📕I saw my wife with another man. Or so her father wanted me to believe.

Ajouté : 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it. Right at the entrance of the Sterling Grand Hotel, a beautiful woman with a killer figure, at least 5'7, was hanging on the arm of a tall, well-built man. They were laughing, their body language intimate as they walked through the hotel's main doors. The woman looked completely content, a faint blush still on her cheeks. That beautiful woman was none other than Khloe, my wife of two years.

[00:00:28]At this time of day, Chloe was supposed to be at the office. I never expected to find her here. Rage burned through my eyes. I wanted to kill someone. I was about to charge forward and tear that happy couple apart when my best friend, Frank, grabbed my arm and held me back.

[00:00:44]"Dude, calm down. Don't do anything crazy," he pleaded, wrapping his arms around me in a bear hug. "I know you're furious right now, but rushing in there and throwing punches won't solve a damn thing. Listen to me. Cool your head, get some hard evidence that she's cheating, and then you can take her to the cleaners in the divorce." My eyes were bloodshot, my fists clenched so tight my knuckles were white. My chest heaved as I stood there, paralyzed, watching Chloe get into a luxury sedan and drive away.

[00:01:15]I slammed my fist into a nearby tree.

[00:01:17]The pain shot up my arm, making me tremble, but it was nothing compared to the agony ripping through my heart. If I hadn't agreed to meet Frank here for lunch, I might have gone on living in blissful ignorance forever. All this time, I thought my life was perfect.

[00:01:33]Chloe and I were college sweethearts. We got together freshman year and were married right after graduation. For 2 years, our marriage had been a dream. I thought that happiness would last forever. The vows we made to have and to hold till death do us part were still ringing in my ears. Yet, the person I loved most in the world had already betrayed me. It felt like a knife had been plunged into my chest, stealing my breath. Frank was right. I needed to get proof. I needed to make sure she walked away with nothing. Thinking back, the signs had been there all along. When I got back from my last business trip, I noticed two dark bruises on Khloe's knees. When I asked her about them, she just said she'd slipped and fallen. I bought it, even massaged the bruises for her. Now thinking about it, I feel like the world's biggest fool. How could I have been so blind? How could I have believed such a transparent lie? The disgusting images of what must have happened played out in my mind. My heart felt like it was being torn in two. And then there was the tie. A few days ago, while putting away laundry, I found a purple tie I'd never seen before. It wasn't my style at all. When I asked Chloe, she said she bought it for me, even though she knows I hate purple.

[00:02:47]Now, I knew that tie was never for me.

[00:02:50]It was for him. I'd seen it clearly just now. The man at the hotel was wearing a purple tie. The realization sent a new wave of pain through me, sharp and deep, like a dull knife sawing at my flesh.

[00:03:04]The wife I loved, the woman I trusted completely, had betrayed me. Were all those promises, all those whispered declarations of eternal love, just a lie? Was our six-year history together worth less than a few sweet nothings from some other guy? It all made sense now why she hadn't let me touch her lately. She was already sleeping with someone else. Every night she'd come home claiming she was exhausted. She'd shower and go straight to bed, always with an excuse. It was either that time of the month or she was just too tired.

[00:03:34]They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. When I came home from my trip 2 days ago, I tried to initiate something to feel close to her. She shut me down, saying she just gotten her period. That night, as we were getting ready for bed, I saw a red mark on her neck. She brushed it off as an allergic reaction to a new foundation. Because I trusted her, I never questioned a single word. I never imagined that Chloe, my Chloe, was capable of such deceit. What happened to the sweet, innocent girl I fell in love with? When did she become a stranger who spoke only in lies? For the first time, I felt like I didn't know my wife at all. She was the one who insisted on marrying me, even against her family's wishes. Back then, I was so moved by her devotion. It wasn't until her senior year of college that I learned the truth. Khloe was the daughter of an incredibly wealthy family. Her father, David Shun, was the CEO of a publicly traded company, Apex Holdings, with assets in the billions. Marrying a woman like Chloe, beautiful, wealthy, everything I wasn't, felt like the greatest stroke of luck in my life. But even the most passionate love can wither under the slow, grinding passage of time. The woman who once would have done anything for me now treated me like something to be discarded. As much as I wanted to deny it, what I had seen with my own eyes was the cold, hard truth.

[00:05:00]Chloe had been my entire world, and in that one moment, my world had shattered.

