, I felt cherished.
Looking at it now, it was nothing but an insult.
"Whenever your conscience hurts, you buy something expensive," I said.
The expression on his face cracked, his tender mask slipping.
"Chloe, don't talk like that."
"How should I talk, then?"
"I don't give you things for the reasons you think. I buy them because I care about you, because I want to make you happy."
"Then why didn't you ever make me public?"
Once again, he fell silent.
I had asked him that question countless times.
Every time, he had an excuse ready.
*The timing isn't right. Family matters are complicated. It might hurt my career.*
I had swallowed every single one of those excuses.
I had even gaslit myself into believing that as long as two people truly loved each other, a public title didn't matter.
Now I had my answer.
He had a family.
He couldn't go public.
Because the moment he did, the two parallel lives he painstakingly maintained would violently collide.
"Sean," I looked him dead in the eye. "Get out."
He didn't move.
"I'm not breaking up with you," he said, his voice dropping low. "I've been genuine with you these past two years. You know that deep down."
"Genuine?" A dry laugh slipped from my throat. "Your idea of being genuine was turning me into your dirty little secret?"The moment the word left my mouth, his face darkened.
"You're not a mistress," he said through clenched teeth.
"I don't love her. You're the one I want to spend my life with."
"Then did you tell her that?"
"Did you tell your wife that I exist?"
His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
He stood up, paced the room, and turned back to face me.
"I will," he said, enunciating every word. "Just not right now."
"You don't need to anymore."
I stood up, walked over to the front door, and pulled it wide open.
"Get out."
He stayed planted where he was.
"Chloe."
"Out."
Sean looked at the open doorway, then back at me, before finally walking out.
I slammed the door shut, and the lock clicked into place.
His footsteps faded down the hallway, then stopped.
Looking through the peephole, I saw him standing by the elevator, staring down at his phone with no intention of leaving.
I slid down against the door until I hit the floor.
The floorboards were freezing. The cold crept up my spine and spread into every limb.
About ten minutes later, a sound broke the silence outside.
His phone was ringing.
He answered it, and his muffled voice carried through the door.
Whatever the person on the other end said, his tone instantly softened.
"Still caught up at work, honey. I have to work late tonight, don't wait up."
The voice on the phone seemed to murmur a gentle complaint.
"Just leave dinner in the fridge. Put the baby to bed early, get some rest."
After he hung up, the hallway went silent for a few seconds.
Then came his footsteps again. This time, he was truly gone.
My phone vibrated with a message from Jenna.
"Chloe, are you holding up okay? Do you want me to come over?"
My fingers shook as I typed.
"Can you get me his wife's contact info?"
The screen stayed quiet for a long while.
"I don't have her Snapchat anymore. We were connected years ago, but she switched accounts. But I know where they live."
"Give me the address."
"You're going to see her?"
"Yes."
Another pause.
Then the text popped up:
"I went to a housewarming party there three years ago. It's in Riverside Estates, a gated luxury neighborhood. Let me dig through my old chats for the exact house number."
"Thank you."
"Chloe," she sent another text. "Have you thought this through? Making a scene might blow up in your face too."
I stared at the screen for a long time.
She was right. If this blew up, it wouldn't be pretty for me either.
I would become the woman who ruined a marriage. People would whisper behind my back. My boss despised any drama in employees' personal lives, and I could easily lose my job.
But I couldn't swallow this humiliation.
And more than that, I couldn't stomach the thought of that woman remaining completely in the dark.
The phone buzzed again.
A text from an unknown number. Sean.
"Chloe, give me some time. I will give you a proper resolution. I'm going home for tonight, but I'll see you tomorrow. Don't do anything reckless."
I replied with a single word.
"Disappear."
A moment later, Jenna sent over the address along with a map pin.
*Riverside Estates, Block B, Villa 12.*
The attached photo showed a three-story luxury brick house.
I texted back: "Thank you. Let me buy you lunch sometime."
I saved the address to my notes, powered off my phone, and crawled back into bed.
It was nearly four in the morning when I finally drifted into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, I called in sick to work.
It was pouring rain outside. I waited ten minutes at the curb before catching an Uber.
The driver asked for my destination, and I read off the address.
The car stopped outside a set of wrought-iron security gates.
I walked down the private community road, lined with lavish detached houses.
Villa 12 sat at the very end of Block B.
I walked up the front steps and pressed the doorbell.
