Chapter 1The Third Wheel in My Own Marriage

My husband’s "one of the guys" female best friend micromanaged everything. Every purchase I made had to go through her for "budget logging." She dragged all my private matters out into the open, leaving me exposed to ridicule.

When I bought lingerie, she would shriek in surprise.

"Wow, Olivia, you're only an A-cup? I always thought you were a C. You must stuff your bra a lot before you go out."

When I bought tampons, she made it a joke.

"That's a massively heavy flow, buying so much at once. A bit wasteful, don't you think? But the quality you buy is decent. I rarely see you leak, so I guess I can recommend it."

She even kept a strict tally on the condoms we bought.

"This brand is garbage, and it doesn't even have Declan's size."

Whispers erupted around the office. The strange, judgmental looks forced my head down in shame, but my husband just laughed out loud. He’d say she was just speaking nonsense and had no filter, but when his eyes met my aggrieved, angry stare, he’d just pat my shoulder.

"That's just how she is, completely unfiltered and loud. She wants to learn about household budgeting, so just let her play around with it."

This time, facing their interrogation over a $3,000 expense, I calmly pulled out a medical receipt.

I waited for his female bestie to read it out loud, just like always.

"Hymenoplasty? Olivia, do you and your husband have some freaky new roleplay going on? I didn't realize you were so open-minded behind closed doors."

I smiled, shaking my head and then nodding.

"We sure do. It’s just with someone else."

...

* * *

Declan's face instantly went black as thunder. He shot up from his chair.

"Olivia, what the hell are you talking about? What do you mean 'someone else'? You better explain yourself right now."

His best friend, Vanessa, quickly shifted her expression and tried to smooth things over.

"It’s just to spice things up. Probably some roleplay dynamic we basic folks wouldn't understand. Declan, you'll find out tonight. Make sure to give us a full debrief tomorrow."

Declan's face finally started to relax.

But I gripped my fingers tightly. Declan would always tell Vanessa about our intimate life, no matter how private.

I had thrown tantrums, warning him to keep his mouth shut.

But he would just coax me and go right back to doing it.

"What's the big deal? She asked. I'm just satisfying a tomboy's curiosity, don't be so petty."

Thinking about this, I fought to suppress my rage until I was perfectly calm. I pulled out a document and told him to sign it.

He assumed it was for some luxury item that required both spouses' signatures, and casually tossed it to Vanessa.

"You sign it, it's all the same."

I let out a cold laugh.

After all these years of our relationship, he couldn't even spare a few minutes to look at a divorce agreement.

I stubbornly pushed the document back toward Declan.

"Can her signature make a divorce filing legally binding? I suggest you sign it yourself. I don't want any messy disputes later."

Declan's previously relaxed face twisted into a deep scowl.

"Olivia, you're intentionally picking a fight, aren't you? Tossing the word 'divorce' around at the drop of a hat. How many tantrums do you have to throw, how many fights do we need to have before you grow up?"

Perhaps my freezing gaze struck a nerve.

He took the document, intending to look at it, but Vanessa caused a scene again.

She stood up in a panicked rush, urging him.

"Declan, hurry up and sign so you can come with me to the OB/GYN. I've been feeling off. Don't you dare refuse; I went with you to the urologist last time."

Declan didn't hesitate anymore. Without even glancing at the page, he quickly signed his name.

I stared blankly at that signature. I had originally planned to have an amicable split...

Forget it.

To me, as long as he signed it and it was legally binding without disputes, that was all that mattered.

I took the document and turned to leave.

Declan turned his head and called out to me.

"Olivia, I'm coming home tonight."

I casually replied, "Oh."

What did it matter to me? I wasn't going back there anyway.