Chapter 2

Effie Henson was the private doctor who had been assigned to Eugene three months ago.

Foreign-educated, beautiful, with a résumé so impressive it practically glowed.

The first time she came to the house to give Eugene a check-up, the way she looked at me was off.

I knew that look all too well.

She was sizing up whether I was good enough for him.

But when she spoke to Eugene, her tone was gentle enough to drip.

"Mr. Harding, your wife's hearing problem could actually be corrected with cochlear implant surgery."

Eugene shook his head.

"I asked the specialists. Her condition is unusual—the surgery is too risky."

Effie nodded and said nothing more.

But that night, when I got up and passed by the study, I saw her sitting on Eugene's lap.

Their lips were very close together.

"She really doesn't know anything?"

"She's deaf." Eugene let out a laugh. "Even if she heard, she couldn't make it out."

I stood outside the door, my fingers clenched tight around the edge of my nightgown.

It felt like I'd been punched hard in the chest.

I told myself it was just a momentary lapse.

Men get tempted, their heads turn for a moment—he'll come back to me, I comforted myself.

After all, we'd been together three years.

After all, he used to love me so much.

But what I got instead was Effie moving into my home, on the excuse that it would be more convenient to manage my health.

Eugene's reasons were lofty and proper.

"Lena, you're not well, and I'm swamped with work. If Dr. Henson lives here, she can look after you anytime."

I looked at him and nodded.

On the first night Effie stayed in the guest room, at two in the morning, I heard the door next to mine open.

The footsteps passed my room and went toward the master bedroom.

I lay there with my eyes open until dawn.

The next morning at breakfast, Effie walked past me wearing Eugene's shirt.

I recognized that shirt—it was the birthday gift I'd given him last year.

She said something to me. I didn't catch it; I only saw her lips curve into an arc.

Eugene came out of the bedroom and froze when he saw what she was wearing.

"Effie, go change."

"What's wrong?" Effie blinked and looked down at the shirt. "Is it too big? I just grabbed something this morning. I didn't realize it was yours."

Eugene shot me a quick glance.

I couldn't read that look in his eyes.

I lowered my head and drank my porridge, the steam from the bowl stinging my eyes.

So it turned out that some things really do slowly go sour.

I quietly peeled my egg, pretending I hadn't seen a thing.