Chapter 4

In the span of just a few seconds, Natalie's expression went through a whirlwind of emotions—from utter shock to panic, and finally to sheer terror.

"Babe, it's... it's not what you think!"

Her voice cracked into a sob as she shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks like broken strings of pearls.

Even though I despised her in that moment, seeing her cry still twisted an agonizing knot in my chest.

I forced myself to look away, silently rebuking myself: *Get a grip, Mark. Now is not the time to be weak. It's your spineless tolerance that let her push the boundaries until she crossed the line completely.*

When I turned back to face her, my expression was cold as ice. "I saw you with my own damn eyes. Are you still going to lie to my face?"

Natalie opened her mouth, hesitated, and finally let out a heavy, trembling sigh. "I'm so sorry, Mark. I... I never wanted this."

I took an aggressive step forward, towering over her, my glare burning into hers. "You didn't want it? What, did the director force you into his bed? You looked pretty damn comfortable to me! There wasn't an ounce of reluctance on your face!"

"Why did you do this to us? Why throw our marriage away? Was I not good enough for you?!"

The more I spoke, the more suffocated I felt, vomiting out every ounce of anguish festering inside me.

Natalie shook her head, choking on her tears. "No! That's not true! You've been wonderful to me, Mark! I love you, and my feelings for you have never changed! There are just things I can't explain right now... you'll understand eventually, I swear!"

"Nothing to say, huh? How dare you claim your feelings haven't changed! You make me sick."

I couldn't stand looking at her for another second. Spitting out those final words, I grabbed my coat and slammed the front door behind me.

Over the next few days, I didn't go home, and Natalie never reached out to me either. It felt as though she had quietly accepted the end of our relationship.

The reason I hadn't served her with divorce papers right away was twofold: first, a tiny part of me still wanted to see if she would come clean and beg for forgiveness—even though I knew I could never take her back; second, I needed concrete evidence of her adultery to protect my assets when we went to court.

Suffocating in misery, I found myself heading to a quiet lounge after work every evening, trying to drown the betrayal in liquor.

That night, I sat at the mahogany bar as usual, nursing a glass of scotch on the rocks.

I deliberately avoided rowdy clubs, preferring the subdued, jazz-filled ambiance of an upscale lounge.

There were few patrons around. Swirling the amber liquid in my glass, watching the miniature whirlpool form, I realized it mirrored my own life—spinning out of control with no clear direction.

A wave of delicate, floral perfume drifted over. I looked up and saw a gorgeous woman with long, cascading hair sliding onto the barstool next to mine.

Squinting through the dim amber lighting, I blinked in disbelief.

"Chloe?"

I rubbed my eyes, unsure if the alcohol was playing tricks on me.

"It's me," she said softly.

Chloe tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, flashing me a dazzling smile. "Mind if I sit here?"

I nodded quickly. "Not at all. Go ahead."

Chloe worked in the exact same department as Natalie. If anyone in that hospital could rival Natalie's looks, it was Chloe.

Normally, two stunning women in the same department would be fierce rivals, but Chloe and Natalie were practically inseparable best friends. Because of that, I had hung out with Chloe on multiple occasions.

While Natalie possessed an angelic, classic elegance, Chloe leaned heavily into raw, sultry allure.

Tonight, she was dressed to kill—a plunging, form-fitting slip dress that showed off flawless porcelain skin and deep cleavage, radiating pure temptation.

"I like to come here on my days off to unwind. I never expected to run into you. Guess it must be fate."

She tipped her cocktail glass lightly against mine. "You look like you're drinking to forget something. Care to share what's eating at you?"

"Don't even get me started. It's Natalie... long story short..."

Having bottled up the agony for days, the alcohol loosened my tongue. I ended up spilling the truth about Natalie's affair, though I carefully left out the identity of the man she was sleeping with.

"Was it Director Vance?" Chloe asked, fixing her sharp eyes onto mine.

Seeing my stunned reaction, she let out a bitter chuckle. "I noticed something off between them ages ago. I just didn't think they'd actually cross that line."

Since the cat was out of the bag, there was no point in denying it. I gave a slow, defeated nod.

"Do you want me to help you get the evidence?"

Chloe leaned in close, her crimson lips hovering inches from my ear, her breath warm against my neck.

"Why would you help me?" I asked, frowning slightly.

While she was indeed in the perfect position to dig up dirt, I couldn't understand why she would risk her career and cross the clinic's top executive for my sake.

"Because I've had feelings for you for a very long time, Mark."

Before I could process her words, Chloe pressed her soft body into my chest, her slender hands trailing intimately down my torso.