“Alright, stop talking nonsense. I want to take you to the hospital,” Diana said, her face full of concern as she looked at the blood oozing from the corner of my eye.

Despite my weakened state, she pulled me forcefully out of bed, pretending to be a caring wife, insisting on taking me to the hospital.

I was so out of it that I didn’t even grab a jacket.

The temperature in the car was set too low, so I hugged a stuffed animal to my chest for warmth.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that my favorite teddy bear had a big X drawn across its face, like a blatant act of defiance.

Diana noticed my reaction. “William thought the toy was cute last time I picked him up, so he doodled on it. Don’t take it personally. I’ll buy you a new one tomorrow.

“Come on, don’t give me that attitude. You’re not getting any younger, and instead of earning a living, you waste your time fussing over a silly toy. I don’t even complain about it, so what right do you have to be upset?”

This teddy bear was a gift from my late grandmother. I gently wiped the mark off its face, too tired to argue.

Just then, William called. “Is he asleep yet? Forget about him and come join us for drinks. Emma and Fiona are here too.”

Diana glanced at me awkwardly. “He’s right next to me.”

“Then bring that bumpkin… your husband along. Don’t be such an old fogey.”

Looking at the location William sent, Diana turned the car around.

“I don’t want to go. I want to go home!”

The mention of drinks brought back unpleasant memories.

It was the first time I met Diana’s friends.

Despite my efforts to impress, I ended up being ridiculed.

They knew I couldn’t hold my liquor but still pressured me to drink, then took pictures of me in a drunken state and posted them online.

Diana, instead of staying with me, left me at the bar to take William home.

I woke up surrounded by a group of unsavory characters.

Though the manager intervened, the fear from that night still haunts me.

But Diana had long forgotten all about it.

“Don’t be so selfish, alright? What’s wrong with me catching up with old friends? I never interfere with your social life.”

“Then let me out. I’ll go home on my own.”

My head was spinning, and I just wanted to rest.

I didn’t have the energy to argue with her.

“No way. If you don’t show up, it’ll embarrass me in front of my friends. You have to come!”

Her stubbornness flared up again.

Seeing my displeasure, she added, “Come on, just say hello, and we’ll leave. Don’t make this harder for me.”

By the time we arrived, it was already past 2 a.m.

William greeted Diana with a warm hug, then looked me up and down. “What’s with the attitude, huh? Still mad at me? Don’t be so petty. Diana and I have been close for years. If we wanted something to happen, do you think you would’ve had the chance to marry her?”

With that, the group welcomed Diana warmly to sit with them. There were only four seats, and I was left standing.

“Hey, we’ve all been friends forever, so we’re used to this setup. There’s no extra seat…” William glanced around the room and smirked at me.

“How about you head back home? You wouldn’t understand what we’re talking about anyway.”

The four of them had been friends since childhood, and William, the youngest, was always their favorite.

During the years I loved Diana deeply, I tried my best to accept her friends and fit into her life.

But at every gathering, William would lead the conversation back to their shared past, mock my background, and discuss things I couldn’t participate in, leaving me out.

Sensing the awkwardness, Emma stood up to offer me her seat. “You can sit here, Grady.”

Looking at her, I suddenly recalled how she once asked Diana, “What does Grady have that William doesn’t? Why did you marry him?”

And what did Diana say? “I was just upset with William at the time and acted on impulse. I’ve regretted it ever since, but I felt sorry for him because he’s been trailing after me for so long.”

Remembering that, I let out a soft sigh.

“There’s no need. If we get divorced, there’ll be enough seats.”

In a marriage, there’s no room for a third person.

Diana stared at me in shock.

In all the years we’d been married, this was the first time I embarrassed her in front of her friends.

Usually, no matter how late she stayed out drinking, I would go pick her up without complaint after just one call.

But now, I wasn’t willing to keep sacrificing myself for her anymore.

Emma and Fiona stepped in quickly to diffuse the tension.

William sneered, pulling Diana closer as he remarked sarcastically, “Only the most useless men use divorce as a threat.”

Diana, embarrassed, turned to me with a stern look. “Grady, have I spoiled you too much? You’re just a live-in son-in-law, living off me. Have you forgotten those days when you begged me in tears not to leave you?”

I grabbed my phone and left without a word.

I wasn’t going to beg her anymore.

When William first returned from abroad, I had many arguments with Diana about their overly close “sibling-like” relationship.

Each time, Diana would say, “If you can’t handle it, then let’s divorce!”

Back then, I was still caught up in the illusion of love, apologizing to Diana again and again, begging for her forgiveness.

I had knelt at our doorstep, cried in the dead of night when no one was around, but Diana had turned my patience and love into reasons to trample all over me.

This time, I wasn’t going to back down.

I went home, packed my things, and moved into a small apartment I had bought before our marriage.

I had used my own money to buy it, and I remembered how Diana had argued with me when she found out about the purchase.

