Chapter 2

When I still hadn't said anything, Viola looked at me, confused.

"Antony, what on earth is wrong with you?"

She hurried over to my side.

She seemed genuinely worried about me.

That look didn't seem faked.

She touched my forehead.

"You don't have a fever."

I caught her hand and pulled it away from my forehead.

"What's going on with Jack's profile photo?"

Viola tensed, plainly.

"What?"

I looked at her and said it out, word by word.

"In his profile photo, it's you and him together, holding a newborn baby."

The guilt in Viola's eyes flickered and vanished, and she smiled.

"That's his kid."

"So what?"

"My childhood friend isn't allowed to have a kid?"

"Are you jealous of other people having babies again?"

I looked at her and wanted to demand the truth, loudly.

But somehow I felt like I'd suddenly gone mute, unable to force out a sound.

Viola shook her head.

"You don't actually want a child, do you?"

"We agreed before we got married. We were going to have a childfree marriage, no kids, ever."

"Are you telling me you want to break our agreement?"

Every word she said drove deep into me.

I used nearly all the strength I had.

At last I broke through the lock in my throat.

I forced out the question.

"He's not even married. How does he have a kid?"

Faced with my questioning.

Viola said, clearly less sure of herself now.

"I'm not really clear on that. Jack said it was his kid with his ex."

"His girlfriend gave birth and then took off."

"So he's raising the baby on his own."

Watching her lie so brazenly, without even a blush.

The ache in me only cut sharper.

I pressed a hand to my chest and asked again.

"Then why is it you and him holding the baby in that photo, like the three of you are the family?"

Faced with me pressing again and again.

Viola turned away, guilty.

I said, "Don't you think that baby looks a lot like you?"

"Enough!" With her back to me, Viola covered her ears.

As if she couldn't stand to hear any more.

I asked, "Is it that you can't explain, or that you won't?"

"Antony, will you stop making a scene?"

Viola turned to face me, anger and resentment on her face.

"Normally you're a bit childish, you throw your little fits, and I put up with it. But what are you getting at now?"

"Are you actually accusing me of cheating?"

"How can your mind be this filthy?"

"Jack is my childhood friend. What's between us is the purest friendship."

She shouted louder than anyone.

As if she were the one who'd been terribly wronged.

But she had no idea what all of this was doing to me.

It was like a knife driven hard through my heart.

With every complaint she made.

That knife pushed in another inch.

I stared at her, at how she lied without a flicker of shame, and asked, "How long are you going to keep lying to me?"

Viola screamed.

"Antony, you're suspicious of me? You doubt me?"

"We've been married seven years."

"Seven whole years together, and you don't have a shred of trust in me?"

"You really, truly disappoint me!"