Chapter 2

Then, I set up a new male alt account called "IrritableMan", and picked the iconic photo of Muhammad Ali as my profile pic.

I DM'd Edward: [Dude, you're awesome. Honestly, my wife needs to be disciplined, too, but I've never had the guts to do it.

[Man, can you teach me a few moves? I want to reclaim my manhood at home.]

To show I was serious, I sent a salute emoji.

It didn't take long for Edward to take the bait.

He totally bought it, acting like I was his biggest fan, and started rambling about how he tamed his wife. [Dude, if you want to put your wife in her place, the first time you show her who's boss is crucial.

[You gotta make sure she knows you mean business from the start, and you gotta have a good reason ready.

[I'm planning to invite a bunch of my buddies over for a party in the next couple of days.

[We'll toss fruit peels and cigarette butts everywhere, turn the place into a total pigsty.

[Once my friends leave, my wife will see the mess and go ballistic.

[If she dares to complain, that's her disrespecting me.

[Then, with a bit of booze in me, I'll give her several hard slaps and force her to clean up every bit of it.]

Staring at the screen, I could practically see Edward's smug face.

Trying not to gag, I kept typing away: [So, what do you do after you hit her? What if she starts making a scene?]

[Make a scene? Dude, you really don't get women. After you hit her, act like you just woke up from a dream. Beg her and slap yourself like crazy.

[Tell her you're crazy about her, say you lost control every time you party with your friends, and then cry and apologize, begging her to forgive you.

[Then, after a few days, find another excuse to give her a real hard time again.

[Just keep repeating it—beat her, and then sweet-talk her or give her something nice.

[Bit by bit, you'll wear down every bit of her spirit, until she gets used to being treated like this.

Ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome or Pavlov's experiment?

[Don't worry. Your wife won't leave you just because you hit her.

[Training your wife is like training a dog. The tougher you are, the more she'll stick around.

[My mom got beaten by my dad her whole life, and she never left. She even waited on him hand and foot.]

I took a deep breath, but the rage boiling inside me only grew stronger.

Edward talked about messing with people's heads like it was no big deal.

It turned out that he'd been soaking up these sick moves since he was little from watching his family.

I asked tentatively: [Are you sure this actually works? What if she calls the cops?]

Edward replied firmly: [Relax. Remember that whole mess with Sherry? She got hit so many times, but did the cops ever do anything?

[As long as nobody gets killed, it's only a family issue.

[If the cops show up, they'll just play peacemaker.

[Besides, I know how to keep it under control. At worst, it'll be classified as a minor injury.

[I just love the sound of a woman screaming when I hit her.

[Honestly, my biggest wish in life is to find a wife who can handle getting roughed up and won't fall apart.

[And if her screams have a rhythm to them, almost like she's singing, that's even better.]

I glared at the screen and spat angrily.

The phone case creaked softly, almost like even my phone couldn't stand that crap.

I took a deep breath, and icy air sliced through my chest, barely keeping my fury in check.

My fingers flew across the screen, tapping out a reply. [Dude, I've learned a lot.

[But I'm curious. What kind of sound do you think actually sounds good when you hit someone?

[Can you give us an example? Let everyone see what you mean.]

Right after the message went through, I sent a lot of emojis to praise him.

Almost instantly, Edward's reply popped up, eager like a predator on the hunt. [Sure. My buddies are coming over tonight to party at my place and celebrate my recent marriage.

[I'll record it for you. Get ready to have your mind blown.]

I set my phone down on the table, the screen's glow catching the coldness in my gaze.

I hope Edward's bones were as tough as his attitude.

*****

At five sharp, my phone lit up with a message from Edward. [Honey, my best buddies are coming over tonight for a gathering.

[They're all jealous as hell. They say I got myself a wife who's gorgeous, a total catch, and can cook like a pro.

[They insist on seeing you with their own eyes.

[When you get off work, swing by the market and grab some groceries. Make sure to get something fancy. Show my friends what you can do in the kitchen.

[It might get a little noisy. You know how much I love showing off in front of my buddies.

[Hope you can put up with it for me, honey. I'll totally make it up to you.]

He even transferred me some money and sent a heart emoji.

I stared at the screen, a cold, mocking smile tugging at my lips.

He wanted to make it up to me? With his belt or his fists?

With a tap, I sent back an obedient emoji. [Alright, honey.]