[00:05:05]The love I once felt for her had curdled into an equally powerful hatred. I had to pull myself together. I couldn't let this destroy me. Back home, I checked the feed from our Amazon Echo show. We'd gotten it for free a while back during a promotion with our AT&T plan. I remembered setting it up with the phone app the day I brought it home, but I hadn't looked at it since. I knew the Echo had a security feature. Its camera would record and upload clips to the cloud whenever it detected motion. I opened the app on my phone, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. I held my breath, knowing the damning evidence was just a tap away. My eyes were burning as I stared at the screen, my hands trembling. A lump formed in my throat, and the tearing pain in my chest returned raw and bleeding. On the playback, Khloe appeared. A man was walking behind her, his body mostly obscured by hers, his face hidden from view. Laughing, they walked together toward our bedroom and disappeared inside. So this was my faithful, devoted wife, the woman who was always telling me how much she loved me, that nothing could ever tear us apart. Behind my back, she was doing something this filthy. I grabbed the echo show from the counter and hurled it against the floor.

[00:06:20]It shattered into a dozen pieces. A sudden violent release for the fury boiling inside me. A lie. It was all a lie. I had given her everything. My unconditional love. And in return, I got betrayal. Frank was right. I couldn't let her get away with this. She deserved to lose everything. The video on my phone was all the proof I needed. I sank onto the sofa, gasping for air, forcing myself to calm down. On the wall hung our wedding photo. Chloe was beaming, kissing my cheek. Her face a perfect picture of happiness. At that moment, I had been the happiest man on earth. Now, that same image felt like a cruel joke, plunging me into an icy despair. The world that had once been so vibrant and full of color had instantly faded to gray. I remember when we first got married. Khloe had gotten me a job at her father's company, Apex Holdings. I started at the very bottom in sales, spinning a year on the road. I traveled to nearly a 100 cities across the country, worked so hard I gave myself an ulcer, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through in less than two years. I worked my way up to vice president of sales for the region, the youngest mid-level executive at Apex. I pushed myself that hard because I refused to be the guy who got ahead by writing his wife's coattails. I needed to prove to everyone that I had earned my place, and I did.

[00:07:43]In my two years at Apex, I had restructured the sales department's entire client portfolio, landing several major accounts. Our division's performance had skyrocketed. My next goal was to help Apex dominate the entire Northeast market within a few years. Now, all of that was just a fantasy, a puff of smoke. Khloe's betrayal had smashed all my hopes for the future into a million pieces. I was going to divorce Khloe, and there was no way in hell I was staying at Apex Holdings. But I knew the video wasn't enough. I needed more. My phone bust. It was a text from Chloe. The notifications sound once so pleasant, now graded on my ears. Hey babe, dinner with a client is running long. I'll be home late. Wasn't her afternoon rendevu enough? She was going for round two. I was shaking with rage. I texted back a simple, okay, forcing my emotions in a check. I went in my home office and found a spare key to Khloe's car. I drove to an auto parts store and bought a small GPS tracker, the kind they use on finance cars. From there, I went straight to the Apex Holdings garage. I found her car, used the spare key to get inside, and installed the tracker just like the guy at the store showed me. Then, I locked up and went to my office. I sat at my desk looking out at the open plan office below. Most of the sales team was still there, busy at their desks. I saw a few of them whispering, glancing over at me, and smirking. Did they know? Did everyone know about Chloe? Was I the last person to find out the clueless husband everyone was laughing at? The thought made my blood boil. I was about to get up on my phone buzzed again. A notification from the tracker app.

[00:09:24]Khloe's car was on the move. I checked the time. It was only a little after 4:00. She had already left work. I couldn't just sit there. I grabbed my keys, left the office, and got in my car to follow her. I kept one eye on the GPS map on my phone and the other on the road. Soon enough, I spotted her car up ahead. The car I had bought for her birthday. The license plate was a custom combination of our birthdays, something she had picked out herself. We were so happy then. How could things have changed so fast? After about half an hour of driving, her car pulled over and parked. When I saw the building she had stopped in front of, I nearly exploded.

[00:10:00]It was the Velvet Room, a boutique hotel known for its risque themed suites.

[00:10:05]Chloe got out of the car wearing sunglasses and a face mask. She glanced around nervously before hurrying inside.

[00:10:12]She was dressed in a stunningly sexy outfit, one I'd never seen before. It definitely wasn't what she was wearing when she left for work that morning. She must have changed. A firestorm of rage erupted in my chest. I jumped out of my car and sprinted toward the hotel entrance. I got inside just in time to see her step into an elevator. I rushed toward it, but the door slid shut before I could reach it. I frantically jabbed the call button, watching the floor indicator for her elevator stop at 5.

