Chapter 1

To celebrate my divorce, my best friend had hooked me up with a boy toy.

The next day, worried about the health risks from a one-night fling, I decided to get checked at the hospital.

Oh my, the attending physician was none other than my ex-husband.

*****

I was 25 years old, divorced, and still technically a virgin.

When my friends heard about my divorce, they decided to throw me a huge surprise.

That night, I finally experienced my very first time having sex.

But when morning came, the man beside me had already vanished.

Rubbing my temples, I grabbed my phone and called my best friend, Alice.

On the other end, Alice asked, "So, Sophie, how was it?"

How I felt wasn't the point.

"Who was that guy last night?" I asked. The room had been so dark that I couldn't even see his face.

"You know him," Alice replied.

"Who?" I pressed.

"Remember when you swore that after your divorce, you'd find yourself a boy toy to heal your broken heart? Well, we reached out to that guy you've been chatting with online.

"I mean the one who chased after you for nearly a year. Mike Woods. You guys were about to meet up in person, but you kept hesitating," she explained.

Boom. My brain felt like it had exploded.

Young people loved gaming, especially someone like me, whose real life was a total mess.

I longed to numb myself with video games.

Right before my divorce, I got completely hooked.

And that was when I met Mike, a boy toy online.

He started at a beginner's level.

I thought he was a total noob, but after a few matches, I won effortlessly with him on my team.

From then on, until the divorce, whenever I logged in, I begged him to carry me.

The night I finally divorced my ex, I got drunk.

I vaguely remember crying while venting to Mike.

I cursed my ex, called him a bastard, and scolded him for being spineless.

Mike was great in every way, except that he never showed his face and rarely sent voice messages. From his bio, I knew he was only twenty.

I had never once heard his voice.

But that night, I did. His voice was low, raspy, and restrained when he murmured, "Sophie, how about you and I start dating?"

I'd met my ex online too, back in the days before gaming was popular. We used ICQ.

We started dating virtually at twenty, spent five years in a long-distance relationship before finally meeting, and after just two meetups, we got married.

So when Mike confessed, my drunken haze snapped instantly.

I'd always thought he was quiet and reserved. Turned out, he'd been holding back a bombshell.

Just another cocky kid trying to flirt with whoever he could.

After a failed marriage, I was terrified.

I sucked in a deep breath, tapped my headset, and yelled, "Hello? What did you say? I can't hear you, damn connection."

Then I pretended to disconnect and disappeared.

But from that night on, Mike launched a full-on pursuit.

He still wasn't very talkative, preferring to type.

Sometimes after gaming, we'd chat on WhatsApp.

He'd send loads of cheeky stickers, like a little cartoon dude fucking another, or a tiny kitten stretching out its paws for a hug.

And in the dead of night, when every grown man and beast seemed to stir with restlessness, he'd send me those gravelly, husky voice messages. "Sophie, want a date?"

I'd shoot back. "Thanks, but no."

Alice's voice jolted me back to reality.

Tears welled in my eyes as I clutched the phone, my chest tight with frustration.

"Sophie, are you okay?" Alice pressed.

I forced a bitter laugh. "Thanks to you guys, I'm just peachy. Anyway, that's enough. I'm hanging up."

Before she could reply, I ended the call.

Because of my ex's profession, I'd always been extra mindful of my health. In a rush, I jumped out of bed, got myself together, and headed to the hospital for a checkup.

Half an hour later, I arrived at the nearest hospital.

Hiding my face along the way, I slipped into the OB-GYN department and glanced at the doctor's schedule posted outside.

Thank God, he wasn't on duty.

Soon, it was my turn.

The female doctor seemed new. She didn't recognize me. Keeping her head down, she called out, "Sophie Quinn, right?"

"I'll take this one." An arm suddenly reached past me and grabbed the intake form. A tall figure stepped forward, brushing right by my side.

Every muscle in my body went stiff.

The female doctor pushed me gently into the chair. "This is Dr. Jones, the best in our department. Don't worry. He might be male, but he's extremely professional and thorough."

Behind my mask, the corners of my lips twisted into a stiff, sarcastic smile.

Charles Jones? Of course, I knew how good he was at his job.

After all, he was my ex-husband.

The female doctor soon slipped out, leaving us alone.

Charles kept his head down, typing into the computer as he asked flatly, "What seems to be the problem?"

I stayed silent. Without looking up, he added, "I know you hate me. But right now, we're just doctor and patient."

This time, he lifted his gaze. His eyes were as cold as ever, the kind of detached look he reserved for strangers.

Right. Ex-husband or not, he was a stranger now.

I wasn't about to act timid, as if we were caught sneaking around. Calmly, I said, "It hurts down there."

It was short, blunt, and straight to the point. And he understood instantly.

Charles whipped his head toward me, his eyes locking on mine. The intensity in his gaze was unreadable, emotions shifting too quickly for me to catch.

Then, just as abruptly, his expression smoothed over. "Oh, take off your pants and lie back on the exam table, legs apart."

I did exactly as he instructed.

He picked up the instruments and walked toward me.