On my way to meet a client, I turned on the GPS. A sweet, feminine voice was heard from the speaker.

"Andrew, I’ll go on this trip with you. It feels like running away together!"

I hit the brakes, holding the steering wheel tightly and listened to the voice continue.

"There’s a small supermarket ahead with cookies that I like. Please buy some for me, baby!"

Surprised by the navigation voice, I called my husband.

I asked, "Andrew, did you use the Porsche at home?"

On the other side, my husband casually said, "My car broke down a few days ago, so I used it. Why?"

I let out a smile, responding, "Nothing."

Once I had ended the call, I drove to his office.

——

I almost never went there because I believed the most important thing between a husband and wife was trust. I didn’t want to suspect my husband Andrew Russell. Yet, that unfamiliar voice recording stayed in my head.

I sat in Andrew’s office and asked HR to bring me the files of all new female employees. Just then Andrew came in.

"Honey."

Andrew sat across from me, showing a smile.

"I’m checking you up," I said.

"Did you find something?"

"If you didn’t, you need to make it up to me," Andrew said lightly as he was knocking on the table.

"Let’s go skydiving with me."

When I saw his bright smile, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being too looking at his bright smile, I wondered if I was being too distrustful.

The HR files showed nothing unusual. None of the new hires had Willis as their last name. I might be just overthinking, right?

I put the files down, met Andrew’s playful eyes and spoke helplessly.

"I’m just doing my routine."

I pushed the files toward him.

"If you don’t like what I do, I’ll stop it."

Andrew smiled and comforted me.

"Babe, it means you care about me. I’m content. How can I not like it?"

Andrew was always gentle. Even when he was strict outwardly, he would spoil me as if I were a child. Even if I was the one who made a mistake, he would lower his head and apologize first. He would promise to love me forever.

I shouldn’t have doubted Andrew.

Then, I followed him home and watched him bring the groceries to the kitchen. As I turned to go to the study to work on some paperwork, I saw his phone vibrate. I was about to call him when I saw the caller’s name out of the corner of my eye.

My breath stopped. I picked up the phone and answered. A familiar voice came through.

"Andrew, baby! My mid-year review performance depends on your hard work. My boss praised me today, so I must thank you."

My heart tightened.

She went on, "I heard about that hag coming to inspect everything today. Andrew baby, tell me what’s going on there."

Someone named @DrunkenBianca called my husband Andrew. When the senior staff first met my husband, they would call him Mr. Russell. Not even his close friends called him like that.

Now, the woman hesitated.

"Andrew, baby?"

"Why aren’t you answering?"

"Bad signal?"

The call ended suddenly. My face turned pale as I looked at Andrew, who was still busy in the kitchen. I remembered he had recently liked wine tasting. The company’s project list now included a winery that wasn’t supposed to be there.

I once asked my husband why he changed his plan.

He only said, "If there’s a profit, I want to buy some shares in it, no matter the industry."

Then, he looked at me softly.

"I just want you to become the happiest woman in the world who lives the best life."

My heart filled with heat as if a hand had slapped me, waking me from my fantasy and my ‘happy’ married life.

Andrew, how far had things gone with that woman?

I sat in my study and Bianca’s voice echoed in my mind. I remembered going with Andrew to the winery, but I never saw a girl named Bianca Willis. I sent a message to my best friend on Whatsapp.

[Hey, can you check the connection between Northland Winery and my husband?]

My hands shook as I typed, but I pushed down my fear.

[I want to know everything about Andrew’s recent plans and all his past payments.]

My eyes filled with tears, but I didn’t let them fall. I stayed calm.

[I think Andrew might be having an affair with someone else.]

Right after I sent the message, I heard Andrew behind me.

“Honey.”

He walked over, guilt written all over his face.

“There’s a sudden problem at work,” he said awkwardly.

“I promised to go with you, but the team can’t take care of it. So, I don’t have any choice but to go.”

He gently patted my head.

“I’ll come back when it’s done,” he said, holding his phone.

The screen was still on. He was typing in a chat.

I couldn’t help but grab his hand as I asked him, “Can we not go?”

Normally, Andrew would have noticed something was wrong from the sound of my voice or the way I looked at him. He might have seen my phone screen, too. This time, he didn’t notice anything. He only cared about leaving and sending his message on WhatsApp.

He explained again, trying to sound patient.

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t overthink it.”

His voice had a bit of stress in it.

“You’ve always been understanding. Please don’t make this harder.”

I sat there, feeling like a balloon with no air. I watched him rush out without saying goodbye.

Finally, I cried. The tears came quietly. In that moment, I understood that there really was no such thing as a man who wanted a side woman.

My best friend, Monica Green, called me to inform, “Northland Winery has a project that Andrew helped to start and got money for. Something feels wrong after we checked.”