[00:10:42]The adjacent elevator opened, and I lunged inside, hitting the button for the fifth floor. I never ever would have imagined Khloe would come to a place like this. So, Brazen saw cheap. She hadn't even stopped at the front desk for a key card. She knew exactly where she was going. This wasn't her first time. The elevator doors opened onto an empty hallway. Where did she go? I walked quickly down the corridor, pressing my ear to each door as I passed. While I got to a room in the middle of the hall, I didn't even have to lean in. I heard a familiar voice, Khloe's voice. The soundproofing was terrible. Then I heard a man's voice reply. You're here. I couldn't wait any longer. I felt a blow to my head as if I'd been hit with a club. The world spun. My vision went dark and I nearly collapsed. I braced myself against the wall, my entire body shaking with uncontrollable fury. You cheating Chloe. How could you? I took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and kicked the door with all my might. The door flew off its hinges, and I stormed into the room, roaring. My eyes were wild, like a cornered animal. But when I burst into the room, the scene before me stopped me dead in my tracks. Ethan, what the hell are you doing? Khloe demanded, her voice laced with fury. I was stunned. What was going on? A man stood next to Khloe, but he wasn't the same man from the Sterling Grand. In the center of the room, on a large circular bed, a beautiful woman was lying in provocative lingerie. A small crew stood around her. A photographer, someone holding a lighting reflector, and an assistant with an armful of clothes. They were all staring at me in shock. This wasn't a secret rendevous. What were all these people doing here? This was a lingerie hotel.

[00:12:32]What was happening? Was I dreaming? I pinched myself hard. The pain was real.

[00:12:37]This was happening. Before I could say another word, Chloe grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. Her eyes were welling up with tears of frustration. You followed me. Ethan, when did you become this person? I'm so disappointed in you. Tears streamed down her face. her expression a perfect mask of betrayal, as if she were the one who had been deeply wronged. "Right, keep acting." I stared at her coldly at this woman I slept next to every night, this complete and utter stranger. "I have a question for you," I said, my voice dangerously low. "You told me you were meeting a client." "So, what are you doing here?" "I'm meeting a client," she shot back. "This is a promotional photo shoot for a project I'm managing. We're using this location for the set. As soon as I'm done here, I'm heading to my dinner meeting. The fact that you followed me, did you think I was with someone else? How could you do this to me? She stomp her foot, overcome with anger. Could I have been wrong?

[00:13:35]Impossible. What I saw at the Sterling Grand was real. What I saw on the Echo Show was real. No matter how many excuses she made, she couldn't change the facts. I still had the video of her trrist on my phone. I let out a cold, humorless laugh. How could I do this to you? Why don't you take a look at what you've been up to? I held up my phone, the video playing for her to see. The moment she saw it, her face went pale.

[00:13:59]Honey, listen to me. I can explain, she pleaded, her voice cracking. It's not what you think. What's there to explain?

[00:14:06]The woman in the video was her. The person leading a man into our bedroom was her. The clip was captured automatically by our smart home device.

[00:14:15]There was nothing she could say that would change the fact that she had betrayed me. Chloe, what? My voice broke. Why would you do this to me?

[00:14:23]Don't I love you enough? Haven't I been good to you? Honey, it's not like that.

[00:14:27]She sobbed, trying to explain, but I cut her off. I hate you, and I will never ever forgive you. I fought back my own tears, refusing to let them fall. The pain was unbearable. The woman I loved more than life itself had cheated on me.

[00:14:42]I had held on to a sliver of hope that it was all a misunderstanding, but the video was undeniable, visceral proof. I turned to leave. Chloe ran up and threw her arms around me from behind. Honey, it's all a misunderstanding, she cried.

[00:14:57]I did bring someone home, but he's just a friend from college. It's not what you're thinking. A friend? Give me a break. Do you normally take male friends into our bedroom? He asked for a tour of the house, so I showed him around. She sobbed, holding me tighter. It's really not what you think. We've been together for so many years. I swear on my life, I have never done anything to hurt you.

[00:15:19]Honey, you know how much I love you. Her words hit their mark. My resolve began to crumble. We were each other's first love. Of all the couples in our college class, we were the only ones who actually made it, who got married and build a life together. I love Chloe, and I knew she loved me. We had been married for 2 years. Every single night, she had to kiss my cheek before she could fall asleep. It was because we love each other so deeply that something like this felt so catastrophic, so painful. Chloe slowly let go of me. Her face, tears stre was heartbreaking. I turned around and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. Honey, I swear I didn't do anything wrong. I believe you. I heard myself say. I looked at my beautiful, stunning wife. I loved her so much, and the fear of losing her was overwhelming.