“Only an idiot would buy an apartment that small and out of the way. It’s embarrassing. You should’ve used that money to buy a car instead. It’d give me way more face.”

Later, my parents bought a top-of-the-line luxury car for her, and she was finally satisfied.

I was grateful that I didn’t listen to her back then.

This small apartment was my sanctuary, while the luxury car had become William’s exclusive ride.

By the time I finished moving, the sun had already risen.

Unable to sleep, I decided to get the divorce papers.

When I returned home, I was surprised to see Diana standing at the door. It was the first time she had ever come to find me on her own.

“Last night, I might have said some things that were too harsh, but you shouldn’t have treated my friends like that. Just go and apologize to William, and we can forget about this.”

As I was leaving last night, I heard William say, “A spoiled rich kid with more attitude than skill. Marrying a guy like that must be the worst luck ever.”

To outsiders, Diana painted me as a paranoid, jealous husband, but the truth was that she was the only one throwing tantrums in our marriage.

She would only show a polite and gentle side to others, but at home, she was impossible to please.

Adding a sprinkle of garlic to a dish could set her off, leading to a full-blown tirade about how useless I was, followed by her storming out.

“The one who needs to apologize is not me,” I said, handing Diana the divorce papers before opening the door to head inside.

Diana followed, hugging me tightly from behind. “Don’t be like this. I’ll apologize, alright?”

Her hands began to roam over my body. “I know I’ve neglected you lately, and you’re upset. Let’s have a baby, okay?”

I pushed her away and slapped her hard. “Don’t touch me! You disgust me!”

Her face turned red instantly, anger flashing in her eyes.

But before she could respond, I passed out.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Diana was sitting beside me, looking concerned.

“Grady, we can argue, but don’t take it out on your health, okay? You really scared me this time with your high fever and fainting.”

“You don’t know why I got sick?” I asked.

Who made me wait in the rain? Who left me out in the cold all night? Who said they’d take me to the hospital but instead went off drinking with friends?

Diana turned away, guilt clear on her face. “Let’s not talk about that now. Come on, have something to eat. I made you some soup.”

It was supposed to be a seafood chowder, but there were only a few sparse grains of rice floating around.

It looked more like watered-down gruel, something that turned my stomach just to look at.

At that moment, William walked in. “Diana, the seafood chowder you made was great, but I’m still hungry. Come downstairs with me to grab a bite.”

Diana glanced at me with a conflicted expression.

“Go ahead,” I said, tossing the soup into the trash.

“William has a sensitive stomach…” Diana mumbled, embarrassed.

But William looped his arm around Diana’s, urging her to leave.

She hesitated for a moment and said, “I’ll bring you something good when I get back.” Then she left in a hurry.

I ordered some takeout for myself, and after finishing my IV drip, I asked the doctor for a prescription.

The doctor looked at me a few times before speaking. “Was that your wife who was here earlier?”

“My ex-wife.”

“Good,” the doctor replied. “I was wondering. While you were unconscious, she and another man were all over each other in the hallway, hugging and even kissing by your bedside, like they were in a hotel.”

She handed me my prescription along with her phone. “Leave your number. If you’re not feeling well, you can contact me anytime.”

I noticed the expectation in her eyes and nodded.

When I got home, I saw a message from Diana: [There’s an emergency at the office. I can’t stay with you. If you feel unwell, message me, and I’ll come to see you as soon as I can.]

As if.

I remembered the time I had a bad stomach flu, writhing in pain, only for Diana to complain that I was disturbing her sleep and move to the study with her blanket.

“If you’re not feeling well, go see a doctor. What good is telling me? I’m not a doctor!”

This time, feeling frustrated and upset, I contacted the doctor I’d just met instead. We had coffee and went for a walk, which improved my mood significantly.

But when I returned home, I was shocked.

The small apartment was filled with people – both my and Diana’s parents, Diana, and William – all looking at me in unison.

Diana’s eyes were red as she stared at the divorce papers in front of her. William crossed his arms, smirking at me.

“I’ve never seen such a shameless man. Diana has been so good to you, and yet you go and mess around with some other woman.”

My mom held up a picture of me with the doctor.

“What’s going on? Diana says you’ve been unfaithful, that you’re the one who wants a divorce. Haven’t you two always gotten along?”

I hadn’t expected Diana to stoop this low.

Diana’s mother pounded the table. “Divorce! We won’t tolerate a man who can’t stay faithful. No wonder Diana hasn’t been able to get pregnant all these years. It’s because you’ve ruined your body with your antics!”

Everyone began talking over each other, hurling insults and accusations at me.

I looked at Diana, trying to contain my anger.

“Diana, don’t twist the truth and play the victim. Did you think I didn’t know what you’ve been doing behind my back? I was trying to spare you some dignity, but since you’ve decided to make this ugly, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

I went to the bedroom and brought out a box.

During the move, I had discovered something even more shocking than Diana’s affair.

I had kept quiet, waiting for the right moment.

And now, that moment had come.