Chapter 3

On Valentine's Day evening, The Glasshouse—renowned for its romance and exorbitant prices—was dripping with a sweet, festive atmosphere.

Roses, candlelight, and soft jazz... everything was incredibly dreamy.

I sat in an obscure corner, hidden behind the shadow of a large plant, staring coldly at the booth by the window.

There, my "best friend" Marcus and my wife Chloe were sitting side by side, looking incredibly cozy.

Chloe was wearing the champagne-colored silk dress I had bought for her just a few days ago.

Of course, in her mind now, it was a "thoughtful" gift from Marcus.

Under the warm candlelight, her face blossomed with smiles as she listened to Marcus talk big, her eyes sparkling with the same admiration I used to know so well.

Marcus looked on top of the world, gesturing wildly as he spoke, occasionally wrapping his arm around Chloe's bare shoulder.

His face was a picture of smug satisfaction. He was clearly loving the thrill of using my money and my ideas to win over my wife.

From a distance, seeing them clink glasses and share intimate hugs, my blood boiled. I had to restrain myself from walking over and flipping their table.

But I held back. A moment of impatience would ruin the entire plan.

The timing was just right.

I looked down at my phone. The screen lit up with a delivery notification.

"Your package is being delivered. Please be ready to receive it."

A minutes later, a delivery guy in a uniform walked up to Marcus, carrying a sturdy, tightly sealed, specially ventilated box.

"Mr. Marcus, your express delivery. Please sign here."

A look of curiosity flashed across Marcus's face, which quickly turned into deep, romantic smugness.

He took the heavy box, placed it carefully in the center of the table, and looked at Chloe with a gaze so tender it could melt butter.

"Chloe, this is the special Valentine's gift I got for you. I hope you love it."

Chloe covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes filled with pampered happiness. "Oh my gosh, Marcus! You got me a gift? It's such a big box! What is it? I'm so excited!"

"Babe, why don't you open it yourself and find out?"

Marcus said smoothly, his voice dripping with confidence.

"I promise, this is a one-of-a-kind gift. You'll never forget it for the rest of your life."

"Really? Okay, I'm opening it!"

With a warm flush of happiness on her cheeks, basking in the envious glances from neighboring tables, Chloe eagerly tore off the packing tape with a boastful flair.

Marcus casually picked up his wine glass, a victorious smile playing on his lips, waiting to bask in her ecstatic screams and have her throw herself into his arms.

*Riiip—*

The tape was torn, the cardboard unbuckled, and the lid slowly lifted...

Time seemed to freeze in that exact second.

Every drop of color drained from Chloe's face. Her pupils dilated, her eyes filled with absolute horror.

"AAAHHH!"

A blood-curdling shriek shattered the restaurant's elegant jazz music.

Marcus was startled by her scream. He instinctively leaned forward to look into the open box.

With just one glance, his blood ran ice-cold. His scalp went numb, and a shiver of pure terror shot straight up his spine.

Inside the box, there was no cute, fluffy pet.

Instead, it was a writhing, slithering mass of venomous, striped snakes.