[00:16:09]Was it possible I had imagined it all?

[00:16:12]But what about the bruises on her knees?

[00:16:14]Did she really just fall? And the red mark on her neck? Was it really a makeup allergy and the man at the Sterling Grand? The one with the purple tie? Who was he to her? I wanted to ask, but I saw people from the photo shoot peeking out into the hallway watching us. A moment ago, believing she had betrayed me, I felt like I had nothing left to lose, so I acted rashly. It was a misunderstanding. Just a simple misunderstanding," Khloe said quickly to the onlookers. "Go on, get back to work." The crew retreated back into the room and the other curious guests disappeared. The hotel manager had come up to see what the commotion was. Kloe spoke with him, assuring him that she would pay for the broken door. The manager left and finally we were alone in the hallway. Chloe wrapped her arms around my neck, pressed her soft, fragrant lips to mine for a quick kiss, and then whispered in my ear. "My period's over. Tonight, we can't." She pulled back with a shy smile. "Okay, stop being angry. You're not handsome when you're angry." The scent of her lingered on my lips. I was about to say something when my eyes fell on the short purple skirt she was wearing. It felt like a needle piercing my heart. The purple tie, the man at the Sterling Grand. I gently pushed her away. Answer me this, I demanded. Who was the man in the purple tie you were with at the Sterling Grand today? And that purple tie at home? You bought it for him, didn't you? As I spoke, I watched her closely. I saw her body flinch just for a second. My heart sank, so there was something between them. Chloe struggled to keep her expression neutral. You saw me. He's the classmate I told you about.

[00:17:52]He was studying abroad. Just got back with his PhD to start a business here.

[00:17:57]He wants to discuss a potential partnership with me and the purple tie really is for you. Dad and I are going to charity gala tomorrow and I thought it would look perfect with your new suit. A classmate she took on a tour of our home. A classmate she met at a five-star hotel to discuss business.

[00:18:14]Could the world really be full of such unbelievable coincidences? Is that the truth? I asked, my voice laced with doubt. I had never spoken to my wife in this tone before. The whole situation was just too much to bear. If the woman I loved had truly betrayed me, my world would become a dark, empty place. Chloe was the most important person in my life. She was my first and I was hers.

[00:18:38]When we first got together, we were both completely inexperienced. I had always believed we would spend the rest of our lives together in happiness. "Of course it is," she said, poking me in the forehead. "You're the only man in the world I could ever love. You silly goose. What are you thinking about all day? Do you actually want me to be with someone else? Although a part of me was still suspicious. Her explanation was plausible. More importantly, I wanted with every fiber of my being for her to be innocent. We had known each other for years. We knew each other inside and out. Chloe was the real deal. A beautiful heir is from a prominent family. With her background, she could have easily found someone far more successful than me. She had fought tooth and nail with her family to be with me.

[00:19:25]She chose me because she loved me. For 6 years, our love had been steady and true. We rarely fought, rarely even raised our voices to one another. As I thought about all this, a wave of guilt washed over me. I loved her so much. I shouldn't have doubted her. A sense of relief settled in my chest. I reached out and gently pulled her into my arms, kissing her on the forehead. I'm sorry, baby. It was my fault. I shouldn't have suspected you. It's okay. It's over now.

[00:19:54]But no more crazy thoughts. You hear me?

[00:19:57]Chloe said, her hand gently stroking my cheek. I have to get back to work. I'll see you home tonight. I know I've been neglecting you lately, but I promise I'll make it up to you. With that, she turned and walked back toward the room.

[00:20:10]The sway of her hips so intoxicating that even after 6 years together, it still made my heart race. I was already looking forward to the night ahead.

[00:20:19]Chloe wasn't just from a wealthy family.

[00:20:21]She was also stunningly beautiful. In college, she was the campus queen. She had the perfect figure. A full chest, curvy hips, a combination that turned heads every time we went out. Before today, I had never doubted her. A woman who would risk her relationship with her family to marry me. I had carried the weight of that love and commitment in my heart for years. Perhaps I was just too invested, too afraid of losing her.

