Chapter 1

While my husband was mirroring his phone to the TV, I happened to glance at the list of saved Wi-Fi networks on his screen.

One name stood out like a neon sign: "Toby and Summer's Home."

My breath caught. 'My husband's name was Toby, but who the hell was Summer?'

Toby hated Summer best. That cutesy nickname stabbed right through my heart like a knife.

I pointed at the screen, trying to keep my voice calm. "Who's 'Summer'? Whose Wi-Fi is this?"

Toby's face froze for a moment, then he forced a smile. "It's probably from when I visited a coworker last time. The phone must've saved it automatically. Is something wrong?"

I nodded and didn't ask any more questions, but inside, a seed of suspicion was already starting to grow.

*****

Before bed, I moved closer to him, hoping some intimacy would ease the anxiety gnawing at me.

But Toby instinctively clutched his shirt, exhaustion written all over his face. "It's late. Maybe next time," he said.

I didn't say anything. My disappointment was overwhelming as I turned my back to him and lay down.

Toby used to have a crazy high sex drive. But in the past six months, we've only done it a handful of times.

Thinking back, it was always when he was wasted and barely even conscious.

I kept thinking about that woman. Maybe her name was Summer.

I used to think our sex life was slowing down because we were getting older.

But now, out of nowhere, I started to suspect he was cheating on me.

While Toby was asleep, I secretly grabbed his phone. This was the first time I'd ever resorted to snooping, trying to uncover my husband's secrets.

After seven years of marriage, we'd always respected each other's privacy and trusted one another.

But now, my suspicions were pushing me to cross a line I'd never crossed before.

Staring at his sleeping face, my heart was thundering in my chest.

After hesitating, I gave in and used his fingerprint to unlock the phone.

My finger hovered over the WhatsApp icon. Just one more step, and I'd finally know the truth.

My fingers trembled, my stomach was in knots.

Just then, a message popped up on the screen. [Toby, better protect your neck! Next time you piss me off, I'll bite your face.]

It was Summer. She even used that cutesy nickname.

My heart skipped a beat. 'She was real.'

With my hands trembling, I gently lifted his collar to check. Sure enough, there were several fresh red marks on his neck.

The next moment, acting on impulse, I opened up their chat. Turned out, they were texting each other almost every day.

The more I scrolled up, the more I felt myself coming undone. It was like I was discovering a side of Toby I'd never seen before.

Summer was bratty and headstrong, but Toby never lost his patience with her, not even once.

From transferring money and showering her with gifts to sharing every little detail of his day, Toby made her feel totally secure.

Just to please her, he even promised to stay celibate for her, refusing to even touch me.

Meanwhile, my own chat with him wasn't even pinned, left to gather dust at the very bottom, drowned out by all his other messages.

The last message was just him letting me know he had plans and wouldn't be home that night.

The huge sense of disparity and jealousy burning inside me made me open up Summer's social feed.

Every photo radiated youth and energy. She was like a flower just beginning to blossom.

It hit me. She was Summer Abbott, one of Toby's students. We'd only crossed paths a couple of times before.

One time, my business trip got canceled at the last minute. I walked in with my suitcase, and she rushed out to greet me, all excited.

But when she realized it was me, her smile froze, and she hurriedly tried to explain herself. "Mrs. Arnold, sorry. I just came by to drop off some papers for Mr. Arnold. Now that I've delivered them, I'll head out."

Back then, I didn't think much of it. But now, looking back, that must've been when things started between them.

I took a deep breath. In Summer's latest post, I spotted a familiar lipstick.

The caption read: [Summer wants it, Summer gets it. Who's spoiling me like this? @Toby]

Under the post, Summer added a comment. [There was actually a freebie, but I didn't like it, so I only kept this one.]

Toby replied to her comment. [You deserve the best, and I'll make sure you get it.]

What had been a quiet post suddenly blew up thanks to Toby's comment.

Many of his students left their blessings under this comment.

[Wishing Summer and Toby to be together forever and ever.]

[These two are showing off again. I'm totally shipping them.]

[Can Elena, that old lady, just take a hint and step aside already? So the lovebirds don't have to sneak around anymore.]

[Seriously, Toby doesn't love her anymore, but she just won't let go. The one who's not loved is the real homewrecker, okay?]

I bit my lip until I tasted blood, unable to hold back the pain and anger.