Chapter 2

Mandy invited me to go wedding dress shopping, and she was absolutely giddy about it. "Sylvia, I have to help you pick the most stunning one! I'll only be part of your wedding once in my life, so I've got to give it my all." I stared at the screen and replied, "Perfect. I'm counting on you." When I arrived at the boutique, Mandy was already there. Her perfume was so strong it made my nose twitch. She hooked her arm through mine, warm and affectionate, like we were sisters. "Look at this one, backless with a mermaid cut. Stanley will definitely love it!" She picked up another dress and leaned in, lowering her voice. "Do you know? Guys are all the same. They act all serious, but this is totally their type. The one who's been chasing me lately is obsessed with this style." I smiled and didn't respond. "Do you like it?" Mandy asked casually, showing me a bracelet. "My admirer gave it to me. It's a limited edition. I told him not to, but he insisted. I really don't know what to do with him." I recognized that bracelet. Last month, Stanley had a charge on his card. He said it was a birthday gift for one of his clients' wives. I stared at myself in the mirror. The white gown looked so pure it almost felt absurd. After taking a deep breath, I turned around, grabbed Mandy's hand, and beamed at her. "It's gorgeous! Mandy, you're so lucky to have someone dote on you. Stanley's like a brick when it comes to romance." Mandy couldn't suppress the smile creeping up her face. She pretended to be modest. "Oh, he just blows money sometimes." She relaxed. "And you know Stanley, he's always been stiff as a board. Remember when you were in a long-distance relationship with him? I had to keep an eye on him so no other women could swoop in. "And what happened? At the team dinner, an intern was practically clinging to him, and he was just drinking his toast!" After that, she couldn't stop subtly bragging about how attentive, how generous, and how thoughtful her "admirer" was. That evening, Stanley booked a fancy restaurant. He poured my wine and cut my steak. Every gesture was perfect, flawless. "Sylvia, after the wedding, how about we have a baby? I've thought it through. We'll get a bigger place, one with a yard, so you and the baby can live comfortably." When he said it, his eyes stayed on his wineglass. He didn't look at me. I set down my knife and fork, my face full of emotion. "Stan, you're the best." I reached across the table and held his hand. "Mandy was actually jealous of me today. She said I'd found the right guy. I've decided she'll be my maid of honor. I hope you don't mind?" His fork clanged loudly against the plate. Stanley jerked his head up, his face going a little pale. He quickly took a sip of wine to steady himself. "Why did you bring her up all of a sudden?" "She's my best friend!" I blinked innocently. "Without her help, how could the wedding be going this smoothly? It's settled!" His Adam's apple bobbed as he forced a smile. "As long as you're happy." We hadn't even finished our meal when his phone rang. The server at work was down, and he had to rush back to work. His acting was awful, by the way. I thoughtfully handed him his coat. "Go on. Don't delay your work." As soon as his car pulled away, I started mine and followed. Sure enough, he turned into the neighborhood where Mandy lived, as if he knew it by heart. I parked at the corner across the street and sent a message to the community group chat using a new prepaid phone. "Attention neighbors! Just saw a man wearing a cap and a mask acting suspiciously under Building 7. He's pacing around and constantly looking up. It doesn't look right. Everyone, please be careful!" Not long after the message went out, two security guards rushed into the building with walkie-talkies. I raised my phone and zoomed in. A few minutes later, Mandy's door opened. Stanley stood in the doorway, his shirt buttons done wrong, his hair messy. He was blocking the entrance. Mandy, wrapped in a bathrobe, hid behind him, her face pale as a sheet. The security guards' voices drifted faintly in the air. "We received a report about suspicious activity. Is everything okay here? And who is this?" Stanley stammered. "I… I'm her boyfriend! I came to see her about something!" The security guards looked skeptical but eventually walked away. I got a clear shot of Mandy's balcony, where something was draped out to dry—a set of black lace lingerie, with a tiny bow at the waistband. It was the same set that had gone missing from my closet—the one Stanley gave me for my birthday last year, which I'd only worn once. I started the car and headed home. Just then, my phone rang. It was Stanley. "Sylvia, I'm done here. I'm heading home now. Want some late-night snacks? I can bring something back." I glanced at the red light ahead, keeping my tone light. "No, I'm good. Just get home safely."