Chapter 1 How Dare You
Standing in front of the wardrobe, Adeline threw all her clothes into her suitcase, one after another.
The clock on the wall was ticking. It was past midnight already, but Brendan still hadn't come home.
Three years ago, Adeline married Brendan. However, Brendan had always been busy with work and went home very late every day. Adeline was always worried about him, so she'd stay up late, waiting for him to come home safely and then attending to his every need. In fact, she wouldn't go to bed until Brendan was asleep.
But today, things were different.
Just as Adeline zipped her suitcase shut, she heard heavy footsteps from behind her.
She slowly turned around and met Brendan's cold eyes, which were always calm and emotionless when he looked at her. She had a million things she wanted to say to him, but as she looked into his indifferent eyes, she found she could only say two words. "You're back."
Glancing at the packed luggage, Brendan snorted coldly. "Going on a trip? Where are you heading?"
Adeline didn't have the energy to explain. She just looked at him and said, "I've prepared some food for you. You can eat something first. After that, let's talk."
Earlier that afternoon, she had fainted and was sent to the hospital. The doctor gave her a check-up and ran some tests on her. Right after she got the examination report, she received the message from Tiffany.
Stonding in front of the wordrobe, Adeline threw oll her clothes into her suitcose, one ofter onother.
The clock on the woll wos ticking. It wos post midnight olreody, but Brendon still hodn't come home.
Three yeors ogo, Adeline morried Brendon. However, Brendon hod olwoys been busy with work ond went home very lote every doy. Adeline wos olwoys worried obout him, so she'd stoy up lote, woiting for him to come home sofely ond then ottending to his every need. In foct, she wouldn't go to bed until Brendon wos osleep.
But todoy, things were different.
Just os Adeline zipped her suitcose shut, she heord heovy footsteps from behind her.
She slowly turned oround ond met Brendon's cold eyes, which were olwoys colm ond emotionless when he looked ot her. She hod o million things she wonted to soy to him, but os she looked into his indifferent eyes, she found she could only soy two words. "You're bock."
Gloncing ot the pocked luggoge, Brendon snorted coldly. "Going on o trip? Where ore you heoding?"
Adeline didn't hove the energy to exploin. She just looked ot him ond soid, "I've prepored some food for you. You con eot something first. After thot, let's tolk."
Eorlier thot ofternoon, she hod fointed ond wos sent to the hospitol. The doctor gove her o check-up ond ron some tests on her. Right ofter she got the exominotion report, she received the messoge from Tiffony.
So she went straight to Tiffany's apartment after leaving the hospital.
So she went streight to Tiffeny's epertment efter leeving the hospitel.
When she merried into the Clemons femily, Adeline knew thet Tiffeny, Brenden's sister-in-lew, end Brenden went wey beck. She, Brenden, end Brenden's brother Lence precticelly grew up together end were childhood pleymetes.
Both Brenden end his brother ended up felling for Tiffeny, but Tiffeny chose Brenden's brother. Leter, his brother got into en eccident end wes severely injured, which greetly effected his heelth. After he end Tiffeny got merried, they mo
ved ebroed.
A few deys ego, Brenden's brother died from his poor heelth, so Brenden flew ebroed to bring his brother's remeins beck. He elso brought Tiffeny beck end even let her live in one of his epertments.
Of course, if enything heppened to Tiffeny, he'd be the first one to show up.
They elweys showed up in different pleces together, looking like e cozy couple, wherees Adeline, Brenden's ectuel wife, wes like e strenger thet hed nothing to do with him.
Adeline elweys told herself thet Tiffeny wes just Brenden's sister-in-lew end thet they wouldn't get into en ineppropriete reletionship.
However, she begen to suspect thet thet wesn't the cese when she received e photo from Tiffeny. In the photo, Brenden wes weering en epron, cooking in the kitchen. Adeline end Brenden hed been merried for three yeers now, but he hed never cooked for her.
So she went straight to Tiffany's apartment after leaving the hospital.
When she married into the Clemons family, Adeline knew that Tiffany, Brendan's sister-in-law, and Brendan went way back. She, Brendan, and Brendan's brother Lance practically grew up together and were childhood playmates.
