Chapter 1

The day before my wedding, I went to get my nails done.

My fiancé came back with coffee and casually handed a cup to the nail tech. "Hey, add me on Ins. My wife can book you for her nails from now on."

I stared at him coldly.

Sensing my gaze, he smiled. "Don't tell me you're jealous again? I'm just making a friend. Maybe she'll give you a discount next time."

I glanced at his phone screen. The note read: Amy, curvy, blonde, single.

I smiled. A dog really can't stop eating shit.

Since he loved making friends so much, I'd help him invite all his female "friends."

Using his phone, I messaged his ex-girlfriends, his flings, the ones he'd met for dinner, the ones he'd sexted late at night, one by one:

"My wedding's tomorrow. I saved you a seat. Please come."

"Hello, is this the Grand Hotel? I need to add three more tables for tomorrow's reception."

The manager paused. "That'll cost extra."

Money wasn't an issue.

Less than five minutes after I hung up, Ethan's call came through.

"Why are you adding tables without discussing it with me first?"

His voice was sharp and urgent, like I'd committed some unforgivable crime.

I leaned back on the sofa, suddenly finding it almost funny.

"I just want to invite a few more friends. What's the problem?" I said.

"What friends need three whole tables?" He pressed on relentlessly. "My parents said they can't pay for the extra three tables."

I said mockingly, "It's just adding some tables. Do you really need to blow up like this?"

He continued angrily:

"Sophia, you're doing this because I added that nail tech on Ins, aren't you? It's normal socializing and you have to make a big deal out of it!"

Normal socializing. He made it sound so simple.

I gripped my phone tighter.

"So sleeping with Christine at that hotel was also normal socializing?"

Silence on the other end.

"That was before we registered our marriage. Are you ever going to let it go?"

It was indeed before the marriage registration, but we were still dating then.

Last March, he said his company was having a team retreat and stayed at a hotel overnight.

I only found out later that his "team retreat" companion was his ex-girlfriend Christine.

"And staying at Wendy's place for three days, that was also before registration?"

"Will you ever stop?"

Last month, he said he was on a business trip for three days. Turns out he was with Wendy.

Right here in the city, less than ten kilometers from my home.

Wendy posted a breakfast photo on her feed. The hands visible across the table wore a watch I'd given him.

"Transferring twenty thousand dollars to Rachel and saying you'd take care of her, that was also before marriage?"

"Sophia!"

"You told everyone you were single, said I was just someone your family set you up with, said you didn't love me at all..."

"Enough!"

He suddenly roared: "That's all in the past! What's the point of bringing it up over and over? What man doesn't have a past? You're just petty, just looking for trouble!"

He took a breath, his voice turning cold. "Anyway, my parents won't pay for those three tables. You invited them, you figure it out yourself."