[00:20:48]That's why I become so paranoid. Just before she entered the room, Kloe glanced back at me. I saw her let out a quiet sigh of relief before she disappeared inside. I left the hotel. I knew that Khloe's division, Lingerie Marketing, had been working on a big advertising campaign recently. Feeling a huge weight lift off my shoulders, I walked her car, used my spare key to open the door, and remove the GPS tracker. I chose to trust her. Marriage is built on honesty. Communication is the bridge that keeps a couple together.

[00:21:21]The cloud of suspicion had lifted. Our family wouldn't fall apart. Despite it all, the image of that purple tie still felt like a thorn in my throat, making me uneasy. I tried to push it out of my mind. It was almost the end of the workday. Anyway, I had smashed our Echo Show and still hadn't cleaned it up. I figured I'd head home and take care of it. Back at our apartment, I took off my shirt. I've been into fitness since college and my body was solid with the kind of vtaper that women tended to notice. Chloe and I were always considered the it couple in school. We were both tall and had been on a university modeling team, even doing a lingerie shoot together once. I showered, changed into clean clothes, and swept the shatter pieces of the Echo Show into a bag to throw out later. Once the apartment was clean, I opened the app on my phone and looked at the recorded clip again. It only showed them walking into the bedroom, not coming out. It could have been an issue with the camera angle. That ambiguity is what sent me into such a tail spin earlier. I scrolled through some of the other recorded clips. They were all just of Kloe at home by herself. Maybe I really have been overreacting. Our wedding photo hung on the wall. Khloe's smile was radiant, a genuine, soul deep happiness that made her look breathtakingly beautiful. I stood up and gently traced the outline of her face in the photo. a wave of contentment washing over me. I hoped more than anything that was all in my head. My phone rang. The caller ID showed it was David Shun. Over the phone, David's tone was unusually harsh. Though he had always disapproved of our relationship, he had been perfectly decent to me since the wedding. I figured it was for Khloe's sake. She was his only daughter, the apple of his eye, and he doted on her endlessly. After we got married, he'd wanted us to move in with him. To this day, there's still a room for us at his mansion, and we sometimes stay over if we're in the area late. He didn't object when we decided to get our own place, and he often came over for dinner. For the past 2 years, he had been a tough boss at work, but outside the office, our relationship as father and son-in-law had been pretty good. He was always mildmannered. What was wrong today? I left the apartment and drove toward the Apex Holdings building. If David was still at the office this late, it had to be about work. I was the VP of sales. Had something gone wrong with one of our major accounts? That seemed unlikely. If there was a problem, one of my team members would have called me.

[00:23:48]They wouldn't go over my head directly to the CEO. On the way, I put on my Bluetooth headset and made a few calls to check on the status of our key accounts. Everything was fine. I arrived at Apex Tower, completely baffled. The building was constructed a decade ago to celebrate the company's first IPO. 10 years later, it was still a landmark in the financial district. The offices were designed to the standards of a five-star hotel. Every time I brought clients here, they were blown away by the sheer luxury of the place. I took the express elevator to the top floor. By this time, every department except for mine was usually empty. The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor. I walked down the hall. David's executive assistant had already gone home for the day. I knocked on his office door. From inside, I heard David's voice. Come in. I pushed the door open and walked across the plush carpet. David was sitting at his desk, his face grim. It was an expression I had rarely seen on him.

[00:24:49]David Shun was an Ivy League graduate, a man known for his refined manners and calm demeanor. He was often called a gentleman of the business world. "Dad, you wanted to see me?" I asked, approaching his desk. Sit down," he said with a heavy sigh. "Take a look at this." On the desk were several lab reports. "The doctor at the clinic where you two had your physicals is a friend of mine. He called me as soon as the results came in," David said, shaking his head. "You've been married for 2 years with no luck. I had a feeling something was wrong, and I was right. I picked up the papers." As I read the results, I felt the blood drain from my face. Dad, this has to be a mistake.

[00:25:28]This is impossible. My daughter is perfectly healthy. The problem is with you, Ethan. I'll admit since you married her, I try to treat you well, but I never expected this. I know my daughter loves you, and I grudgingly accepted your marriage. Seeing you too happy together made me happy. But David stood up and walked to the floor to ceiling window, looking out at the glittering city lights. With his back to me, he continued, "Do you know why I called you here alone? I'm telling you this here, not a home. Because I don't want Chloe to know. I'm willing to let you stay at Apex. I'll even give you a block of shares as compensation. You can name your price. All I ask is that you leave her without hurting her in the process.

