Chapter 2The Unlawful Wife

No matter how unwilling Iris was, she had to comply. The moment she stepped out of the car, she almost shrieked. My back was so familiar to her. Her breathing became ragged, and she stood on edge like a startled bird. Just as she was about to call my name, the instructor scooped her into his arms.

“Darling, let’s go!”

“There’s a hotel nearby. We didn’t finish our fun earlier; we need to conclude our story!” Iris jumped down frantically, her face ghostly pale, her eyes glued to my back. The instructor followed her gaze, first freezing, then letting out a hearty laugh. “Don’t worry, it won’t be him. If it were, he would’ve already come to catch us.”

Iris seemed relieved by his words, letting go of her apprehension. “You’re right! It wouldn’t be my husband.”

“He should be home resting by now.”

“Send him a message saying you won’t be home tonight, that you’re staying at your friend’s place!” Iris blushed and nodded, then sent me a message. Liam finished writing the ticket and handed it to the instructor. “A fine’s a fine! At least I have a beauty for company tonight.” Watching the two walk away, Liam sighed. “Whose wife is that? So shameless, cheating on her husband.” He didn’t know that I, standing right in front of him, was the husband of that cheating woman.

I chose to swallow this ugly truth. Fortunately, Liam didn’t recognize Iris, otherwise the scandal of my wife cuckolding me would surely be known to all by tomorrow.

Returning home, the first thing I saw as I entered was our wedding photo, once a source of happiness. I walked over, took it down, and smashed it to smithereens. Glass shards dug into my flesh, yet I felt no pain. My heart ached far more than my hand. Just then, my father called. With a bloody hand, I picked up the phone. Once connected, I found myself unable to organize my thoughts. My father, on the other end, didn’t notice anything amiss. Instead, he softened his usual commanding tone, speaking gently.

“Alex, do you really love her that much? I found out her family has always been unhappy with you, feeling that a traffic police officer’s status is beneath her. I also found out her family are all snobs, opportunistic types who only care about money. That’s why I didn’t agree to you marrying her and insisted you hide your identity for a few years as a test!”

“A woman like Jane Thompson, the Thompson heiress, is your proper match…”

“Dad, I agree to marry her!” My words caused my father to freeze for a moment on the other end, his breathing quickening. “Give me three days. Once I’ve handled everything, I’ll come home for the arranged marriage.”

After hanging up, I received a message from Iris: a photo of her and her best friend. It was her way of proving she wasn’t lying, meant to reassure me. But now, I realized she had been lying all along. These photos, she had arranged them beforehand. It suddenly dawned on me: had she been sleeping out every night, secretly meeting the instructor all along? No wonder… no wonder she hadn’t passed her driving test in two full years. It wasn’t a lack of ability, but a deliberate delay to create excuses for her affair.

Standing on the rooftop, I smoked all night, the smoke stinging my eyes. The pitch-black night seemed to swallow me whole, leaving me nowhere to escape my despair. I thought our marriage, it was time for it to end.