Justin kept glancing at his phone, brows furrowed.

I let out a bitter chuckle and asked again, “How do you think I did just now?”

Without even looking up, he replied absentmindedly, “Very good.”

When I didn’t respond, he finally looked up and noticed I hadn’t even aimed at the target. His expression turned awkward.

“Sorry, I got distracted.”

Just then, his phone rang. He quickly checked it, his face betraying a sense of urgency. Still, he tried to focus on the target. He fired three shots—none of them hit. In the past, Justin never missed.

“If you have something to do, go ahead. I want to stay and play a bit longer.”

He looked surprised but also slightly guilty. Softly, he said, “I’ll come back and keep you company once I’m done. Wait for me.”

I nodded and watched his figure rush away, eyes filled with mixed emotions.

I stayed at the range for another half hour before leaving. I knew the moment Selena showed up, Justin would forget all about me.

On my way back, a message popped up from Selena.

[See? Justin always chooses me, no matter what. What’s the point of being his wife if you’re unloved? You’re just like your mother—clinging to a position no one respects!]

I replied with trembling hands.

[Selena, your mother was a mistress. The whole world knows it. A mistress’s daughter is still just a mistress. Do you think there’s pride in that? You’re only after the things I’ve thrown away. What’s there to be proud of?]

After sending the message, I immediately blocked her.

That evening, Justin came home. Seeing me eating at the table, his body stiffened. Guilt flashed across his face.

“Thalia, I... I’m sorry. I was just really busy today...”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

After that, the room went cold and silent. Justin retreated into his study and we didn’t speak again that night.

***

The next day, Selena arrived at the house holding a bouquet of flowers.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I saw how upset you were, so I came to apologize.”

I didn’t say a word and continued with my chores.

She didn’t seem bothered. She wandered around the room as if it were her own. Justin sat on the sofa, watching her with a troubled expression but doing nothing to stop her.

The study door was open and Selena walked in without hesitation. Alarmed, Justin called out, “You can’t go into the study!”

But Selena just stuck out her tongue at him playfully and continued inside. Justin quickly followed, visibly annoyed, yet he said nothing to make her leave.

I clenched the rag in my hand, trying to suppress the bitterness rising in my chest.

So it turned out, the study wasn’t off-limits to everyone—only to those he didn’t deem worthy. Only Selena was allowed in.

“Oh! Isn’t this the love letter you wrote me? There are so many! Why didn’t you ever give them to me?”

“And the thermos I gave you—you really kept it! If you like it that much, I’ll get you another one.”

“You still have the greeting card, the bookmark, the keychain I gave you, don’t you?”

Hearing Selena’s excited voice from the study, my heart sank completely.

I remembered the first time I entered this house. Justin had forbidden me from entering the study or touching anything inside.

He told me those items represented his youth—the most precious memories he had—gifts from old friends.

I believed him. But now, I realized everything in there was a shrine to his love for Selena.

Later, in an attempt to apologize, Selena invited me to go camping in the suburbs. Fearing I’d reject her, she even invited some of our classmates and my best friend.

We drove out to the countryside and started pitching tents. But midway through setting them up, dark clouds rolled in and it began pouring.

As the rain intensified, everyone rushed to get their tents up. Suddenly, Selena cried out in pain and collapsed onto the ground.

Justin’s body stiffened immediately. He glanced at her in panic, hastily finished setting up the tent, then turned to me.

“You go inside first. I’ll check on Selena.”

I held myself back but eventually couldn’t stay silent.

“Justin, could you at least pretend to care about me? She just fell. There are plenty of people here—why does it always have to be you?”

After Selena fell, two of her friends immediately rushed to help her, but Justin still wasn’t reassured. He glanced briefly at me, then turned and walked straight toward her.

“Snake! There’s a snake! Thalia, get out of the way!”

I was holding a flashlight and an umbrella, my eyes locked on Justin. I hadn’t noticed the snake slithering toward me until it was too late.

A sharp, searing pain shot through my calf. When I looked down, the snake had already vanished into the dark.

My best friend ran over with an umbrella, knelt down quickly and examined the wound. She wrapped it as fast as she could.

“I don’t know how to drive! Where’s Justin? We have to get you to the hospital right away!”

The bite mark began to swell almost instantly. My skin around the wound turned a sickly black and dark blood oozed out. My breathing grew shallow. Dizzy, disoriented, I pulled out my phone and called Justin.

“I was bitten by a snake,” I said faintly. “Can you take me to the hospital?”

On the other end, his breathing was heavy and uneven. Then his irritated voice came through.

“You got bitten by a snake now—just as I’m helping Selena? Thalia, could you at least come up with a believable excuse? It’s a day like this; everyone’s helping everyone. Can you stop stirring up trouble for no reason?”

His voice was cold—brutally so—and he hung up on me.

My best friend was livid. Seeing how pale I’d become, with sweat dripping down my forehead, she frantically dragged me to look for Justin.

We found him just as he was finishing up Selena’s tent. Selena leaned against him, wiping away tears. They looked so intimate, so comfortable.

“Justin!” my best friend exploded. “Thalia was bitten by a snake and you’re here flirting with this woman? Do you even care about your wife?”

Only then did Justin notice the state I was in. His face turned pale as he rushed over, lifting my leg slightly to see the bite.

“I’ll take you to the hospital right now!”

But just as he was about to carry me, a scream pierced through the rain.

“Selena!”

We all turned in time to see Selena lose her footing and tumble down a nearby slope.

Justin’s face turned white in panic. He shoved me toward my best friend.

“Find someone to take her to the hospital. Call me later!”

With the last of my strength, I grabbed his sleeve, my voice trembling with desperation.