[00:26:11]I thought I had misheard him. I shot to my feet. Dad, what are you saying? You want me to divorce Chloe? She is my only child, he said, turning back to face me.

[00:26:21]Apex Holdings is my life's work. My multi-billion dollar legacy needs an heir. I don't want things to be this way, but you can't be so selfish as to deny my daughter the right to have children. Ethan, if you truly love her, let her go. I collapsed back into the chair. So that's why his tone was so cold on the phone. That's why he had summoned me here. He was trying to force us to divorce. Suddenly, everything flashed before my eyes. The sterling grand, the man, the purple tie, the bruises on Khloe's knees, the marks on her neck, all of it. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but this man in front of me had built a billion-dollar empire from nothing. He was more than capable of orchestrating all of this.

[00:27:04]No, I said, my voice rising to a near shout. I'm getting another test. I'm healthy. There's nothing wrong with me.

[00:27:11]David sat down across from me, his gaze steady on my agitated face. I understand this is a shock. Fine, get another test.

[00:27:20]But what if the results are the same?

[00:27:21]What will you do then? His questioning was relentless. All the kindness he had shown me in the past now felt like a complete sham. The more he pushed, the more I felt that something was deeply wrong with this whole situation. Even so, a seed of doubt had been planted.

[00:27:38]What if the report was real? What if I got tested again and the result was the same? I never dreamed something like this could happen to me. Aospermia. Did that mean I had no sperm at all? I didn't know anything about it. It was something I never had a reason to even think about. My chest felt like it had been struck by a sledgehammer. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't answer David question because I had never, not for a single moment, considered a life without Chloe. Let's make a gentleman's agreement, David said, his face serious.

[00:28:08]"If you get tested again and the result is the same, you'll do as I say. I will give you a compensation package that will set you up for life. My only condition is that Chloe can never know about this. I know my daughter. She would stand by you even if she knew you were infertile. She wouldn't leave you.

[00:28:26]He paused. I want you both to be happy, but I want grandchildren more. I want someone to inherit the empire I built.

[00:28:32]You can't be that selfish. If you love her, you have to leave her. Dad, it's too early to talk about any of this, I said, finding my voice. Let's wait until I have the new test results. Fine, but you have to promise me that. Until then, you will not say a word about your condition to my daughter." I nodded, got up, and walked out. I couldn't stand to be in that room for another second. What kind of heartless father would try to tear his own daughter's marriage apart?

[00:28:59]I felt like my head had been bashed in.

[00:29:01]I got into the elevator in a days. The words on that lab report burned into my mind. I don't even remember the drive home. I pulled into my parking spot in the garage beneath our building. For the first time ever, I sat in my car with no desire to go upstairs. Khloe's car was parked in the spot next to mine. I could almost picture her upstairs in sexy lingerie waiting for me. On the way home, Chloe had sent me a picture. It was her wearing a new, very revealing, very tempting night gown. But at this moment, I felt nothing, no desire at all. My father-in-law, always so kind and gentle, had shown his true colors.

[00:29:38]If my next test result came back positive for aospermia, I could imagine what would happen. A billionaire businessman would have a hundred different ways to force me out of Khloe's life and I would have no power to fight back. My phone vibrated. A text from Khloe. Honey, where are you? Your goose is waiting. Goose was my pet name for her. It was what we called each other during our most intimate moments.

[00:30:03]Her voice in the attached audio message was sweet and playful. The powerful CEO's daughter at the office had this incredibly soft side. A side that was meant only for me. A side that might not belong to me for much longer. I got out of the car and headed inside. I opened the door to our apartment and was immediately hit with her faint, sweet perfume. A soft, warm body crashed into mine. My heart fluttered. I wrapped my arms around Chloe, burying my face in her hair. Goose, I love you, I whispered over and over. Baby, I love you so much.

[00:30:38]Goose loves you, too. She murmured back, then pulled away slightly. Honey, what's wrong? She could tell something was off.

[00:30:46]Nothing. It's just It's been a while. I guess I'm just a little excited. Her arms looped around my neck, her soft lips brushing against my skin. Well, then what are you waiting for? Carry your goose to bed. I looked at her, my heart aching with love, and scoop her up into my arms. We had never been as fierce as we were that night. We had never been as passionate. It was as if I was treating this as our last time together. Afterward, Khloe snuggled against me. Her face flushed and content, kissing my cheek before drifting off to sleep. But I couldn't sleep. It wasn't until this moment, faced with a real possibility of losing her, that I realized just how much I couldn't bear it. Earlier today, I was fantasizing about making her pay for betraying me. Now, I knew that no amount of money, no revenge could ever compare to having her. What good would $10 million be if I lost Chloe? I had never loved this woman more than I did at this very moment. I thought about the first time we met. Our fumbling, awkward first night together. The way she argued with her father, refusing to back down. All for me. The radiant smile on her face as she walked down the aisle in her wedding dress. the cute way she nuzzled her face against mine, just like she was doing now in her sleep. She melted my heart.