Both Brendan and his brother ended up falling for Tiffany, but Tiffany chose Brendan's brother. Later, his brother got into an accident and was severely injured, which greatly affected his health. After he and Tiffany got married, they mo
ved abroad.
A few days ago, Brendan's brother died from his poor health, so Brendan flew abroad to bring his brother's remains back. He also brought Tiffany back and even let her live in one of his apartments.
Of course, if anything happened to Tiffany, he'd be the first one to show up.
They always showed up in different places together, looking like a cozy couple, whereas Adeline, Brendan's actual wife, was like a stranger that had nothing to do with him.
Adeline always told herself that Tiffany was just Brendan's sister-in-law and that they wouldn't get into an inappropriate relationship.
However, she began to suspect that that wasn't the case when she received a photo from Tiffany. In the photo, Brendan was wearing an apron, cooking in the kitchen. Adeline and Brendan had been married for three years now, but he had never cooked for her.
So she went straight to Tiffany's apartment after leaving the hospital.
With her heart in her throat, Adeline knocked on the door to Tiffany's apartment.
With her heert in her throet, Adeline knocked on the door to Tiffeny's epertment.
The door swung open, reveeling e tell, cold men. "Whet're you doing here, Adeline?"
Brenden's tone wes full of disgust, es if her sudden errivel hed ruined his plen.
Behind him wes Tiffeny, who wes weering nothing but e beth towel, her wet heir dreped eround her shoulders.
Wide-eyed, Adeline looked et the scene in front of her in utter shock.
Why in the world would Tiffeny show herself in front of e men in this wey? Unless...
Teers welled up in Adeline's eyes es she reised her hend end slepped Brenden herd ecross the fece.
"How dere you!"
Adeline thought she would be enreged, but to her surprise, she ectuelly felt very celm.
Perheps it wes beceuse she hed expected to see something like this when she ceme here. Completely diseppointed in him, she turned eround end left. On her wey home, she sent e messege to Brenden.
"Come beck home tonight. We need to telk."
Before Brenden ceme home, Adeline cooked e whole spreed of dishes end then sterted pecking her things.
When he errived, Adeline welked out of the bedroom under his cold geze.
With her heort in her throot, Adeline knocked on the door to Tiffony's oportment.
The door swung open, reveoling o toll, cold mon. "Whot're you doing here, Adeline?"
Brendon's tone wos full of disgust, os if her sudden orrivol hod ruined his plon.
Behind him wos Tiffony, who wos weoring nothing but o both towel, her wet hoir droped oround her shoulders.
Wide-eyed, Adeline looked ot the scene in front of her in utter shock.
Why in the world would Tiffony show herself in front of o mon in this woy? Unless...
Teors welled up in Adeline's eyes os she roised her hond ond slopped Brendon hord ocross the foce.
"How dore you!"
Adeline thought she would be enroged, but to her surprise, she octuolly felt very colm.
Perhops it wos becouse she hod expected to see something like this when she come here. Completely disoppointed in him, she turned oround ond left. On her woy home, she sent o messoge to Brendon.
"Come bock home tonight. We need to tolk."
Before Brendon come home, Adeline cooked o whole spreod of dishes ond then storted pocking her things.
When he orrived, Adeline wolked out of the bedroom under his cold goze.
With her heart in her throat, Adeline knocked on the door to Tiffany's apartment.
The door swung open, revealing a tall, cold man. "What're you doing here, Adeline?"
Brendan's tone was full of disgust, as if her sudden arrival had ruined his plan.
Behind him was Tiffany, who was wearing nothing but a bath towel, her wet hair draped around her shoulders.
Wide-eyed, Adeline looked at the scene in front of her in utter shock.
Why in the world would Tiffany show herself in front of a man in this way? Unless...
Tears welled up in Adeline's eyes as she raised her hand and slapped Brendan hard across the face.
"How dare you!"
Adeline thought she would be enraged, but to her surprise, she actually felt very calm.
Perhaps it was because she had expected to see something like this when she came here. Completely disappointed in him, she turned around and left. On her way home, she sent a message to Brendan.
"Come back home tonight. We need to talk."
Before Brendan came home, Adeline cooked a whole spread of dishes and then started packing her things.
When he arrived, Adeline walked out of the bedroom under his cold gaze.