On our honeymoon, my wife said she wanted to prepare a surprise for me.

I waited at the top of the mountain for more than three hours. Even with heavy rain pouring down, she never showed up.

Just as I was about to leave, I saw an Instagram Story from her childhood sweetheart at a hotel halfway up the mountain.

In the photo, the two of them lie on a bed covered with rose petals, their fingers interlocked. Her ring finger was bare.

On her half-exposed chest were red scratches and faint bite marks.

The caption read, [A short absence is better than a new marriage.]

I felt sick and left a comment under the post, [You got bit by a dog, remember to get a tetanus shot.]

——

The moment I saw the photo, my first thought was that Kendall was heartbroken. I didn’t want this anymore.

So when she called me for the first time to explain, I only said one word. “Divorce.”

Kendall Hayes was silent for a moment. “Can you stop being so jealous? Nolan Hale and I grew up together, like brothers. What’s wrong with joking around? People with dirty minds see everything as dirty.”

“Besides, we only met by chance. It was raining and he wasn’t feeling well. I was worried something might happen to him, so I brought him to my room to shelter from the rain.”

The more she explained, the more guilty she felt. She seemed to have forgotten that it was my poor health that forced me to run the company. She was willing to let others call me a gigolo, but she still excused herself this way.

I cut her off impatiently. “I’m still at the top of the mountain. I waited for you three hours and another hour in the rain. There’s no shelter here and I didn’t dare go down too soon, afraid the heavy rain would cause a landslide.”

When Kendall heard I was in danger, she grew anxious. “Wait for me. I’ll pick you up.”

I waited another hour.

Even after the rain stopped, Kendall still hadn’t come.

The mountain road was muddy and difficult to navigate. After just a few steps, mud splattered all over me.

I sneezed several times and suddenly felt my heart sink into the muck, uncomfortable and nauseated.

When I got home, I took a hot shower.

Later, I saw Nolan’s new post. [Others have Prince Charming, but I have Princess Charming. No matter how heavy the rain, I’m not afraid—my Princess Charming will bring me home.]

Kendall, who never liked or commented on my posts, had replied, [Always protect my prince.]

When I refreshed my feed, there was only a horizontal line. I wondered if Kendall had blocked me.

My headache raged, so I took a few cold pills and fell asleep.

Not long after, Kendall pulled back the covers. Her face was dark with displeasure.

“Why didn’t you wait for me? I’m hungry. Get up and make me dinner. And make another bowl of vegetable soup. Nolan got caught in the rain. I’ll take it to him later.”

I woke suddenly, my headache worse and snapped impatiently. “Didn’t Nolan feed you enough?”

Kendall shot to her feet, glaring at me.

“Zayden Cole! Must you keep going on like this? Didn’t I explain already? I was late because of traffic. Do you have to be so angry on our anniversary? I even wanted to surprise you.”

She tossed a small box at me. It hit the corner of my eye, making tears spring from the pain.

Shocked, she rushed over to check my wound.

As she leaned close, a strong fragrance filled my nose, the same shampoo Nolan often used.

I could almost picture her fingers running through Nolan’s hair, her face soft with tenderness.

Disgusted, I pushed her away and looked at the box on the floor.

The watch had fallen out—the one I had always loved, the one Nolan wore. But its cheap shine gave it away.

In this marriage, Nolan received the real watch and true love. All I ever got was lie after lie.

I didn’t even bother to ask who the surprise at the villa was meant for.

“It’s one in the morning.” I looked straight at Kendall. “The honeymoon is over. So is our marriage.”

“Alright, stop being angry. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Her face was filled with distress when she saw the blood seeping from the corner of my eye.

Ignoring how weak I was, she dragged me out of bed by force.

Kendall pretended to act like a caring wife, insisting on taking me to the hospital. I was so dazed I didn’t even grab a coat.

The car was cold, so I hugged the stuffed bear tightly to my chest.

Looking closer, I saw a big cross drawn across its face. It felt like a direct provocation.

Kendall noticed my expression. “Last time I picked up Nolan, he said this bear was cute and just doodled on it. Please don’t be mad at him. I’ll buy you a new one tomorrow.”

“Come on, stop sulking. You’re already old, not earning money to support the family, yet you cling to broken stuffed bears every day. I don’t even dislike you, so what right do you have to be angry?”

That bear had been bought for me by my late grandmother. Kendall knew that.

I quietly wiped its face clean, feeling sorry for it, unwilling to say another word.

