Chapter 1

When I went to the bar to pick Vito up, I walked in on him tangled up with Gina—my best friend—in a very intimate embrace.

Our mutual friends had been placing bets on whether I'd file for divorce.

"No way Amelia's leaving him. Vito's loaded—she'd never give that up."

"If you ask me, Amelia's just spineless. Otherwise, how could Vito have been snatched away like that?"

"Vito, want to guess how your wife's gonna react when she sees us going at it like this? Think she'll lose it?"

My darling best friend was perched on Vito's lap, smiling as she planted a kiss on his lips.

"I don't think Amelia will divorce me. She's a parasite. She wouldn't dare."

I was standing outside the door. When I heard that, I almost laughed.

He was half right. I had no intention of divorcing him.

I intended to be widowed.

...

Vito arched a brow, stubbed out his cigarette, and suddenly pulled her in for a deep kiss.

The people around them broke into another round of cheers, egging them on.

I stood outside the door, trembling from head to toe.

It suddenly hit me—they'd deliberately called me over. They wanted to see just how far this pathetic doormat could be pushed.

But I didn't go in.

Not because I didn't dare.

I just wasn't going to tear their little show apart with my own hands. That would let them off far too easily.

They wanted to see me lose control—wanted me to rush in like some humiliated, cast-off wife, crying, screaming, giving them fresh material to laugh about for the rest of the night.

But I wouldn't.

I stood outside the door, slowly steadying my shaking hands. My fingertip slid across the phone screen, and I dialed another number.

"Gina's drunk. She's at Noir Lounge. You should come get her."

Silence for two seconds on the other end.

I heard Kai's breathing drop sharply.

"Drinking with who?"

I answered without missing a beat:

"With friends. All guys, and they're the rowdy type. I'm worried they don't have good intentions with Gina."

Kai—Gina's husband—had done time once for assault, all because he'd lost his temper.

He was more impulsive than me. Meaner than me, too.

All I had to do was put the knife in his hand.

Kai said okay, told me he was on his way.

I hung up and turned to leave.

Gina had once boasted to me:

"Kai looks like this quiet, harmless type, but he nearly killed a guy for me once."

"And ever since then, he carries a blade on him everywhere. Just in case someone tries to mess with me again."

I'd barely made it to the entrance of the bar when Vito called.

His voice was lazy, casual.

"You're already here, aren't you?"

I parted my lips but didn't speak.

He went on, "The waiter said you stood outside for a while. So you heard everything?"

His voice was gentle—and to me, unspeakably cruel.

I let out a soft "Mm."

Vito laughed.

"Pathetic."

He was right. Everyone thought I was pathetic.

Back in school, all I ever did was trail behind Vito. If he hadn't looked out for me, I probably wouldn't have made it into university.

I let out a soft "Mm."

Vito laughed.

"Pathetic."

He was right. Everyone thought I was pathetic.

Back in school, all I ever did was trail behind Vito. If he hadn't looked out for me, I probably wouldn't have made it into university.

Two days ago, there'd been rumors linking him to a supermodel. I'd been a little unhappy about it.

So today, he'd made a point of letting me see Gina sitting in his lap.

He just wanted to drive one thing home.

He could give me the position of his wife—and he could humiliate me in front of everyone.

And I had better learn to swallow it.

That was his idea of authority.

Around them, people were egging them on, laughter ringing out shamelessly.

"No way, Amelia doesn't even dare to walk in?"

"She heard all that and she's still not coming in? Talk about a saint."

Then Gina picked up the phone, giggling.

"If I'd known you were this terrified of losing him, Amelia, we wouldn't have bothered hiding it from you all this time."

"Doing this right in front of you—it's actually kind of a thrill."

"I've test-driven your husband for you, and I gotta say, everything's top-notch. Hope you don't mind."

"Gina, keep going and she's gonna start crying."

"Vito, aren't you going to comfort her?"

The moment Gina finished, someone chimed in from the side.

This time, Vito answered—unusually serious.

"Cut it out. If she cries, I'm the one who has to soothe her afterward."

"Still, as long as I'm willing to come home, she'll put up with anything."

His tone was condescending, as if I were some vagrant living off his charity.

Then he took the phone back, and his voice came through clearer.

"Where are you? The bathroom? Let me take you home."

I looked toward the hallway. The moment he saw me, he hung up.

The expression on Vito's face was one of pure satisfaction—with a trace of malicious pleasure.

He walked over to me and ruffled my hair carelessly.

"Gina's not like you. She's just a bit of fun. You're always going to be my wife—so what's with the tears?"

"There, there. I'm not going to divorce you."

His voice held the tone of a man tossing scraps to a beloved pet.

But right then, Gina came out of the room, one hand pressed to her forehead.

She staggered—straight into Vito, with impeccable aim.

Vito's arm went around her waist, his palm resting on the bare skin above her hip.

Gina tilted her head against his chest and lifted her eyelids just enough to glance at me.

"Vito, my head hurts. They made me drink too much."

"Take me home, would you? Amelia already knows anyway. No point pretending anymore."

"She won't mind, right?"

She turned her eyes on me, the challenge in them unmistakable.

Just then, Kai messaged me, asking for the address of the bar.