Chapter 3

His eyes swept over me with a critical look, finally locking onto the new scarf wrapped around my neck.

I had bought it a week ago while shopping by myself. It had been nearly three years since I last bought any new clothes, let alone went out just for fun.

I had been walking past a boutique window when I saw this scarf. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off it. I walked in, but after waiting for several minutes, no salesperson came over. Just as I was about to leave, a young man, around twenty-four or five, called out to me.

Honestly, he was incredibly handsome.

I found it a bit strange; with his striking looks and classy vibe, he didn't look like a typical retail worker at all. He looked more like a rich heir who had been pampered his entire life.

And for some reason, his eyes lit up the moment he saw me.

"Hi there! Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked, walking over with a warm smile that revealed a cute snaggletooth.

I snapped out of my daze and pointed at the window. "I'd like to try on that scarf, please."

"Of course!" he said quickly.

He hurried over to the display, looking a bit clumsy as he carefully untangled the scarf from the mannequin's neck. Watching him, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

Hearing my laugh, his cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Here you go. You're so beautiful, this scarf will look amazing on you."

"Beautiful?" I whispered. I couldn't even remember the last time someone had complimented me. All I ever heard from Austin was how old, tired, and plain I looked. Hearing it so suddenly made me freeze.

The young man nodded eagerly. "Yes! Beautiful! You really are gorgeous."

I laughed again, draped it around my neck, and realized I absolutely loved it.

But then, hesitation crept in. Years of being extremely frugal had been hardwired into my brain. Even though we had plenty of money now, I couldn't shake the guilt of spending on myself.

Seeing my hesitation, the boy quickly said, "Actually, we're having a special sale today! This scarf is heavily discounted—like, almost fifty percent off!"

"Really?" My eyes lit up. If it was on sale, I didn't have to feel so guilty.

He nodded vigorously. "Absolutely!"

I happily told him to ring it up. When he handed me the receipt, it was only about eighty dollars. A warm sense of satisfaction washed over me.

"I'm Julian, by the way. It was really nice meeting you," he smiled as he handed me the shopping bag. "If you ever need anything else, just come back to this store. I'll make sure you get the best discounts."

I nodded and gave him a warm smile back.

My mind snapped back to the present. Austin was still glaring at my scarf, his brows knitted tightly.

I tried to walk past him, but his arm remained firmly in my way.

"How much was that scarf?" he demanded.

I blinked. "Just around eighty dollars. Why?"

"Seriously?" He snapped his head up to glare at me.

"Yes, seriously," I replied, completely honest. "Do you want to see the receipt?"

"Hah! Unbelievable!"

Austin suddenly lunged forward, shoving me hard. I stumbled back, my back crashing into the wall. The bowl of hot oatmeal I was holding spilled all over my forearm, and a searing, burning pain immediately shot up my arm.

"Chloe! How did you become so disgusting?!" Austin pointed a finger in my face, screaming. "You're so vain, so greedy! And you have the nerve to lie to me?!"

I fought back the tears stinging my eyes, leaning against the wall as I struggled to stand. "What are you talking about?!"

I couldn't suppress the years of resentment and pain bubbling up inside me anymore.

"I've been with you since I was sixteen, Austin! You're willing to throw a hundred and fifty thousand dollars at your side chick, but you're screaming at your legal wife over an eighty-dollar scarf?!"

"Slap!" Austin lunged forward and slapped me across the face.

"I've been way too nice to you, Chloe! If you're so starved for attention, why don't you go sell your body on the streets? Let's see if any man would even look at you!"

Then, he sneered, "You're not young anymore, and that's not my fault. Trust me, once you get a taste of someone younger, you'll do the exact same thing. I haven't done anything wrong!"

My head whipped to the side, my ears ringing from the impact. My forearm was already blistering and turning a nasty shade of red.

"Let's go," Austin barked, grabbing Amber's arm and pulling her toward the exit.

The front door slammed shut behind them with a deafening "thud" that shook me to my core.

I slid down the wall onto the cold floor and finally burst into tears. Looking at the spilled food and the absolute trainwreck of my marriage, I felt completely hollow inside.