[00:32:04]Nothing in this world could compare to Chloe. She was a part of my very soul.

[00:32:09]Tearing us apart would be like ripping my heart out of my chest. I watched my lovely goose sleep. Feeling like I could never get enough of her. Even the way she drooled a little in her sleep was adorable. I love you, my wife. I love you, my goose. her long eyelashes, her small nose, her perfect lips, her porcelain skin. I loved her down to her very bones. I held her gently, wishing I could absorb her into my body, where no one could ever take her away from me. I could still hear our wedding vows as clear as yesterday. I just never imagined they would be put to the test so soon, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. I could stand by those words, and I knew Khloe would, too. That was why David had made me promise again and again not to tell her.

[00:32:55]I almost wished I was the one who couldn't have children. Then I could selfishly keep her all to myself forever. Dawn broke. I had been in and out of restless sleep all night, drifting between reality and nightmares.

[00:33:09]I didn't know if last night would be our last night together. My goose stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked playfully. Kiss me. I kissed her soft, warm lips. She returned the kiss. Her first smile of the day was the best gift in the world. There was nothing sweeter than Khloe's smile. Time to get up. I'm making you breakfast today. Since when do you know how to cook breakfast? My mother-in-law taught me. I've just been too busy with work lately to show off my amazing culinary skills. Chloe hopped out of bed, her bare feet patting on the floor as she headed to the bathroom.

[00:33:43]Would this be our last breakfast together? A wave of inexplicable sadness washed over me. In the bathroom, Khloe looked at her reflection in the mirror.

[00:33:53]The glow from last night was still there. She had been well taken care of.

[00:33:58]Suddenly, she felt a wave of nausea and gagged over the sink. Downstairs in the parking garage, I started my car and pulled out of the complex. I had to go to the clinic. I had to get to the bottom of this. If they thought they could tear us apart, they had another thing coming. I got to the men's health clinic and registered. Even though I arrived early, I realized I should have made an appointment online. My appointment was for 10 col 0 a.m. If my phone hadn't died, forcing me to find a portable charger, I might have gotten an earlier slot. Every minute was torture.

[00:34:31]Aospermia. How is that possible? I worked out constantly. I was in perfect health. I've been frantically googling it, learning everything I could. The little hope I had was slowly being extinguished. In the 6 years we'd been together, you'd think there would have been at least one accident, one slip up that could have led to a pregnancy. Why hadn't it ever happened? Was the problem really me? Hope was turning to despair.

[00:34:55]But then I'd remind myself. Why was David so eager to get my test results?

[00:35:00]They were my results. It should have been me picking them up. The clinic wasn't very crowded. Some men were here alone. Others were with their wives.

[00:35:08]Being in this place felt deeply embarrassing. But this was too important. I had to see it through. I kept my head down, staring at my phone.

[00:35:16]Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man looking at me. When I looked up, he quickly ducked out of sight. On my phone, I had a dozen missed messages from Chloe. She loves sending voice notes, but I didn't have the heart to listen to a single one. She was probably asking why I left without eating the breakfast she made. How could I possibly think about food right now? All I wanted were answers. My phone rang. It was a colleague from work. Everyone would be at the office by now. He was calling to update me on the status of a few client orders. I couldn't focus. I didn't hear a word he said. I hadn't slept all night. My head was buzzing and I felt like a ghost drifting through the world.

[00:35:54]Okay, I get it. We'll talk about it when I get back to the office. I hung up, then sat there like an idiot, waiting.

[00:36:00]Every second felt like an hour. Back to the office. If I really had this condition, would I ever be going back there? What kind of scheme would David cook up next to force me away from Khloe? I didn't care about leaving Apex.

[00:36:13]With my skills, I could find another job easily. But leaving Chloe, that was something I would never ever agree to.

[00:36:20]We were legally married. The law protected our union. Even if he was her father, David had no right to interfere.