Just then, Nolan called.

“Is that old man asleep yet? Forget him, drink with us. Madison and Brooklyn are here, too.”

Kendall glanced at me awkwardly. “He’s next to me.”

“Then bring your brother-in-law. Stop acting like an old man.”

As soon as Kendall saw the location Nolan sent, she turned the car around.

“I don’t want to go. I want to go home!”

The word drink pulled me back to humiliating memories.

That had been my first time meeting Kendall’s friends. I had prepared carefully, but all I got was ridicule. They knew I couldn’t hold liquor, yet they took turns trying to get me drunk.

They even took photos of me in that state and posted them online.

And to send Nolan home, Kendall left me passed out and alone in the bar.

When I woke, my phone and wallet were gone and a group of malicious strangers surrounded me.

Although my manager rescued me that night, the fear still made me tremble. Kendall, however, had long forgotten.

“Don’t be so selfish, okay? What’s wrong with meeting an old friend? I’ve never stopped you from socializing.”

“Then drop me off. I’ll go home.”

My head felt heavy and all I wanted was rest. I had no energy to argue.

“No. If you don’t go, you’re not giving my friend face and you’re not giving me face. You have to come tonight!”

Her stubborn temper flared again. Seeing the look on my face, she added, “Be good. Just say hello and we’ll leave. Don’t upset me again.”

By the time we arrived, it was already past two in the morning.

Nolan greeted Kendall with a warm hug the moment they met.

Then Nolan looked me up and down. “Zayden, you’re still so arrogant! Are you mad at me? How petty! Kendall and I have known each other for so many years. If something happened, would it be your turn to marry her?”

As he spoke, a group of people pulled Kendall over and sat her down.

There were only four seats. I was the only one left standing.

“Hey, we’ve been friends since childhood. We’re used to this. There’s no extra seat…” Nolan glanced around, then smiled at me.

“Why don’t you just go back? You won’t understand what we’re talking about anyway.”

He sat proudly in the middle, everyone’s focus, his face smug.

I sighed softly but stayed where I was.

Back when I truly loved Kendall, I tried hard to accept her friends and fit into her world.

But every gathering ended the same, Nolan leading the way, reminiscing about the past.

He mocked my background, talked about things I couldn’t respond to and left me alone. This time, he used the same tricks again.

Sensing the awkwardness, Madison stood up and offered me her seat.

“Zayden, you sit.”

Looking at Madison, I suddenly remembered.

She had asked Kendall more than once, “How could Zayden compare to Nolan? Why did you marry him?”

And what did Kendall say?

“I had a fight with Nolan back then and I acted on impulse. I regretted it a long time ago, but I also felt sorry for Zayden because he chased after me for so many years.”

Thinking of this, I sighed softly.

“Don’t bother. Let’s get a divorce. That’s enough space.”

In a marriage between two people, there was no room for a third.

Kendall looked at me in shock.

All these years of marriage, I had never embarrassed her in front of her friends.

Before, no matter how late she stayed out drinking, I would pick her up without complaint.

But now, I no longer wanted to put myself in such a humiliating position for her.

Madison and Brooklyn rushed over to ease the tension, but Nolan only sneered and took Kendall’s hand.

“Only the most useless men threaten divorce,” he said mockingly.

Kendall’s face turned dark with embarrassment. She glared at me.

“Zayden, have I been too good to you? Have I spoiled you? You’re just a son-in-law, living off me. Did you forget how you once begged me not to divorce you?”

I picked up my phone and left without a word. I would never beg her again.

When Nolan first returned to the US, Kendall and I argued many times over their overly close relationship.

Each time, Kendall would say, “If you can’t stand it, then divorce me!”

Back then, I was still drowning in false love. I always gave in, apologizing again and again, admitting my mistakes and begging for her forgiveness.

I had once knelt outside her door in the silence of the night, crying bitterly. But Kendall only used my tolerance and my love as excuses to trample on me.

This time, I refused to bow my head again.

I went home, packed my things and moved into the small house I had bought before we married.

I had bought it with my own savings. When Kendall found out about it, it led to a fight between us.

“Only a fool would buy an apartment. It’s so small and far away—it’s embarrassing. You should’ve used the money to buy a car instead. Then I could drive around with dignity.”

Later, my parents bought me a top-tier luxury car as part of the wedding gift and Kendall was finally satisfied.

I was grateful I hadn’t listened to her advice.