Disgusted by the used condom, I gagged and nearly puked on the spot.

I flung it out of the car window. When I looked down again, I spotted a shining object on the carpet.

My heart sank as I picked it up. It was a single earring. A chill ran down my spine. Without a doubt, it belonged to the woman James had slept with.

With a pale face and trembling fingers, I shoved the earring into my bag.

At that moment, James opened the car door and jiggled the box of dessert in his hand. Sounding cheerful, he chirped, "Darling, I got your favorite dessert. Take it to the café and share it with Sally."

I stared at him squarely while mustering all my energy to hold back tears.

I deliberated whether or not to ask him about it, confront him, or make a scene about the discovery. The words formed on my tongue but refused to come out. Cowardice held me back. I was terrified to hear the truth I already feared.

James noticed my unease and worriedly brushed my hair. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Want me to take you to the hospital?"

After a long, strained silence, I shook my head weakly. "No… Just drive me to meet Sally."

The only wish on my mind was to meet with Sally Bayer. Only in her presence could I breathe easy.

Sally was my childhood best friend. She had witnessed my love story with James. She even moved to this unfamiliar city for my sake.

Every time I got into a fight with James, I would crash at Sally's place. We'd drink, binge TV shows or movies, or hug each other for comfort.

"Mel, every time you come to me, it makes me think I made the right decision to move to your city. I'd hate myself if you had no shoulder to lean on when you're upset."

Sally was not just my friend and bestie; she was my only family in this city. Apart from Sally, I had no one to turn to.

James looked puzzled, but he drove me to the cafe as I asked. "Have a good chat with Sally. Shall I pick you up later?"

I frantically shook my head. "It's fine. I'm staying the night at her place."

With that, I hopped out of the car and practically bolted into the café.

From afar, I spotted Sally sitting in a corner. The moment I saw her, my tears spilled over.

"Hey, Mel!" Sally shot up when she saw me enter. Her wide smile faded at the sight of my tears. "Mel, what's wrong? What happened?

"Don't cry! I'm here for you!"

While grabbing Sally's hand, I cried and cried until I nearly couldn't speak.

"I… James… He…" When I struggled to get my words out, my eyes drifted to Sally's ears. Sally was wearing an earring on her left ear. The other one was missing.

The remaining earring looked familiar to me because it matched the one in my bag.

The café’s noise faded into silence as a deafening buzz filled my ears.

For nearly a few minutes, I couldn't hear any sound.

It felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was as if I was bleeding profusely and staining everything around me.

Sally's worried face hovered over me. She wouldn't stop bombarding me with questions.

"Mel, what's wrong?

"Why are you crying so hard? Did James bully you?

"Say something! If he bullies you, I'll stand up for you!"

I stared at her blankly. In the past, I would feel touched whenever she showered me with these words of comfort and support.

But now, I felt nothing but fear in the face of Sally's fake indignance and righteousness. I struggled to believe that the two people who had stayed by my side for 10 years would work together to betray me. They meant more to me than my life.

An overwhelming terror consumed me. I felt like someone had dropped a bucket of ice water over me. All the warmth in my body was gone.

I had no idea how much time had passed before I finally found my voice again.

My best friend now looked like a stranger to me. I shook my head softly. "Nothing. I just had a fight with James."

Sally laughed and hugged me. "Gosh, you got me thinking something serious has happened! You're spoiled rotten by James. Honestly, your husband is one of the best out there. Don't be too stubborn.

"I am only telling you this because you're my best friend. If James were anyone else's husband, I would have made him mine long ago!"

A sharp pain pierced my chest. Why had I never doubted Sally when all the while, she had been making such bold, ridiculous statements?

Why had I trusted them unconditionally all these years? Was I truly that foolish?

Sally made me take a seat. It took me a while to calm down.

I glanced at the missing earring on her other ear and asked quietly, "Where's your other earring? Why are you only wearing one?"

Sally instinctively touched her ear. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes. "Oh, it was there this morning. Maybe I lost it while shopping with a friend."

No wonder James had suddenly left home this morning, citing an urgent situation at work.

So, he had used that disgusting condom in the car this morning with Sally.

A wave of nausea surged in my chest, and I almost vomited.

"I don't feel well. I'll head home first," I said.

Seeing my pale face, Sally didn't press further. She nodded furiously. "Okay. We'll meet another day. Rest well."

Before she could finish, I fled from the café. The breeze whipped my body unforgivingly.

Suddenly, it struck me that James' car dashcam was connected to my phone.

Standing on the street, I opened the app with trembling hands and pulled up the footage from this morning.

Sure enough, it didn't take long before Sally's familiar voice came through. "Why are you late? Don't you miss me at all?"

Then came James' voice, which was laced with a hint of impatience. "Didn't I tell you not to call me when I'm at home? Mel can unlock my phone. Do you know what would happen if she answered?"

"Mel! Mel! All you ever talk about is Mel! Why are you sleeping with me if you love her so much?"

A long silence followed.