About thirty seconds later, the front door swung open.
The woman who answered wore an ivory loungewear dress under a soft knit cardigan. Her hair was swept into an effortless, elegant twist. She looked gentle and composed.
She was a few years older than me, with refined features and glowing skin—the kind of woman who was clearly well-cared-for and lived an easy life.
She looked at me with slight confusion, but offered a polite smile.
"Hi, can I help you?"
Looking at her, words caught in my throat.
After two seconds of silence, I drew a steady breath.
"Are you Sean Carter's wife?"
"I am."
Her smile faded slightly, probably realizing I wasn't just a friendly neighbor.
"And you are?"
"My name is Chloe."
I met her gaze directly.
"I'm your husband's other girlfriend."Her face froze.
The polite smile vanished, the warmth draining from her eyes bit by bit.
Her hand tightened around the doorframe, her pale pink manicure standing out starkly against the gray, rainy backdrop.
"What did you just say?"
"Sean and I have been together for two years."
My voice came out remarkably steady.
"I only found out he was married yesterday."
She stared at me for a long time.
Then, she stepped back, pulling the door open wider.
"Come inside."
I stepped into Sean's family home.
The living room was spacious, with a large framed portrait of a family of three hanging on the wall.
Every corner of the house screamed the same truth:
He was a husband. He was a father.
Victoria took a seat on the sectional sofa and gestured for me to sit.
"Tell me."
She slid a glass of water toward me, then sat across from me on an armchair, folding her hands neatly over her lap.
"When did this start?"
"Two years ago."
"How did you meet?"
"Through work."
She gave a small nod, her expression unreadable.
"Does he know that you know?"
"Yes."
"He came to my place last night."
A faint crack finally appeared in Victoria's composure. The corner of her lip curled slightly.
"What did he say?"
"He said there was no love left between you two. He said you've been separated for two years and that he planned to divorce you by the end of this year."
At those words, Victoria couldn't help letting out a soft, humorless laugh.
"Separated for two years?"
"We dated for seven years, and we've been married for three."
"I didn't come here to cause a scene," I said quietly.
"I just thought you had a right to know."
Victoria remained quiet for a moment.
"I know you're not here to cause a scene."
"To be honest... I had my suspicions."
I looked up at her.
"Six months ago, I noticed a second Snapchat account on his phone. He was in the shower. The screen was locked, but the notification banner showed a few incoming texts from someone named 'Chloe'." She met my eyes.
"That was you, wasn't it?"
I nodded.
"I didn't confront him back then."
Victoria leaned back against the cushions, her gaze drifting past me to the family portrait on the wall.
"We were together for seven years before tying the knot. He pursued me for three years, and we dated for four. On our wedding day, he swore I would be the only woman in his life."
She paused.
"I trusted him for ten whole years."
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
She picked up her phone, unlocked it, and scrolled to a contact.
"You're calling him?"
"Yes."
Victoria looked at me.
"Let's get him back here and settle this face to face."
She pressed dial and put it on speaker.
"Hey, honey."
Sean's voice drifted through the speaker.
"Why are you calling so early?"
"Where are you?" Victoria asked. Her tone was sweet and tender, without a hint of tension.
"At the office. Things are crazy today, I'll probably have to stay late. Don't wait up for me, you must be exhausted taking care of Leo."
"Can you come home for a bit?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just missed you."
Victoria spoke softly, her eyes locked on mine.
"Come home right now, please."
A brief silence on the other end.
"Right now might be tough, babe. I have a major meeting at ten."
"Push it back."
Victoria's voice was gentle, but left zero room for argument.
"I'll be waiting."
Another short pause.
"Alright, let me delegate a few things. I'll be home in ten minutes."
"Okay. Drive safe."
"Love you. Oh, by the way," Sean's voice took on a teasing, eager tone. "I picked up something for you. I'll show you when I get back."
"Sounds good."
Victoria hung up.
Sure enough, the doorbell rang shortly after.
Victoria stood up and walked to the entryway.
She took a deep breath, then opened the door.
Sean stood outside, shaking off his umbrella with one hand and holding luxury shopping bags in the other.
"Babe, I'm back."
He set down the umbrella and kicked off his dress shoes.
"Since you said you missed me, I pushed all my morning meetings back."
He bent down to slide into his slippers.
"I bought you that designer bag you were eyeing the other day..."
He looked up, and his words died in his throat.
Because his eyes landed on me.
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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