After the secret agent squad finished their mission, I heard the team teasing Scarlett Grey, "Scarlett, you and the captain take it easy this time. Don’t toss the bed until it falls apart again."

"You should tell Carter to be gentler, not me." Scarlett wore a sly smile, "And don’t go spreading nonsense in front of my husband tomorrow."

Seeing her take out her cell phone, the team members exchanged knowing smirks, "What’s for your husband is love, but what’s for Captain Brooks is desire. Scarlett, you’re truly diplomatic."

The next second, my phone buzzed.

Listening to Scarlett talk about how much she missed me, my heart sank to the depths.

She didn’t know I had secretly joined the squad as their intelligence analyst, accompanying her on every mission.

I hadn’t closed my eyes the entire night when she and Carter Brooks shared their first night together.

After ending the call with Scarlett, I dialed another number. "I accept your offer. I’ll leave the squad and settle into a quiet life."

A clear, calm voice replied, "Good. After the success of the decapitation operation, we’ll leave the country together. Just three days from now."

——

Meanwhile, Scarlett and Carter swere still flirting in the team’s group call as if no one else existed. The others laughed, calling them ‘Mr. and Mrs.’ like it was an inside joke everyone was in on.

Carter had joined the squad three months ago. During a mission, he’d been drugged. Scarlett, ever impulsive, stepped into his room. Three whole days and nights passed before Carter emerged from the room, looking deeply satisfied. Behind him, Scarlett had a flush of shame on her face.

Not long after, Carter became the squad’s captain—thanks in no small part to Scarlett’s influence. On every mission, they were inseparable, sharing rooms at every opportunity.

I’d known all of this for a while now, but today, I still couldn’t stop the ache in my chest. With a trembling hand, I pulled up the surveillance feed of Scarlett’s room.

In the high-definition footage, she was pressed against the floor-to-ceiling window by Carter, a layer of mist fogging up the glass. The two were entangled, seemingly inseparable. It wasn’t until four or five hours later that things finally came to an end.

Scarlett walked into the bathroom, and Carter tried to follow, only to be unceremoniously shut out, "Stay away from me!", she said coldly. "I’m going home, and I don’t want my husband to smell someone else on me."

Carter’s voice dropped, "I’ve been with you through life and death, but I’m still not as good as that useless man?"

Scarlett pulled Carter’s collar close and left an ambiguous kiss on him. But her words were like ice, "I only love my husband. Don’t dwell on it—it’s undignified. And don’t forget, we agreed from the start: no strings attached.".

Carter held her tightly, "I regret it. I want all of you."

But Scarlett’s resolve didn’t waver. Her face turned cold as she pulled away, "I promised Henry I’d stay with him after this mission."

Without a second glance, she left.

When Scarlett came home, I was sitting on the couch, reading a book. She smelled of the light, fresh perfume I’d personally chosen for her—an accomplice now, masking her guilt. But as she approached me, I caught the faintest trace of something else—something that belonged to Carter.

No matter how thoroughly she washed, there were always lingering signs of another man. She straddled me, her hands sliding under my shirt, signaling her intentions.

“Honey, shall we make a baby?”, as Scarlett whispered, her warm breath tickling my skin, I could no longer keep up the facade.

Without a word, I gently pushed her away and rushed into the bathroom. Scrubbing every inch of skin she had touched until it was red, I finally slumped against the wall, my body trembling.

A child? Did she really think I didn’t know? Inside her, she was already carrying Carter' child. What made her think I’d ever be willing to raise another man’s child?

After what felt like an eternity, I stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a mask of calm. Feigning concern, I asked, “When’s your next mission?”

“In three days. It’s a big operation.”. She hesitated, then added apologetically, “Honey, I’m so sorry. It’s on our anniversary, so I won’t be able to spend it with you.”

I forced a smile, “It’s okay. Just try to come home early afterward. I’ve prepared a gift for you.”

Scarlett’s face lit up with an unrestrained smile. “Okay! I’ll be the first to rush back and see the surprise my husband has for me!”

I turned away, and my smile vanished instantly. Will seeing my lifeless body surprise you?

***

The next morning, Scarlett woke me up with her usual tricks, igniting heat across my body. “Hubby, the team’s having a get-together at the headquarters restaurant today. Come with me. But for now, let’s... well…”

Pretending not to catch her hint, I got up and headed straight to the bathroom. A flicker of confusion crossed Scarlett’s face.

Later that day, using my cover as an ordinary civilian, I passed through the headquarters' security checks with ease.

As I entered the restaurant, I could hear snippets of conversation among the team, “The intelligence analyst isn’t coming again, huh? He’s way too mysterious.”

“Yeah, we’ve been working with him for three or four years now, and none of us have ever seen him. All I know is that he’s young.”

“In my opinion, that analyst has feelings for Scarlett. Every time there’s intel, she’s always the first one he informs.”

I lowered my head, hiding my expression. They weren’t wrong. I had joined this mess because of Scarlett.

