Chapter 3The Unlawful Wife

Iris finally stumbled home the next afternoon, looking utterly exhausted. The moment she saw me, she became excitedly clingy, just like always, leaping into my arms, hooking her legs around my back, refusing to let go.

“Hubby, did you miss me?”

“It’s all Clara’s fault. She broke up with her boyfriend and couldn’t sleep without me, so I was afraid she’d do something rash if I didn’t stay with her.”

“But I was also afraid I was neglecting my darling.”

“Kiss!”

Just as her lips, stained by the instructor’s kisses, were about to land on my face, I instinctively felt disgusted and pushed her away. Iris trembled violently, her entire face slowly turning pale. “H-hubby, what’s wrong?”

As tears welled up in her reddening eyes, I took a deep breath. “Nothing, I just have a cold. I don’t want to infect you.”

Hearing the word “cold,” Iris became instantly frantic. She rushed over, full of self-reproach and guilt, hugging me tightly again. “Hubby, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault for not taking good care of you.”

“My own husband is sick, and I ran off to take care of my best friend.”

“I’m not going anywhere today. I’ll stay home with you.”

True to her word, Iris transformed into a caring wife, fussing over me. She personally fed me, told jokes to cheer me up, and if I so much as sneezed, she’d rush over frantically. Watching her make cold medicine for me in the kitchen, the warm sunlight catching her, I fell deep into thought.

If only she hadn’t lied and cheated, we would have continued our life together. But behind the love, there were already countless scars. Even as she made my cold medicine, she was secretly sending flirtatious messages to the instructor. I didn’t know what he said, but her expression became restless, as if unsatisfied.

After coaxing me to sleep, she quietly slipped out. I grabbed my jacket and followed close behind her, only to see her leap into the instructor’s arms from a distance. They kissed passionately, then tumbled into the bushes, letting the darkness conceal them. What she didn’t know was that I had already documented everything she did. After leaving with a heavy heart, I finally made up my mind to leave her.

The third day was her mother’s birthday. Iris wanted me to go back with her to celebrate her mother’s birthday. The moment we entered, my mother-in-law’s face was filled with disdain. Even though I was carrying expensive gifts, she couldn’t change her disdain for me. Iris sweetly called out, “Mommy.” My mother-in-law’s expression softened considerably.

Just then, my brother-in-law arrived with Iris’s driving instructor. “Sister, look, I’ve invited your instructor. You’re so bad at driving, you should get closer to the instructor. He’ll surely teach you well.” Iris’s eyes lit up when she saw the instructor, and the restlessness etched into her heart began to stir. The instructor also looked at her with burning eyes. My brother-in-law, smiling, led the instructor to my mother-in-law.

“Mom, don’t underestimate him just because he’s an instructor. He’s quite wealthy! He has dozens of properties and eight figures in his bank account. Being an instructor is just a hobby for him.” The words had barely left his lips when my mother-in-law beamed. “I can’t believe you’re so accomplished at such a young age!”

“Unlike some people, who only managed to become a traffic cop, with no ambition in life. How can someone like that support a family…”

“Mom, I won’t allow you to talk about Alex like that.” Iris always defended me when she heard others insult me, especially when we were out. “Everyone has their own aspirations. What’s wrong with being a traffic cop?”

“If he hadn’t saved me back then, I’d be dead on the highway.” My mother-in-law was about to say more when the instructor, playing the good guy, stopped the argument. “Madam, you’re so young and beautiful; I can’t even tell you’ve had children. You look more like Iris’s sister.”

My mother-in-law was delighted by his flattery. She kept piling food onto his plate, offering him drinks, and subtly nudging Iris closer to him. If it were before, I would have been disheartened and sad. But not anymore, because I no longer cared.

After dinner, my brother-in-law insisted on dragging me out for a walk. He had always been sarcastic towards me, so this couldn’t be simple.