Chapter 3

All I could hear were the sounds of their intimate entanglement coming from the room beside me. "Herbie, are you really that obsessed with my body? I can't take it anymore..." Vivian said. "I spent 30 million—of course I want to enjoy myself, you little vixen..." Herbert said. Vivian was drowning in pleasure. "Ah... Herbie..." ... The next morning, when the sun was already out, Herbert finally opened the bathroom door. "So? Do you know what you did wrong?" I was slumped on the floor, eyes red, hands trembling. Herbert frowned. "It was just some time to reflect in the bathroom. Why the long face? Don't make it sound like I abused you." When I was a child, I'd been kidnapped by gangsters. In order to extort money from my parents, they locked me in a dog cage and tortured me for three days and nights. Since then, I couldn't stand being in enclosed, cramped spaces alone. When Herbert found out, he held me tightly and said, "Honey, I swear I'll never let you go through something like that ever again." But now, just to defend his precious childhood sweetheart, he had locked me in the bathroom for an entire night. "Since you're awake, come eat breakfast. Even if you don't want to eat, don't starve the baby in your belly," Herbert said neglectfully. I got up with difficulty and went to the dining table, where the only thing left was chive ravioli. I disliked chive ravioli. I took a bite. It was hard and cold. Vivian had just finished her bowl of warm oatmeal with poached egg. She looked at me with a smile. "Stella, Herbie is such a great cook! I just casually mentioned wanting a sandwich and oatmeal with poached egg, and he went and made it for me himself. I'm so jealous. You get to eat breakfast made by Herbie every day. You're so lucky!" Herbert's expression stiffened, and he tried to play it down. "I'm busy managing billion-dollar contracts. Who has time to play housewife with her?" I felt like there was a bone stuck in my throat. In the years of our marriage, he always said his hands were made for signing billion-dollar deals, not for chopping vegetables or cooking. Even when I was sick with a fever, he never stepped foot into the kitchen, let alone made oatmeal. Yet Vivian effortlessly received everything I had never experienced. Perhaps feeling guilty about what happened the night before, Herbert suggested taking me out for a candlelight dinner. I thought maybe that would be the best time to talk about the divorce. Once we were in the car, I reached out absentmindedly and pulled out a piece of pink lace lingerie. Herbert's face changed instantly. However, without even flinching, he lied, "A gift I prepared for you. Do you like it?" I stared at the suspicious wet stains on it and smiled. Herbert hurried to explain, "Vivi said she's never worn something so girly before, so I let her try it on. It got dirty a bit. Don't be mad." "I'm not mad." I cut him off. "Just let me know when we arrive." We drove around to a few restaurants, but Herbert found fault with all of them while frowning and glued to his phone. Suddenly, his screen lit up, displaying the contact name "Baby Vivi." It was only then that Herbert's lips curled into a satisfied smile. My eyes dimmed. We'd known each other for ten years, and his contact name for me had always been just my full name. He said there was no need to be mushy when you were an old married couple. However, Vivian had always been his exception, his preference. Finally, we settled on a restaurant. Just as we sat down, Vivian suddenly appeared with a stranger in tow. "Wow! I told Herbie this afternoon that he should take you out on a date to make it up to you. Look at him go! He really followed through! And this restaurant is totally my vibe!" Then, she added with a sour tone, "A man this attentive and devoted is so rare. Stella, I'm so jealous! Poor me, I still have to go on blind dates to find someone..."