Chapter 1

I attended my best friend's mother's funeral, only to find my wife there—the same wife who was supposed to be on an overseas business trip.

She was standing by his side, greeting the guests as if she were his wife.

When she saw me, panic flashed across her face. She quickly pulled me to a quiet corner and whispered:

"Tyler’s mom always wanted to see him settled down before she passed. I’m just helping him fulfill her dying wish. Don't overthink it, Ethan."

My "best friend" even put his arm around my shoulder.

"I just needed Chloe’s help to play the part, bro. Respect the dead. You’re not that petty, are you, Ethan?"

I sneered, brushing his hand off my shoulder, and shoved my wife right into his chest.

"Of course not. In fact, why don't you two celebrate a wedding alongside the funeral today?"

The lobby fell into dead silence. The surrounding guests, completely clueless about what was happening, turned to stare at us.

Chloe stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Ethan, do you even hear yourself? This is Tyler’s mom's funeral! How can you be so incredibly disrespectful?"

Me? Disrespectful?

I almost laughed out loud.

Just two days ago, she told me she had an urgent business trip. I was the one who packed her bags.

If I hadn't come to pay my respects today, I would have never known that her "business trip" was actually her playing the lady of the house at my best friend’s place.

No wonder she adamantly refused to let me drive her to the airport the other morning.

The whole thing was a lie from start to finish. How did she have the nerve to turn around and accuse me of being disrespectful?

Seeing my cold silence, Chloe probably realized she was in the wrong. She walked over and grabbed my arm.

"Ethan, please don't be like this. We can talk about this when we get home. But right now, we have to respect the dead. Tyler is your best friend. We're just helping him out. It's not like it's hurting you."

Oh, right. It wouldn't hurt me.

Even if the two of them slept in the same bed tonight, it wouldn't physically hurt me!

I violently shook off her hand. My heart felt like ice.

I stared into her pleading eyes and asked, one slow word at a time, "I’m asking you one last time. Are you coming home with me right now?"

Chloe shook her head without a second thought.

"The service just started. How can I leave now?"

I nodded. Fine. If that was her choice, then we were done.

"I’ll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers and send them to you. I wish you two a long and happy life together."

With that, I turned to leave. Tyler ran out after me.

Dressed in a black suit, his eyes slightly red, he looked at me with deep sorrow.

"I'm so sorry, Ethan. I know I didn't think this through. But it was an emergency, and I didn't have time to discuss it with you. Please don't take it to heart."

"If you want to blame someone, blame me. It has nothing to do with Chloe."

Chloe frowned in annoyance and muttered,

"Why are you explaining things to him? Do you think he'd even believe you?"

"Getting jealous over your own best friend... you really are one of a kind."

She grabbed Tyler’s arm and pulled him back inside.

"Ignore him. Let’s go back in."

Watching them pull and push at each other, I almost wanted to applaud.

So now, I was the unreasonable one?

My eyes locked onto Chloe’s hand holding Tyler’s arm, and memories started flooding back.

For instance, I hated seafood, but Tyler loved it. Chloe's signature dish was seafood paella.

She’d always make a huge batch, tell me not to let it go to waste, and ask me to bring Tyler over for dinner.

Back then, I thought she was just being kind. I didn't realize I was the idiot.

Stupid enough to invite the wolf right into my home, handing my wife over to him on a silver platter.

Whenever I went on business trips, Tyler would always say he’d look after Chloe for me.

"A brother's wife is my own family. Just let me know if she needs anything," he’d say.

But was she really just "family" to him?

They were practically a couple, and I was just the annoying third wheel!

Tyler patted Chloe’s hand and stepped back in front of me.

He gave me a deep bow. "I'm really sorry, Ethan. I didn't think this through. If you're uncomfortable, I'll go inside right now and clear things up with everyone."

"Even if it upsets my mom's spirit, I can't do this to my best friend!"

He said the right words, but I didn't see a single shred of genuine apology in his eyes.

"Sure, go ahead."