She’d been determined to become an agent, and I couldn’t bear to stand in the way of her dream. So I had accepted the Secret Service’s invitation, with one condition: whenever there was intel, I’d be the first to relay it to her squad. And that was how I first learned of her betrayal. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Scarlett, noticing my change in demeanor, turned to the team with a sharp glare.

“What’s with all this nonsense?” she snapped.

The team members scrambled to their feet like schoolchildren caught misbehaving.

“Scarlett, we didn’t mean anything by it! Please don’t take it to heart, brother-in-law.”

“Yeah, everyone here knows Scarlett only loves you. Every time she’s on a mission, she always takes your picture with her.”

“Exactly! She calls you whenever she can. You’re all she thinks about!” Their earnest faces would have convinced anyone. Anyone who didn’t already know the truth.

Across the room, Carter sat in the corner. Slowly, he stood, his face smug with satisfaction. “Henry,” he said, his voice steady. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Our eyes locked, and the undisguised hostility in his gaze was palpable. If Scarlett weren’t here, he wouldn’t have bothered to put on the charade.

At the dinner table, Scarlett played the perfect wife, peeling shrimp for me, filling my plate, and speaking with a sweet, gentle tone. The rest of the team cooed and teased us like we were a couple from a romance novel.

But Carter’s expression darkened as he drank glass after glass of liquor, his mood sinking further with each sip.

After three rounds of drinks, even I felt slightly lightheaded.

Carter stumbled out of the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake. Moments later, Scarlett received a message. She abruptly stood up, her cheeks and earlobes turning crimson.

When she noticed my questioning gaze, she quickly composed herself, forcing a calm tone.

“Honey, I was injured during the last mission, and the doctor advised me not to drink. I’ll head to the infirmary for a bit. You stay here and enjoy yourself with the others.”

With hurried steps, she left the room. A soft vibration came from my pocket—her message.

[Come to Room 302. There’s a surprise.]

The tone was cold, unlike Scarlett's usual warmth. Was it Carter’s provocation?

I lowered my gaze and ignored it, quietly pulling out my phone and accessing the intranet’s surveillance feed instead. The scene unfolding on the screen was nothing short of debauchery.

Carter, now dressed in a sheer, water-soaked shirt, leaned against Scarlett with predatory confidence. His toned muscles glistened under the light, exuding an allure Scarlett couldn’t seem to resist. Her flushed face and dreamy gaze betrayed her eagerness as she lay on the bed, waiting.

Carter grinned, satisfied, as he leaned in closer. But today, Scarlett seemed more impatient than usual, urging Carter to hurry up. She had no time for foreplay or idle talk—she was focused only on satisfying her desires so she could return home to play the role of a “loving wife.”

But then Scarlett’s eyes caught something on her phone—a message Carter had sent without her knowledge.

Her blood ran cold. The haze of passion dissipated in an instant. Scarlett shot up from the bed, her voice sharp and laced with fury. “You’d better hope my husband didn’t see this, or I’ll make sure you regret it!”

She stormed out of the room, ignoring Carter’s desperate pleas to stay. Her heels clattered loudly against the stairs as she rushed down, nearly twisting her ankle in her frantic pace.

But the fear of what awaited her if I had seen that message far outweighed the pain. Terrifying thoughts raced through her mind. “Did Henry see the message? Did he go to Room 302?” The consequences were too awful to imagine.

When Scarlett finally pushed open the restaurant door and saw me sitting calmly at the table, she exhaled a long breath of relief.

She threw herself into my arms, gasping for air. “Honey… you didn’t see the message I sent, right?”

I smiled, shaking my head. “My phone died earlier. What message? Was it important?”

Relief flooded her features. Her voice turned syrupy sweet, like honey dripping from a comb. “It’s nothing. Just having you by my side is all that matters.”

The other team members chuckled and began to tease her.

“Scarlett, the tigress, has turned into a kitten!”

“Henry, you have no idea. Scarlett is the strongest, scariest woman on the team. But today, she’s all soft and sweet!”

“Tsk, tsk. Henry, you should come around more often. Maybe Scarlett will stop scolding us so much!”

The room erupted in laughter.

***

Moments later, Carter entered, his face composed, though the flicker of bitterness in his eyes was unmistakable. “Yes, with Henry here, Scarlett seems so… different,” he said, his smile just wide enough to mask his spite.

He raised his glass in a toast. “To Henry—take good care of Scarlett. There are quite a few folks in the General Agents Department with their eye on her.”

I played along, feigning interest. “Oh? Is that so? Who in particular?”

Carter raised an eyebrow, his grin turning smug. “Well, there’s someone on this very team who admires her.”

Scarlett’s face darkened instantly, her smile faltering as panic flickered in her eyes. She forced a laugh, her tone overly light. “Don’t be ridiculous, Carter. Honey, he’s just joking.”

Carter leaned back in his chair, his expression defiant. “Of course, Henry, it’s just casual talk. Don’t read too much into it.”

But his tone betrayed his intentions—he wanted me to doubt her. Scarlett, clearly rattled, quickly tugged on my arm, her voice trembling slightly. “Let’s go home, Henry.”

I nodded, rising to my feet. The air between us felt heavy with unspoken truths as we left the restaurant together.