Sally's tone suddenly softened. "Alright, I didn't ask you out to argue with you… James, it's been so long since I've seen you. Do you know how much I miss you?

"Every night, I dream of you. I wish I could show up at your house, but I held back because I care about you. I don't want to upset you…

"I don't need you to marry or date me. All I want is you!"

What followed were noises of them shamefully making out.

The saccharine moans echoed through the entire recording. James, who once whispered sweet nothings in my ear, was now engaged in dirty talk with another woman.

"Oh, my Sal, my dear Sal. Only you can bring me such pleasure. Mel is so fragile that I'm scared she'd break at any moment if I handled her too roughly.

"But you're different. You fulfill all my desires."

Every word felt like a knife stabbing into my heart.

I clutched my chest. Unable to hold back anymore, I retched and collapsed onto the ground in utter despair.

Why? Why did this have to happen to me? Why did they have to do this to me?

The unbearable pain made me wish I could die at that moment.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't cry out loud. I gasped, finding it impossible to breathe.

Just when I thought I would die on that desolate street, a car screeched to a halt beside me. A man jumped out and ran over. He scooped me up in his arms.

His familiar voice was filled with urgency. "Mel, breathe! Don't be scared. Just breathe!"

I raised my head, and Evan Rochester's face came into view.

Grabbing the collar of his shirt, I finally broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

I never expected to run into Evan in such a messy, disheveled state.

Evan was James' senior from school. Back when James started his business from scratch, Evan had helped him a lot. But Evan had another identity. To me, he was my boss.

The first time I met Evan was at my wedding with James. Evan stared at me for a long time before finally blurting out, "James, you're lucky that you get to marry such a beautiful wife."

His words made me blush.

Later, when I was looking for a job locally, the HR department at Rochester Group reached out to me. They told me that I was a good fit for the company and invited me for an interview.

As one of the leading local businesses, Rochester Group was the dream employer for many.

I went in out of curiosity, not expecting to be hired. But Rochester Group hired me, and I joined them the moment I arrived in the city. I had been working there for five years now.

Evan was a good boss. Not only did he take good care of me, but he also helped James a lot.

I wasn't dense. I could feel the intense pursuit in Evan's gaze.

So, I once talked to James about it and even considered quitting the job, but James immediately shut me down. "Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how much help Evan has offered to my company? He hasn't done anything inappropriate to you, has he? Why blow it out of proportion?"

I couldn't come up with a reply to that.

Besides, while Evan treated me well, he always showed me respect and never crossed any boundaries.

I never expected him to see me in such a state.

Evan helped me toward the car and handed me a bottle of water for me to rinse my mouth. He gently patted my back to help me breathe.

"That's it, breathe.

"Don't worry, I'm here.

"Drink some more water."

He comforted me for nearly half an hour before I started to calm down.

My phone rang. James was calling.

Tears streamed down my face again, and Evan looked down at me. His voice was hoarse. "Did you fight with James? Did he bully you?"

I nodded through my tears. All my pent-up frustration suddenly flooded out.

Sally—the one person I thought I could confide in—had betrayed me. I had no family here. Who could I turn to now?

"James… He and Sally… They…"

I cried so hard I could barely speak, but Evan immediately got it. He sighed and gently wiped my tears away.

"It is what it is. No point crying over spilled milk. What do you plan to do?

"I can help you get a lawyer. Get him to sign the divorce papers and place everything under your name, for example, the house, the car, and his company. If divorce is not what you seek… Well, I can help you break his legs."

His words made me look up. We locked eyes.

Evan stared at me. His gaze was unwavering and focused as always.

I was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of reluctance and impulsiveness.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the collar of his black shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

Evan froze. He wasn't expecting this at all. I hadn't anticipated that things would play out this way either.

But before I could process what was happening, Evan snapped into action. He leaned in, forcing my head back and kissing me fiercely.

Unlike my tentative kiss, his was aggressive, domineering, and decisive.

I could barely breathe under the intensity of his kiss. I desperately tried to push him away, but I couldn't budge.

It took him what felt like an eternity to finally pull away.

He gazed at me. His eyes were burning with desire and a dangerous passion.

"Mel, do you even know what you're doing?"

I stubbornly met his gaze. "I do."

"You do?"

"Do you understand what's gonna happen next?"

I bit my lip. Tears were streaming down my face.

"They were doing it in the car today… Evan, you have a car too."

His breath hitched, and in an instant, he swept me off my feet and carried me into the car.

Evan's car was a huge and spacious SUV. As he lay me on the backseat and straddled me, he looked down at me. His voice was thick with desire. "Mel, I'll ask for your consent one last time. If you don't stop me now, you won't get the chance to."

James hadn't hung up yet. The loud ringtone blared in the space. It was my and Sally's favorite song.

I didn't answer the call. Instead, I reached up to wrap my arms around Evan's neck and kissed him again.

I thought, "James, this is the price you'll pay for betraying me. I'll get even with you over the pain you've inflicted on me."