Then, she sent me the details.

“Everyone at the Northland Winery says Andrew spent a lot of money to promote someone named Bianca Willis. No one even dares to joke about that girl.”

Her voice turned cold.

“I also heard there’s a party tonight at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.”

“Did Andrew go somewhere?” she asked.

Just when I thought that I still had a little hope, it was gone now. I looked at the dinner Andrew had made, the shrimp scampi, risotto and roses on the side. Then, I remembered what he had said earlier.

“Honey! Did you forget? Today is our anniversary.”

Our anniversary.

Even on that day Andrew chose someone else. My husband left me alone even though I told him I didn’t want him to go. I told him I wanted to be with him. But he left anyway for someone he cared about more.

“I will go to the Waldorf Astoria,” I told my best friend.

“Even if our marriage ends, I want to see who I lost to.”

I had thought about it before. Perhaps I would lose to someone smart and classy, or someone young, bright and full of life. But I never expected to lose to someone like her.

When I saw the woman sitting next to Andrew, the one calling his name sweetly, I was shocked. Bianca turned out to be so average that I wouldn’t remember her if we passed on the street. Her clothes were simple. Her hair was in a loose bun. She wasn’t wearing makeup.

She held Andrew’s arm, laughed and said, “Andrew.”

“They want me to drink.”

She pointed at the older men at the table like a spoiled young lady.

“I told them my Andrew is like a knight. He’ll protect me. But they didn’t believe me and told me to bring him over.”

In the VIP room, people showed a smile as they praised her.

“Bianca, you really have good taste. She didn’t pick anyone for so long, but when she did, it was someone special.”

"Mr. Russell spent a lot of money on Bianca. Everyone in the industry praises him for choosing power over beauty. Hahaha!"

"Exactly," the man with a big belly said, lifting his wine glass.

"Bianca, why don’t you toast to Mr. Russell, too?"

I stopped walking and froze just as I was about to open the door.

Andrew was allergic to alcohol. In fact, he never drank. Even at business events, I was always the one who drank for him.

I stared at the wine glass in front of Andrew and watched Bianca act cute, saying, "I don’t drink so. Andrew wouldn’t let me."

"Isn’t that right?" she said again, clinging to his arm.

Then Andrew picked up the wine glass. His face was cold as he looked at the man.

"Bianca won’t drink, Sir," he said.

"If there’s a toast, Mr. Johnson and I will drink instead."

I watched Andrew drink the entire glass. The room burst into laughter. Bianca blushed and praised Andrew like he was her hero. He then smiled gently before he pinched her cheek.

It felt like my body was being cut open by a dull, rusty knife. The pain was slow and deep and the wounds were ugly and raw.

I saw the blood in my mind, bright red and flowing. I felt like I was falling apart, yet I still wondered if maybe I was wrong. Maybe there was a reason.

My best friend, Monica, held me up as I shook, ready to storm in.

"Andrew, you’re fucking monster!" she yelled.

But I stopped her. I took out my phone and called him. Even now, I still hoped he would give me a real explanation, something to make it all make sense.

I saw Andrew pick up his phone from the table. He looked at Bianca with a strange expression. But Bianca ended the call right away.

Then, she grabbed his arm again and reminded him, "You promised."

"You said you would support me," she said, biting her lip.

She looked at Andrew with determination.

I kept calling. Again and again. The screen on the table lit up and went dark. Finally Andrew made a choice.

"Yes."

"I promised you."

After that, my husband turned his phone upside down, blocking all my calls. Bianca smiled brightly. That smile was the final blow that broke me completely.

I was falling apart, but I still had enough strength to whisper to my best friend, "CCTV."

"CCTV," I said again, my voice shaking, as I pointed to the camera above us.

"Save the footage. I need proof."

I looked at the camera. I saw Andrew’s face turn pale.

I told Monica, "Since Andrew made his choice, I won’t let him off so easily."

Not long after, I entered her car. Monica helped me collect all the information. It turned out that Andrew took Bianca on trips to beautiful places. On her social media, Bianca shared everything about their love. Except their love never included me.

Then, I saw a video Bianca had posted last month, while I was away for work.

She was sitting in my Porsche.

She smiled brightly at the camera, "What can I do, friends? My husband’s car broke down, so he bought a new one. This one looks more girly. I’m getting a surprise ready for him!"

She showed the GPS voice and made a shushing gesture.

"Guess what?"

"Will I like the surprise? Will he buy me some cookies?"

I felt sick but kept watching. Then, I saw that she was also at the same hospital on the day I had my IVF treatment. She held up her test results, looking shy yet proud.

"Someone hasn’t had their period for a month and a half."

"Guess, friends! Am I just having irregular periods or …"

She laughed again.

"Am I going to be a mommy?"