Chapter 1

Scrolling through Ins, I found a post: "From Mind-Blowing to Trash, Rating the Men I Slept With This Year."

Thinking of that cold, distant man at home, I clicked on the post with curiosity.

"Pure college boy, a bit clumsy, I'll give him a passing grade"

"Athletic black guy, oh wow, that was wild, definitely top-tier"

The comment section exploded.

"Now THIS is the kind of girl boss content I need"

"Living your best life, let me live it for a couple days too."

I was about to leave a playful comment when the woman's latest update made me freeze.

"Last one. My best bed partner, also the one who gave me my sexual awakening. Even though he's married, I'm giving him a straight-up 'mind-blowing.'"

The photo showed them lying together in bed.

And the sleeping man in that photo was my husband.

I stared at the screen in disbelief, but the comments that refreshed below made my blood run even colder.

"Isn't that knowingly being the other woman? That's not cool."

"So what? Haven't you heard that the one who isn't loved is the real mistress? Besides, I had his first time."

"A man sleeping with two women at the same time... how good can he even be?"

"That's not true at all. He promised he'd only have sex with me, that he'd never waste it on that old hag at home."

Indeed, in our year of marriage, Xander Thorne was either working overtime or on business trips.

The times he actually came home could be counted on one hand.

Even on our wedding night, what should have happened didn't-he used being drunk as an excuse and just fell asleep.

I'd questioned myself countless times.

Was I just too unattractive? Was that why Xander wouldn't touch me?

But before we got married, his love for me had been so passionate and intense. He'd hold me in bed, his voice hoarse.

"Nora, I want to be with you so badly."

"Once we're married, I can truly have you."

Remembering that past sweetness, I smiled bitterly.

Now I finally understood. It wasn't that I'd done anything wrong.

It was that Xander had already found his bed partner.

His only bed partner.

The next second, Xander pushed the door open and pulled me into his arms.

"Happy New Year. What are you looking at?"

I quickly put down my phone and turned to meet his eyes.

"Nothing, just browsing."

As I spoke, I thought of the words "mind-blowing" from the post and tentatively kissed his lips.

The man froze for a moment, then chuckled softly, cupping my head and deepening the kiss.

His heavy breathing hit my face. As things heated up, we unconsciously began pulling at each other's clothes.

He pushed me down onto the bed, and just when we were one step away, he stopped.

His previously hazy eyes instantly cleared. Xander pushed me away, buttoning his shirt as if nothing had happened, his voice hoarse.

"Alright, go help in the kitchen. It's almost time for dinner."

Of course. It was like this again.

I numbly got up and walked into the kitchen, laughing at myself.

When my mother-in-law saw me, she immediately vented her dissatisfaction.

"Nora, now that you've married into the Thorne family, you need to think about our family, don't you?"

"Look at your belly. It's been a whole year, and still nothing."

"I'm not trying to push you. But you and Xander should have a baby while you're young. It'll be easier for you both when the child grows up."

Mrs. Thorne rambled on and on while my grievances surged up.

Before marriage, I'd promised her we'd have two children in three years.

But what happened? We could count on one hand the nights we'd even shared a bed.

Thinking of how Xander had just walked away, my heart grew even heavier.

Seeing my silence, Mrs. Thorne lost what little patience she'd had and stormed off.

"People like you just have no manners. I must have lost my mind to let someone like you marry into the Thorne family."

I stared numbly at the mess before me and mechanically began cleaning up.

Mrs. Thorne was right.

Xander and I were from two different worlds.

Without his love, I had nothing. I could never reach the heights of the Thorne family.

Crack.

Lost in thought, I cut my finger with the knife, leaving a streak of bright red.

I immediately rinsed it under water, intending to go outside for a bandage.

The noise outside gradually grew louder as the neighbor's daughter arrived with gifts, smiling brightly.

"Mrs. Thorne, Xander, Happy New Year! I brought gifts and came to join you for dinner."

I looked up and saw that familiar face. My heart lurched.

She was the woman from the photo.