Chapter 2
The food went from hot to cold and back to hot again in the microwave as I waited.
Daniel left in a flurry, not even looking back.
I sat at the table, numb, and pressed play on a video a friend had sent me.
It was from inside a private room.
Daniel was there, drinking with a few of his buddies.
Sitting right next to him, their shoulders touching, was Jessica Hayes.
He took a casual sip of his drink, and she snatched the glass from his hand, downing the rest in one go.
She laughed, loud and carefree. "Careful, Dan. Don't drink too much, or the warden at home will throw a fit."
One of his friends echoed, "Yeah, man. Didn't you promise her you wouldn't see Jessica anymore? Aren't you afraid she'll find out and dump you?"
"She wouldn't dare," Daniel replied.
His tone was flat, like he was stating facts. "We've been together since high school. When she had that car accident and needed surgery, I was the only one there for her. She's been hooked on me ever since. She can't leave me.
"Women are all drama. You spoil them, and they get entitled. You just have to give them the cold shoulder for a while. They learn."
The guys started making a few crude jokes at my expense. Daniel frowned.
He subtly dodged the glass Jessica tried to hand him, the one now smudged with her lipstick, and shifted away, creating a few inches of space between them.
He swept a cold glare across the room. "She's still my girl. You don't get to talk about her like that."
"I'm just toughening her up a bit," he said, and for a second, his eyes softened. "No matter what happens, I only have one wife. And that's her."
After the video ended, a voice note from my friend popped up.
"See?" she exclaimed. "He sounds harsh, but deep down, he totally loves you! He defended you! He said he's going to marry you! You just need to be a little more understanding and stop giving him such a hard time about Jessica."
I didn't listen to the rest. A single question echoed in my mind.
Did Daniel really love me?
And if this was love, was it the kind I even wanted anymore?
For three months, Daniel was bouncing from one business trip to the next.
To make peace, he promised he would cut ties with Jessica, giving me the "security" I craved. In return, I promised to stop being so suspicious, giving him the "trust" he deserved.
At first, it was torture.
We had been inseparable since we were teenagers. Before Jessica appeared, we spent every single day together.
My insecurity was a black hole, constantly needing to be fed.
The old me would have cried and begged him to take me with him or demanded nightly video calls at least.
But now, I rattled around our empty apartment alone. To stop the memories from ambushing me, I threw myself into my work, spending my days and nights at the lab.
I forced myself not to text him, not to obsess over what he was doing.
It's terrifying how quickly you can get used to something. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.
After four cycles of 21 days, I was used to him being gone.
I was so used to it that when I finally saw him again, I felt nothing.
Aside from the reflexive flinch when he raised his voice, I was strangely calm.
At noon, I stepped out of the lab and opened my lunchbox.
Daniel texted me for the first time in the past three months: [What's for lunch?]
I hesitated but finally snapped a picture of my meal to send it to him.
Cooking had always been my love language. Before, I would wake up early to pack him elaborate lunches before work.
It didn't matter if I burned something or made dishes he didn't even like. He always hyped me up, making me feel like a five-star chef.
This time was no different.
Daniel: [Look amazing!]
Daniel: [So sorry I had to rush out the other day. I'll make it up to you when I get back. I've missed your cooking.]
He followed it up with a sticker of a cute cartoon kid I had never seen him use before.
My eyes lingered on it.
A girl I hated in high school used that sticker obsessively.
But that was a lifetime ago. Daniel had probably forgotten.
Then he sent photos of the latest designer bags.
Daniel: [Babe, you've been so good lately. Pick one. Consider it my apology.]
When I wavered between two styles, he bought both without hesitation.
It's normal for a guy to buy his girlfriend a gift to smooth things over after a fight.
But something felt wrong.
Daniel, who used to text back within seconds, was now taking thirty minutes between responses.
And no matter how big our fights, he had never bought me two bags at once.
My mind flashed back to a month ago when he called me at 3 a.m., his voice slurring with alcohol.
Over the sound of running water, he whispered, "I love you."
At the time, I thought it was a heartfelt confession after alcohol lowered his defenses.
Now, that memory twisted like a knife in my chest.
My gut had never been wrong.
For years, I had hated myself for this constantly gnawing suspicion that pushed the man I loved further and further away.
But I was always right.
Daniel loved me. But he was also a liar.
The deeper the lie, the more expensive the gift.
So what was it this time?
Had he finally moved on from emotional cheating to the real thing?