"How's Anne? Need me to take care of her?" I yelled through the foggy bathroom door, worried Edward couldn't hear me.
"No, I'll check on her soon," came his distant reply.
"You still have to work. Let me handle it," I insisted.
"She needs me, not you!" His voice was sharp.
Pausing, I considered our predicaments. Anne was in the hospital with an anal fissure, a painful but hardly life-threatening condition. Yet here I was, feeling like the truly wounded party, emotionally abandoned for a woman who wasn't even his blood relative.
Had he really forsaken everything for Anne? Was she merely his sister, or was there something more? My thoughts were a whirlwind as I leaned against the door, laughter mingling with tears. Men, I thought bitterly, they're all the same.
The water in the bathroom was still running. Looking at myself in the mirror, I suddenly felt a wave of self-loathing. "What's the point of this lingerie?" I muttered, yanking it off and throwing it at the clothes rack. But then, I noticed a pair of black pants with a phone peeking out of the pocket.
In our four years of marriage, we both believed that love and privacy were equally important, so we never looked at each other's phones.
But today, driven by a cocktail of betrayal and desperation, I decided to snoop. Edward had driven Anne to the hospital, and here I was, the deceived wife. Grabbing the phone, I dove under the covers of our bed, seeking some semblance of shelter.
I was super nervous. They say curiosity killed the cat, and indeed, no one checks their spouse's phone and comes out unscathed.
I was scared of finding evidence of Edward and Anne's affair. If I did, there'd be no turning back; I'd have to get a divorce. Of course, if I found nothing, I still wouldn't be at ease. The seed of doubt had already been planted, and only a clear explanation from Edward could remove it.
Whether it was due to shaking hands or nervousness, I kept entering the wrong password.
The screen kept displaying: Incorrect password, please try again in 30 seconds.
My heart was pounding as I quickly ran through all the possible passwords in my mind, thinking the next one would be correct.
Suddenly, the covers were yanked off my head. The force was so strong that my whole body was exposed.
"What are you doing?" Edward roared, his upper body bare, showing off a neatly arranged set of eight-pack abs. He was wrapped in a gray towel from the waist down, with a mysterious V-line leading to places that made my imagination run wild.
"I'm sorry, honey." My voice was soft, carrying the guilt of a thief caught red-handed, unsure of what to say to break the awkwardness.
Edward's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes filled with anger. He reached out to grab the phone, and I, thinking he was going to hit me, instinctively dodged.
Edward snatched the phone, glanced at it, and his expression softened a bit. I guessed it was because he saw I hadn't managed to unlock it.
Edward's mood suddenly lifted, and his voice carried excitement. "I get it, you stripped naked to seduce me." Only then did I realize I was completely naked. I wanted to cover myself, but there was nothing nearby. I tried to get up to put on some clothes, but Edward's large hand pressed against my chest.
My heart warmed. I thought, if Edward apologized, I would still choose to love him. After all, Edward was my true love.
I had met Edward when I was six years old, and since then, he had been the person I held in my heart. Twenty years of secret love had etched every expression and movement of Edward deeply into my mind.
Despite everything, my love for him was ingrained, a habit formed over two decades since we first met as children.
Edward's hand caressed my chest, pinching my sensitive nipple. The electric sensation shot straight to my brain. I arched my chest, longing for Edward to grip me harder, even to use his lips and tongue on my erect nipple.
I was ready for the sensation, but Edward pulled his hand away from my chest, patted my head, and his stern jawline softened, his eyes turning gentle. "I need to stay with Anne for a while. After some time, we can go out and have some fun."
Seeing Edward's softened attitude, I quickly asked, "How did Anne get hurt? Why did she go to the hospital so late?"
"Nothing. She just had a relapse of her old illness."
Edward's usually firm and determined eyes showed a hint of evasion.
When will Anne's old illness ever end?
When Edward and I first got married, Anne had a serious illness, but no one told me what it was. Their whole family was very tense, so I guessed it was quite severe.
At that time, I didn't understand the situation. While other newlyweds went abroad for their honeymoon, we took Anne abroad for medical treatment.
With three people together, one was always the third wheel.
Among the three of us, I was the third wheel, and the one being fought over was Edward. No, to be more precise, Anne didn't need to fight; Edward was already hers.
Anne was young, not yet an adult, and sick. What could I do but endure? I swallowed my anger and pretended to be magnanimous in front of the Howard Family.
But after missing that opportunity, Edward and I never traveled together again.
Edward knew my obsession, but he did nothing. I decided to push him, asking directly, "Will it be just the two of us?"
Faced with my question, Edward hesitated.
I continued, "Let's go abroad and make up for our honeymoon. It's time we had a child; Mom is getting anxious."
Maybe Edward thought of his past neglect of me, or maybe he remembered his mother's advice. His brows furrowed and then relaxed, and he finally nodded.
"Which country do you want to go to?" At that moment, a strand of hair fell in front of my eyes. Edward saw it and gently tucked it behind my ear. In that instant, my heart was filled with both love and hate. If it weren't for Anne, how happy we could have been.
I forced a smile, imitating Anne's coquettish manner, and said in a playful tone, "The first stop should be our own country, our villa, right here on this bed!"
As I spoke, I slowly spread my white legs, which immediately captivated Edward. I seemed to see Edward's Adam's apple move, as if he was swallowing his saliva. His dick was as hard as steel, pressing against my thigh.
I was already burning with desire, longing for Edward to enter my body and thrust. However, just as we were about to engage in a passionate, intimate act, Edward's phone rang inopportunely.
[Edward!] A message appeared in the notification bar.
I didn't know if it was because of the text, but Edward's dick on my thigh grew thicker and hotter, and he became more excited.
Then came several more photos in quick succession.
[Edward, do I look good?]
[Aren't you done with your shower? When are you coming back?]
Anne was always so enthusiastic and talkative, even her messages were rapid-fire.
Edward let go of me, but I wrapped my legs around his waist.
"Don't go." My lips were close to Edward's ear, my nimble tongue sucking on his earlobe. I grabbed Edward's finger, put it in my mouth, and mimicked the motions of sex, licking it in and out, seductively urging him to continue.
Edward's voice was hoarse as he slapped my thigh. "Forget it, next time."
With that, Edward tied his towel and hurried downstairs.
In this house, Anne and I had different roles. Anne was the pampered child of the family, a privileged heiress, while I had to be considerate, gentle, and consider the broader perspective.
In the past, if Edward said something like that, I would obediently lie down and taste the bitterness of loneliness.
But now it was different. Once the seed of doubt takes root, it won't stop growing.
I quickly got out of bed, barefoot, and chased downstairs, only to witness a scene that humiliated me.