Chapter 2

While I was still reeling, Adrian suddenly called me.

His voice was frantic: "Honey, Vivian's body is covered in red rashes, and she has swollen lymph nodes. What's going on?" "You're a doctor—does she need to get tested for this?"

Hearing his description, I became even more certain.

After being infected, Vivian had never taken medication to control the viral load in her body.

Based on her current symptoms, she wasn't just in the late stages of AIDS.

She'd likely also contracted other infectious diseases.

Like syphilis.

On the other end of the line, Adrian kept pressing: "Honey, give me a straight answer!"

I bit my lip and finally replied calmly: "It's probably just common complications. She should be fine after a few days of rest."

With that, I hung up.

Outside, the night was deep.

I put on gloves and carefully collected Adrian's clothes.

I walked to the balcony and burned them completely.

I knew full well that Adrian's infection was only a matter of time.

Living under the same roof with him, if I wasn't careful, I could get infected too.

To avoid tipping him off, for now, I could only avoid him as much as possible.

Early the next morning, I quickly packed my bags and left.

Then I sent Adrian a message, claiming I had to travel out of state for work and wouldn't be back for half a month.

After settling into a hotel, I opened a monitoring app on my phone that I'd never used before.

A few months ago, the apartment complex had upgraded its security system.

They'd sent workers to install surveillance cameras in every unit.

Adrian wasn't home at the time, and I'd been too busy with work to tell him.

Soon, my phone connected to the bedroom feed.

But what I saw made my blood freeze.

I'd only been gone half a day, and Adrian had already brought Vivian home.

Right now, she was wearing my pajamas, sitting cross-legged at my vanity, opening my expensive face cream.

She didn't apply it to her face.

Instead, she scooped out a large chunk and slowly rubbed it onto her feet.

Then, finding that too much trouble, she actually stuck her toes directly into the jar and stirred them around.

Adrian was lying nearby, completely ignoring her behavior.

"Adrian, these skincare products aren't cheap. If she finds out, won't she be upset?"

Vivian said this, but her hands didn't stop moving.

Adrian slowly sat up, naturally wrapping his arm around her waist, his expression doting: "That face of hers doesn't deserve such expensive products anyway. Might as well use them on your feet."

As he spoke, he hooked his finger under the ties of Vivian's pajamas.

"It's the same pajamas, but somehow they look so charming and seductive on you. Not like that frumpy wife of mine—she looks like she's wearing a potato sack no matter what."

Vivian leaned into his embrace, laughing delightedly.

When I saw the two of them rolling into bed, I quickly shut off my phone.

If I kept watching, I was afraid the filth would reach me through the screen.

Soon, half a month had passed.

I took post-exposure prophylaxis in advance, put on a mask, and steeled myself to return home.

I'd notified Adrian ahead of time, so I figured he'd at least have the decency to send Vivian away first.

But when I opened the door, I saw she was still there, lounging on the sofa, eating my expensive imported fruit.

I suppressed my anger and looked at Adrian: "Adrian, you brought an outsider to live in our home without even consulting me?"

Before he could answer, another voice came from the kitchen: "This house was bought by my son. He can let whoever he wants live here. It's not your place to interfere."

I was startled.

That's when I realized my mother-in-law was here too.

She gave me an impatient glance and immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Vivian: "Besides, Vivian is not an outsider." "She's carrying a baby now—she's the most precious person in the Harris family!"

Hearing this, I shuddered involuntarily.

A woman with AIDS... pregnant...