Chapter 4: The Wife and the Ex

I walked out of the Foster house, looked up at the gray sky. My phone rang—it was Harrison.

The clouds hung low, threatening rain. I answered on the second ring, bracing myself for whatever he’d say.

He broke the silence by texting me an address for a private room.

His text was short, just an address and a time. That was his way—always in control, never giving more than he had to.

I hated these kinds of events, and he’d never brought me before. He always had a different woman on his arm.

The thought made my stomach twist, but I pushed it aside. This wasn’t about jealousy—it was about survival.

When I pushed the door open, he was sitting in the center, head down, listening absentmindedly to someone across from him.

The room was filled with laughter and the clink of glasses. Harrison looked out of place, his posture stiff, his eyes distant.

“Harrison, your wife is here.”

Someone reminded him. He looked up, fingers twitching, and the woman in his arms moved aside.

We made eye contact for a moment. He stood up, interrupted the business partner, and came over to help me off with my coat.

His hands were gentle, almost hesitant. For a second, I saw something vulnerable in his eyes.

He wiped the sweat from my forehead, led me to the card table, and told one of the wives,

“Let my wife play. If she loses, I’ll cover it.”

His tone was light, almost teasing. The other women exchanged glances, sizing me up.

I couldn’t refuse and had to sit down.

I slid into the chair, my palms slick with nerves. I’d never been good at cards, but I forced a smile and picked up my hand.

I wasn’t good at it. After a few rounds, half the stack Harrison gave me was gone.

The chips disappeared fast, my pile shrinking with every hand. I could feel the other women watching, their smiles tight.

“You’re Autumn, right?” The girl to my left spoke up. She was striking—I’d noticed her as soon as I walked in.

She had the kind of beauty that made people stop and stare—sharp cheekbones, dark eyes, a confidence I envied.

She glanced at my hand, her gaze lingering on my bare, makeup-free face.

Her lips curled into a half-smile. “You don’t wear much makeup, do you? That’s brave.”

“Technically, I’m the original—show some respect.”

She looked younger than me, so I didn’t respond.

I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. There was no point playing her game.

“Do you know why?”

She rested her chin on her hand and gestured at Harrison.

Her nails were painted a glossy red. She tapped the table, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I’m his ex-girlfriend—the only one he’s ever dated.”

Her words hung in the air, daring me to react. I kept my face blank.

“When he suddenly fell into a coma, the doctors said he might never wake up. I couldn’t spend my whole life waiting for him.” She sighed regretfully. “Who would’ve thought? His mom had you marry him while he was unconscious.”

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’m not saying you’re bad. I just think if I’d waited for him, maybe things would’ve turned out differently.”

“After all, you’ve been with Harrison. You should know how good he is.”

She was hinting at something. I gripped my cards, smiling lightly. “Do you see each other often?”

My voice was steady, but I could feel the jealousy simmering beneath the surface.

“Every two or three days, I guess.”

She shrugged, as if it was no big deal. He shifted, looking uncomfortable.

Harrison coughed a few times. She tossed her cards, gave up, and personally poured him a cup of warm water.

She handed it over naturally; he took it just as naturally.

Their ease with each other stung. I looked away, pretending not to care.

“Harrison, your wife isn’t very good—she lost all her chips and still owes me half a million.”

The other women laughed, but there was an edge to it. I forced a smile, trying not to let it get to me.

Vanessa leaned back in her chair, watching as Harrison raised an eyebrow at her.

She smirked, as if she’d won some private victory. I wondered how many times they’d played this game.

That’s how I learned her name—Vanessa, the name Harrison accidentally called me the first time we were together as husband and wife.

Now I knew why. I’d never forgotten the way it sounded, soft and intimate.

Harrison put his arm around my waist and tossed a box from his pocket to her.

A sapphire necklace.

The stone caught the light, glittering blue. Vanessa’s eyes widened, and she slipped it on without hesitation.

“Is that enough?”

His voice was casual, but I could hear the tension beneath it.

“More than enough.” Vanessa nodded and put it on right away.

She turned to show it off, her smile triumphant. The room buzzed with whispers.

There was a barrier between them that no one else could cross. If I hadn’t been there, I bet he would’ve helped her put it on.

I watched them, feeling like an outsider in my own marriage. The distance between us felt insurmountable.

“Do you often see your ex-girlfriend?”

In the car, Harrison gave me a box too—the exact same sapphire necklace.

He pressed it into my hand, his expression unreadable. I stared at the box, unsure what to say.

He actually hesitated for a moment. “We have business together. She asked me to buy the necklace for her while I was on a trip. She said all girls would like it.”

He said it like it was nothing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was just an afterthought.

She liked it, so he bought one for me too.

It was the kind of gesture that looked good on paper, but felt hollow in reality.

Over the past three years, Harrison had given me plenty of things. There was a whole cabinet of bags and jewelry at home. For someone as busy as him, I couldn’t imagine him going out of his way to pick things out.

I’d stopped opening the boxes months ago. They just piled up, gathering dust.