It was not until after I married Bennett that I found out he had a clingy little childhood friend who loved to play the victim.

On the very first day of our marriage, at dinner, I simply asked Bennett to pass me a bite of food. She immediately exploded.

"Holly, you're disgusting! Bennett already used those utensils, and you seriously asked him to serve you food? What, don't you have hands?"

I froze, completely blindsided. Before I could even react, Bennett put down his spoon and went straight to her, wrapping her in his arms like she was the one who had been wronged.

Then he turned to me and said I should just get my own food from now on.

However, honestly, wasn't it normal for a husband to serve his wife a bite? What was so outrageous about that?

I barely got a word out before Bennett shut me down in a low, firm voice.

"That's final. If Rosie doesn't like it, then we're not doing it. End of discussion."

The moment the words hit my ears, I was swamped with confusion.

Since when did feeding at the dinner table become a marital faux pas?

I had lived long enough, yet I had never heard of such a petty thing sparking a fight between a couple.

However, there I was, caught in that ridiculous drama.

I stared at Bennett Carter; my eyes were wide with shock.

"I can't reach it! Isn't it just part of being a husband to help me with that?"

"Holly, you're not helpless. You've got hands and feet. Why can't you stand up if you can't reach it?"

His childhood sweetheart, Rosie Scott, was sobbing and fussing as she collapsed into his arms, her questions laced with fury.

"And what, you can't go without eating if you can't reach it?

"All the utensils have Bennett's drool on them. How can you stand to be so gross? How could Bennett even like you?"

I was stunned into silence by her relentless questioning.

When I snapped back to reality, Bennett was cozily feeding Rosie with his fork and knife.

I felt a surge of revulsion.

Rosie nestled against Bennett like a child, her cheeks pink as she waited for him to spoon-feed her.

I could not take it anymore. I slammed my cutlery down on the table. My voice rose as I asked, "What in the world are you two doing? Isn't this just gross?

"And Rosie, do you still think you're a kid? Haven't you heard that men and women should keep a respectful distance? And here you are, cuddling up in my husband's arms for a meal?"

However, to the couple across from me, my questions seemed like nothing more than a tantrum.

Rosie let out a haughty humph and shot me a look of pure scorn.

"What's so gross about it? Bennett and I have been like this forever. He's always fed me at meals.

"We're childhood friends, and we grew up together. How could I not know Bennett?

"I think you're the one with the dirty mind," she snapped.

Bennett did not even bother to look my way.

Their hands were a blur, taking turns feeding each other with practiced ease.

He even murmured soothing words to Rosie when she got upset, gently patting her back.

"Don't worry, Holly. Rosie's as light as a feather. Holding her is no trouble at all. She's always been clingy, and I'm used to it."

I was so furious I nearly bit through my cheek, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth.

Was that really about whether he was tired?

He was holding his childhood sweetheart close, sharing a meal and utensils.

Then why did he marry me?

He might as well have just stayed with Rosie!

After Bennett had doted on her, Rosie dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, smirking triumphantly at me, her eyes challenging.

I was so close to flipping the table, but I swallowed my anger.

"Bennett, are you going to let her down or what?"

"You think you're so perfect, Rosie? With your whining and clinging?"

Rosie burst into tears again, holding onto Bennett like a little kid.

"Bennett, I can tell Holly's not a fan of mine. Now that you're hitched, it's like I don't even exist to you."

The man's brow furrowed instantly, his voice laced with irritation.

"Holly, cut it out with the drama.

"Rosie's just a kid. She's your sister. Cut her some slack."

Was that the sister he talked about?

If only I had any clue that Bennett's so-called adorable little sister was Rosie, I would take back every single word I had ever said.

I did not even know he had a so-called little sister until the day Bennett and I tied the knot.

When he first mentioned Rosie, Bennett had that look of exasperated affection, telling me how cute she was.

He even promised I would fall for her charm the moment we met.

I was thrilled back then, vowing to love Rosie like my own blood.

However, to actually like that little sister? Yeah, right.

I swallowed the annoyance bubbling inside me.

I thought it was better to avoid the whole mess. So, I headed straight for the bedroom.

Our bedroom was still new; Bennett and I had not spent much time there.

However, standing in the master bathroom, staring at the army of shampoos, shower gels, and conditioners, I was floored.

All my stuff was still zipped up in my suitcase.

Where on earth did all those come from?

I had barely grabbed a shampoo bottle when Rosie's screech pierced the air from outside.

She glared at me, fuming.

"How dare you mess with my stuff!

"Bennett went through all the trouble to bring these back for me from abroad."

It hit me then—the shampoo in my hand was the same brand I had recently splurged on.

My hair had been a greasy, split-ended mess before the wedding, so I had begged a friend to snag me that miracle bottle from overseas.

Imagine my surprise when it vanished from my bathroom just two days later.

Anger flared up inside me like a match to a fuse.

I confronted Bennett, holding up the shampoo. "Isn't this the shampoo I bought for the wedding? How did Rosie end up with it?"

