Chapter 6

Looking at his sleeping face, my eyes traveled down to just below his left collarbone, where a small blue moon was tattooed—the spot closest to his heart, my mark.

In the near future, a white cloud would appear next to that little moon—the space Daniel secretly reserved for Wendy.

His explanation to me would be, "A moon all alone is too lonely. Even for a tattoo, I couldn't bear the thought of you sitting by yourself on my chest, so I added a cloud to keep you company."

How could I be lonely next to a heart that loved me?

Unless that heart no longer did.

—

The next day was Saturday.

Daniel didn't have to go to work. He woke up lazily, habitually reaching out to find where I was.

I had already gotten up.

"Honey, why are you making breakfast again? Don't we have a housekeeper? You should sleep in—" His words cut off abruptly as he came downstairs and saw two people at the dining table.

Melvin had a bacon sandwich stuffed in his mouth, and Leon was drinking fresh soy milk.

When they saw Daniel, they greeted him in unison, "Morning, bro!"

I brought over a bowl of overnight oats and set it on the table, wearing a faint smile. "You're up. Have some breakfast. Melvin and Leon came by early. I couldn't sleep, so I came down to take care of them."

Melvin winked suggestively. "Sorry to interrupt your morning intimacy."

"Are you two beggars? Can't afford breakfast at your own homes, so you come here and make my wife cook for you?" Daniel scolded, though his face showed he was smiling.

Leon finished his last sip of soy milk and wiped his mouth. "Luna still makes the best breakfast. Feels like old times."

Back then, we all shared a small courtyard house. I would occasionally make them breakfast, and we were all happy together, getting along well.

The corner of my mouth turned up in a slightly sarcastic smile.

These two were Daniel's ride-or-die brothers and supposedly my good friends too. I treated them like my own younger brothers and thought we had a genuine relationship.

Yet when Daniel was secretly seeing Wendy behind my back, they were his best wingmen.

Talking warmly and reminiscing about the past while actively treating me like a fool.

I didn't understand why, and I didn't want to. Eventually, I would prepare everything and leave these scumbags behind.

"Of course, my wife's cooking skills are far better than any restaurant," Daniel naturally wrapped his arm around my waist, showing off.

Melvin looked extremely envious. "Back then, Luna never did any housework. She learned to cook just for you. Why can't I find a woman like that?"

I sat down next to Daniel, my expression calm as I quietly listened to their conversation.

Melvin was a playboy who changed girlfriends like changing clothes. How could he possibly find a good woman? Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to keep her.

Perhaps because they were all so promiscuous, they not only felt no guilt about Daniel's affair but actually thought it brought them closer as brothers.

They talked about bits and pieces from the past, interweaving memories of Daniel's and my love story. For a moment, it felt as if we had truly gone back to the beginning.

Until Melvin stood up. "By the way, Luna, we need to borrow your husband today. The brothers are having a meeting, grabbing some food, shooting the breeze. Is that okay?"

"Go to hell. Can't you guys eat without getting together now? Every time I have a moment to spend with my wife, you come looking for me to eat?" Daniel appeared thoroughly annoyed.

But I knew they had all planned this together, creating opportunities for Daniel to meet his mistress.

Looking at these three people I once trusted most, putting on their clumsy performance in front of me, I felt nothing but disgust and mockery.

Seeing Daniel's reluctance to leave, I deliberately suggested, "Since Daniel doesn't want to go out, why don't I cook something here? You can invite the others over and we'll have a gathering at home."

When I said this, all three of them froze.

In my previous life, I trusted them completely, always happily agreeing and even encouraging Daniel to go out with them.

Seeing their reaction, I almost laughed out loud.

Daniel's expression changed slightly as he looked toward Leon.

Leon immediately spoke up, "Those guys love drinking. When they get drunk, they're messy and loud. Better not bring them home to bother you. Don't worry, we promise not to let Daniel drink too much!"

"Honey, I'll go with them for a bit to get them off my back," Daniel said, affectionately kissing my cheek. "I'll definitely be home before seven."

I pushed him gently. "Okay, go ahead."

The feeling of his kiss increasingly disgusted me, like a leech briefly attaching itself to my skin.

Daniel got up and left with Melvin and Leon, completely failing to notice my unusual reaction.

His heart had already flown to Wendy. As long as he had an excuse to get away from me, he couldn't wait to leave. He no longer had the patience to notice these details.

I asked the housekeeper to clear the dishes while I went upstairs to our bedroom.

I gathered all the gold jewelry from our wedding and a diamond ring, put them in my bag, and left the house.

I found a pawnshop and exchanged all the gold and the diamond for cash, which I then deposited into a bank account.

If I really wanted to leave, I'd need to go far away. That would require substantial money to relocate and live on.

On my way home, I passed a hair salon.

"Please cut my hair short and dye it brown," I told the stylist.

"Miss, your hair is in such good condition. It would be a shame to cut it short," the stylist said, examining my hair.

I looked at myself in the mirror, still wearing the same long, straight black hair I had at seventeen. But I wasn't seventeen anymore, and Daniel had found someone else to replace me.

I smiled slightly, my gaze determined. "Cut it short, just below my ears."

Daniel's fingers had enough of Wendy's hair strands to play with. I found it disgusting now.

After cutting my hair, I felt incredibly refreshed. My mood improved a bit. I paid and drove to the apartment.

In the apartment parking lot, Daniel's Rolls-Royce was in its spot, next to Wendy's red BMW.

At this very moment, they were probably enjoying their thrilling affair upstairs.

This was the first property Daniel and I had purchased together. From renting to buying, it had witnessed our love story. Even though we no longer lived there, we couldn't bear to give it to anyone else.

Now it had become the perfect place for him to have trysts with another woman.

Hotels risked discovery; this place was safer and more exciting.

He once said he saw my shadow in Wendy. I wondered if, in the heat of passion, he was imagining she was me?

Men are so good at finding excuses for their desires, labeling them with "love" as if that somehow made their affairs noble and pure.

I curled up in the driver's seat, recalling moments from my previous life while waiting for them to emerge.