“Justin! I want you to take me to the hospital! Someone else can go save Selena!”

He froze. His brows furrowed and his face twisted with inner conflict.

“I don’t feel comfortable... I’m sorry.”

And in that moment, something inside me shattered.

I passed out on the way to the hospital. When I woke up two days later, my best friend was sitting beside me, her eyes red from crying.

“Thalia, you’re finally awake. You’ve been unconscious for two days... you scared me so much.”

“Did Justin come?”

She hesitated before answering.

“He came by yesterday. But Selena twisted her ankle and he’s been with her ever since. Honestly, I don’t think he cares about you at all. What kind of husband chooses his childhood friend over his own wife?”

I gave her a weak smile and forced myself to sit up.

I made my way to Selena’s hospital room. Through the glass window, I saw her teasing Justin like a mischievous child, while he stood beside her, arms crossed, a cold expression on his face.

“I did it on purpose,” she pouted. “You care more about Thalia than me. I’m jealous.”

“She’s my wife. It’s my responsibility to care for her. Using your body to throw tantrums is just childish,” he said, clearly annoyed.

He grabbed her hand, as if trying to keep her in check, but Selena only grinned wider.

“I’m willing~”

And with that, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him—boldly, possessively.

Justin stiffened, his arms awkward at his sides… until they slowly embraced her back. The two of them collapsed onto the hospital bed, kissing with reckless abandon.

I stood outside, frozen, my heart turning to ash.

But my best friend wasn’t one to stay quiet. She stormed up, kicked open the door and barged in like a hurricane.

Seeing them startled and tangled together, she marched straight up to Selena and slapped her across the face.

“Justin! Have you forgotten who your wife is? Thalia is your wife! Selena is her sister! How could you do this to her?”

My best friend was getting increasingly worked up, so I quickly pulled her out of the ward.

“Go home first. I’ll handle the rest,” I told her gently. “Thanks for being here—but I don’t want you getting dragged into this mess.”

She wanted to say more, but seeing the look on my face, she swallowed her words.

When I returned to the room, Selena was sitting on the bed, holding her face as tears streamed down.

The moment she saw me, her body trembled with fury.

“Why did your friend hit me?” she snapped. “Let me tell you—the person Justin loves is me! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even qualify to be his wife!”

“Enough! Shut up, Selena!”

It was Justin who shouted this time, his voice sharp, his face pale. For the first time ever, he raised his voice at her.

Selena froze, stunned by his outburst. But soon, she flung the blanket over her head and burst into exaggerated sobs.

Justin looked irritated and turned to me. “Let’s go,” he muttered, leading me out of the room.

“Don’t come see Selena again,” he said coldly once we were outside. “Your friend crossed the line. Stay away from her too.”

His words pierced deep, but by then, my heart had already gone numb.

***

Justin left for the office and not long after, Selena sent word that she wanted to see me.

When I arrived at her ward and was just about to knock, I saw a man inside—someone I didn’t recognize—gently helping her change her clothes.

Selena lay coyly in his arms, her voice soft and sugary.

“I told you, I’m not that badly hurt. You don’t have to keep visiting me. Once I’m discharged, let’s go take our wedding photos.”

I froze.

She had just finalized her divorce—and now she already had a new lover?

Wedding photos?

I turned to leave quietly, but she caught sight of me and came running out.

She stood in front of me, blocking my path.

“You saw everything,” she said, smug. “You’re not going to tell Justin, are you?”

“You’re getting married so soon. Why are you still hanging on to Justin?” I glared at her, voice trembling with anger. “Is it fun to string him along like this?”

Selena burst into laughter. She didn’t even try to hide her amusement.

“I just wanted to prove something,” she sneered. “That if I wanted to, even a genius like Justin would abandon everything for me. Even divorce you. It’s pathetic—you’ve never gotten a sliver of his affection. Pathetic.”

She took a step closer, her eyes filled with scorn.

“Back then, I didn’t even accept his confession. I already had too many boyfriends. He was too dull to even make it into my collection.”

That was the last straw.

The smugness in her voice, the cruelty in her eyes—I couldn’t take it anymore. My hand moved before I could stop it.

Smack.

Selena fell to the ground.

Before I could register what I’d just done, Justin appeared and shoved me hard.

I slammed against the wall, the impact jarring my bones.

He rushed past me and knelt beside Selena, cradling her in his arms.

His face twisted in fury.

“Thalia! You’re hurting Selena again?” he roared. “You know her foot’s injured. How could you hit her that hard?”

Selena whimpered and leaned into his chest, playing the victim.

“Justin, I don’t want to see her. Take me home.”

“Alright.”

Without another word, Justin carried her out of the hospital, shooting me one last look—one filled with disappointment.

I stood there alone, all the strength draining from my body.

What was the point of explaining? He wouldn’t believe me anyway.

There were only three days left until the date of my staged death.

After that, I would vanish from Justin’s life for good.

Back home, I sat alone in the empty room.

I cut up every photo of me and Justin, throwing the pieces into the trash.

All the gifts he had given me—I packed them up and gave them away.

Just as I was preparing for my move, Selena sent me a video.

In it, Justin was gently massaging her ankle, his expression tender and affectionate.

He even lowered his head and kissed her foot.

Watching the video, my heart didn’t even flinch.

Numbly, I blocked Selena, Justin and Benny on Whatsapp and deleted their numbers from my phone.

***

On the day I left, I wore a dress I had never worn before.

As Justin was crossing the street, I ran toward him with all the strength I had left.

The sharp screech of tires filled the air.

Everything seemed to stop in that split second.

As I closed my eyes, I faintly saw Justin drop the bouquet in his hands and dash toward me in a panic.

So, Justin, you can panic over me too…

Too bad it’s far too late.