He gave me a half-hearted glance, then rushed to comfort a teary-eyed Rosie, his tone tinged with blame. "So what if it is? Rosie liked it, so I let her have it. It's not like it's something pricey."

I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt.

Sure, it was not expensive.

However, it meant the world to me before the wedding.

On the big day, I had endured sidelong glances for my unkempt hair.

"Bennett, that's mine. Since when do you get to hand out my stuff?"

That did not sit well with him. His face turned stormy, his brows knitted together, and his voice took on an edge. "What do you mean your stuff? Rosie's my sister!"

I nodded, feeling a headache coming on.

I was done arguing. I tried to kick them out of the master bedroom, but Rosie threw a fit, screaming and waving her arms. "This is my room! You're the one who should leave!

"Bennett, remember what you said? Your house is my house, and the best of everything is supposed to be mine!"

My eyes widened as a jolt of shock washed over my face.

Bennett's arms wrapped around an excited Rosie. He was whispering reassurances.

"It's yours, just like I promised. No one's going to take it from you."

My voice was high-pitched and shaky as I pointed at Bennett, my confusion turning into disbelief.

"This is supposed to be our room, our sanctuary. And you're just handing it to her? Where does that leave us?"

"We've got three bedrooms, Holly. We can sleep in any of those, right?

"It's just a bedroom, Holly. Don't be so petty. You've been on Rosie's case since dinner. She's young; she doesn't get it. As her sister, can't you let it slide just this once?"

His words cut me off, and I went quiet.

Petty?

On the first day of our marriage, that girl took over our room, and I was the petty one?

She was young?

A 24-year-old, already out in the real world, and he still called her young.

What a joke!

I could not stand another minute of their bickering. I spun on my heel, stormed into the guest room, and slammed the door shut behind me.

I thought Bennett would at least come knocking, trying to smooth things over.

However, the night dragged on, and not a peep from him, not even a lousy text.

When I opened my door the next morning, the sight of Bennett stepping out of the master bedroom stopped me in my tracks. My eyes welled up before I could even think.

He caught one look at my face and knew he had messed up. "Holly, you've got it all wrong. There's nothing going on with Rosie and me."

I just stared at him. The anger I had been bottling up since the previous bubbled to the surface, and I let out a laugh that was more a clench of teeth than anything else.

"A misunderstanding? I saw you coming out of the master bedroom. How can you call that a misunderstanding?

"And I locked the door all night and didn't hear you knock once. Where did you crash last night?"

Bennett was so worked up that his words started to trip over each other.

"It's not what you think... Holly, just let me explain.

"Rosie got so upset with you. She slept and immediately started having nightmares. I had to stay with her to try to calm her down so she could get some sleep.

"Look at me. I didn't even take off my clothes. I've been up all night!"

His clothes were a crumpled mess, and his eyes were rimmed with weariness.

I ignored his rambling and headed straight for the master bedroom.

On the bed meant for a married couple, Rosie was out like a light.

She was down to just her underwear.

Bennett kept on with his excuses right behind me.

"Rosie's only been asleep for a short while. Let's not wake her."

I bit back my anger and pointed at Rosie. "This is how you stayed with her? Just like that?"

"What's the big deal? We've been doing this since we were kids."

His words hit me like a wave, stirring up a storm of emotions.

He had always used his childhood as an excuse.

I shook with fury as I grabbed Bennett by the collar, demanding answers.

"Do you two even understand the concept of boundaries?

"One's a married man, the other's a single woman, both adults. Is it so hard to show a little decency?"

Bennett looked like he felt guilty.

He knew deep down there was nothing right about that.

However, he did not take long to jump to Rosie's defense.

"Holly, look, I see Rosie as nothing more than a sister. You've got nothing to worry about. I'd never betray you. Rosie and I? We're just friends, plain and simple," he said.

"And let's be real—if anything were going on between us, it would've happened way before you came into the picture."

He seemed to grow bolder with each word as if he had convinced himself with his own skewed logic. The accusation in his eyes was aimed right at me.

"Your mind's in the gutter—that's your problem!" he snapped.

That was when I saw him for who he truly was.

He had the guts to say such things.

He had played the role of the upright, sunny guy before we got hitched.

Then, when we were married, the act was over, or so I figured.

"Bennett, what's all this noise so early in the morning?" Rosie chimed in, seemingly oblivious to her scanty attire as she clung to Bennett.

"Is Holly already giving me a hard time?"

I watched Bennett wrap his arms around Rosie, his hand boldly resting on her backside.

My face went white as a sheet.

He had no shame, not even in front of his wife.

I felt a wave of humiliation and anger surge through me, my tears threatening to spill.

"Bennett, is this your idea of friendship? It looks to me like you're nothing but a cheater!" I blurted out.

Rosie immediately turned on the waterworks, sobbing into Bennett's chest.

"Bennett, Holly doesn't like me. You promised you'd still treat me well even after you got married. Yet now she's attacking us!"

Bennett's heart ached terribly.

His grip was fierce in my hair, his expression harsh, eyes blazing with sudden anger.

"Holly, is this how the privileged people behave?

"Thinking you can just lash out at me and Rosie?

"Do you even see me as your husband?"