Chapter 3My Wife's Boyfriend

“Maeve. My beautiful, kind, goddess-like Maeve. You don’t have any more classes today, right?”

Outside, Jackson leaned against his flashy new sports car, pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture. “Mandy’s going to be at this party later. And she’s bringing her new boyfriend. Please, just come with me.”

“Jackson, you’re certifiably insane. No. I’m done. This whole fake-girlfriend charade is ruining my actual romantic prospects.” The image of Caleb’s face flashed in my mind. I shot Jackson a cool glare and refused flatly.

He froze, his eyes widening. “Prospects? You’ve never cared about that stuff. What gives? You actually have your eye on someone?”

“What’s it to you? You’re allowed to date, but I’m not?” I shot back, arching an eyebrow.

“Tch. Fine, don’t help. I’ll just find a new girlfriend tomorrow. It’s not like it’s hard for a guy who looks like me,” he scoffed. “But you, you better be careful. Don’t get played. You want me to vet the guy for you? Out of the kindness of my heart?” He paused, his expression turning sly and vaguely threatening. “And hey, when we graduate and move abroad, don’t come crying to me when you need someone to look after you in a foreign country.”

Jackson’s features were sharp, his words laced with a petty, passive-aggressive sting.

I kicked the tire of his precious car. “Maybe you should cure your abysmal sense of direction first,” I said with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “We’ll see who’s looking after who.”

As we bickered, the comments flickered back to life.

【Wait, so she’s NOT his girlfriend? It’s fake? An act?】

【Hahaha, Caleb’s world is crashing down all over again. In the last timeline, he crushed on her through high school, then through college. He didn’t dare approach her until she came back from overseas and they met at a gala. He used a business partnership as an excuse just to get close.】

【This is what happens when you don’t use your words, kids. If only he’d had the courage to just ask her back then.】

【Well, come on. Nineteen-year-old Caleb had nothing. Maeve and Jackson were childhood friends, from the same world. It was a perfect match on paper.】

【Looks like even after he became a tech mogul, he was still too scared to ask her about it.】

【Of course he was. When she proposed their marriage of convenience, she framed it as a ‘strategic alliance.’ He thought it was purely business the entire time. He quietly transferred most of his assets to her name later, just to be safe.】

…

As I was engrossed in the scrolling text, my phone vibrated. A new message from the anonymous number.

【Hi. Can you break up with him?】

I blinked. Before I could process it, another came through.

【Or, would you consider having a second boyfriend?】

And a third.

【I promise I’ll stay hidden until you’re single again.】

My thumb hovered over the screen. I typed out a single name.

【Caleb?】

I hesitated, debating whether to hit send. Just then, Jackson leaned over my shoulder. “Who’s that? The new romantic prospect?”

My hand flinched. The message sent.

A muscle in my temple twitched. I locked my phone and turned to glare at Jackson.

“What? So secretive now,” he sniffed, his face turning cold as he opened his car door. “Want a ride?”

“No thanks. I’m meeting Sienna for some shopping. You go on ahead.”

At the mention of Sienna’s name, Jackson got in his car without another word, peeling away with a roar of the engine.