Book2Chapter 1
My husband and I have been together for six years now, just like most working
couples in New York.
We rent a small place way out in the suburbs.
To afford a house in the city and finally settle down, we’ve been working hard and
being as frugal as possible.
When I saw a video of him in a sharp suit at a luxury auction. I thought it was just
part of his job.
But then the video blogger said,
“Only billionaires can sit in these seats, a level that ordinary people like us can
only
dream of reaching in our lifetime.
“You can’t even get into this auction without a net worth of hundreds of millions.
This is the stark contrast between the poor and the wealthy.”
Hearing that, the first thing that flashed through my mind was what had happened
a
few days ago.
My husband and I have been married for three years.
Hook2Chapter 1
Due to financial pressures, we agreed not to have children for the time being.
To avoid any
accidents, we went to the store and bought some $6 condoms.
They were the cheapest ones we could find.
But my husband put them back, saying,
“They’re still too expensive. We need to save every penny we can to buy a house.”
“I saw some $10 birth control pills at the.pharmacy the other day.”
“Maybe you could put up with those for now, honey. Once we have money, I promise
I’ll make sure you have the best of everything.”
I was a bit upset when I heard that.
“A $10 birth control pill? Who knows what kind of damage that could do to your
body? Are you crazy?”
But my husband looked at me with sad eyes and said,
“Didn’t I spend all my money on your mom’s medical bills three years ago?”
“We need to save every penny we can now. We still have a house to buy.”
“Besides, those pills have government certification and are sold in pharmacies–they
must be safe to take. Just bear with it a little longer, honey…”
I felt a pang in my heart.
Book2Chapter 1
But then I remembered how three years ago, when my mom was critically ill and
needed $10,000 for surgery,
my husband didn’t break up with me. Instead, head over all his savings
without
a word, and that money saved my mom from death’s door.
Because of that, I eventually married him.
But now, I watched the video of my husband over and over again.
He looked so confident, smiling, chatting and laughing with the woman next to
him.
throwing money around like it was nothing.
I began to feel confused and suspicious.
Even if it was work, would it really go this far?
My husband is just a nine–to–five programmer.
Sometimes, he even has to work overtime, squeezed by his boss. Could he really
handle such high–stakes situations with such ease?
Come to think of it, we’ve been together for six years.
I’ve never met his family…
Once the seeds of doubt are planted, everything starts to make sense.
I went home without questioning him and waited quietly for my husband to
return.
Book Chapter 1
He worked late tonight, and it was already midnight when he came back, reeking
of
alcohol.
“Are you okay? I made some hot tea for you. Drink it while it’s warm.”
I brought the tea over and started tidying up for him. My husband tugged at his
shirt
and grumbled…
My husband tugged at his shirt and grumbled,
“That stingy boss made me work late again.”
“If the job market wasn’t so tough right now, I’d have quit this lousy job a long
time
ago.”
He’s complained about his job to me many times before.
I told him that if it’s really that bad, he should just quit and find something else.
But he always said that this company pays well, and he doesn’t want to leave,
worried that he might not find another good job.
“All this is worth it if it means we can buy a house and settle down in New York.”
When he said that, I felt even more sorry for him.
But this time, I gently nudged him.
“I’ve already prepared a bath for you. Go wash up first.”
Book2Chapter 1
He nodded and headed to the bathroom to
And I, quietly, turned on his phone.