[00:36:26]The thought gave me a small measure of comfort. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it was my turn. I saw the doctor, a man in his 40s with a receding hairline and a blank expression. He asked me a few questions and sent me on my way. Outside the door, a stout, nononsense nurse in her 30s was waiting.

[00:36:46]So much for the sexy nurses you read about online. That was a total myth. The nurse at least was professional. She didn't give me any strange looks as she led me to a small room. She tossed a few worn out magazines on the table. Call me when you're done. This place was a dump compared to the last one. How was I supposed to do anything in here? The magazines were practically falling apart. The posters on the wall were faded and completely unappealing. 018. I felt awful. I just want to walk out, but I couldn't. I had to do this test. I refused to believe I was infertile. I pictured myself throwing the new clean bill of health on David's desk and telling him I was a healthy, normal man who would never ever leave his daughter.

[00:37:30]There was a knock on the door. It was a nurse. Could you please hurry it up?

[00:37:34]There are other people waiting. Almost done, I called out, my voice filled with frustration. How was I supposed to get in the mood in an environment like this?

[00:37:43]After another long wait, the nurse, whose patience was clearly wearing thin, knocked again. Are you done yet? What's taking so long? The door opened and I walked out, my face grim. I'm done. How long until I get the results? Three business days, she said, and before I could ask anything else, she turned and walked away, leaving me with a view of her broadback. I couldn't wait that long. The anxiety was eating me alive. I did some quick research online.

[00:38:12]Everything I read said you were supposed to abstain for at least 3 days before this kind of test. The doctor here hadn't even asked about that. Why were they so sloppy? Some sources said you could get results in an hour. Others said it took a few days. I remembered that before the last test, Khloe had been pushing me away for a while. Was that the reason, had I misunderstood her completely, my mind was racing? If abstinence was required for an accurate result, then I should wait a few days and go to a different clinic. With that decided, I drove away from a clinic. On the way to the office, I finally listened to Khloe's voice messages. As I suspected, she was asking why I left, but then she added that she might have some good news to tell me later. What good news could there possibly be for me right now? I got to Apex and went straight to Khloe's office. Her assistant told me she hadn't come in at all that morning and hadn't said where she was going. I called Khloe's cell. It rang, but she didn't pick up. Where could she have gone so early? I sent her a text, but it went unanswered. This was very unusual for Kloe. Her phone was practically glued to her hand. She almost always replied to my texts instantly, unless she was in a meeting.

[00:39:24]If she wasn't at the office, where was she? I texted her again. Just then, a picture message came through from her.

[00:39:30]It was a woman in sexy lingerie lying on a bed. The photo was taken from a distance, so I couldn't see the face clearly. I was about to zoom in when the message was retracted. It was the same lingerie Chloe had worn last night, but the bedroom in the background was not ours. Chloe could be a bit scatterbrain sometimes. She'd sent messages to the wrong person before. She sent it then immediately deleted it. Did she mean to send it to someone else? My heart started to pound. The body looked like Chloe's. Before I could get a clear look at the face, the picture was gone. She wasn't at work. She wasn't answering her phone or texts. What was she doing? Was that her in the picture? I couldn't stay calm any longer. I called her again. She declined to call. I called back.

[00:40:14]Declined again. Panicked. I tried one more time. It went straight to voicemail. She had turned off her phone.

[00:40:20]019. I couldn't just sit there. The person in that photo had to be Chloe.

[00:40:25]The body, the lingerie, it all matched.

[00:40:28]She must have sent it to her lover by mistake, realized it, and quickly deleted it. As my mind spiraled, another text came through from her. Honey, sorry, my phone died. I sent the wrong picture by accident. This is the one I meant to send. You're going to be a dad.

[00:40:43]Attached was a photo of a lab report from a women's health clinic. Chloe was pregnant. Chloe was pregnant. I stared at the report, feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. I had just been told I was infertile and now my wife was pregnant.

[00:40:56]What the hell is going on? Stay at the clinic. I'm on my way. I texted back, rushing out the door. On the drive over, my mind was racing. Could it be? I found Chloe at the clinic, her face radiating a joy she couldn't contain. The moment she saw me, she threw herself into my arms that I held my wife, my love, and breaking my promise to her father. I told her everything. The infertility diagnosis, the pressure from her dad, all of it. Chloe stared at me in shock.

[00:41:26]Aospermia.

[00:41:27]That's impossible. Ethan, don't you remember that summer during college when I dropped off the map for a few weeks? I was pregnant. We were still in school.

[00:41:36]We couldn't have a baby. My dad forced me to get an abortion in secret. And besides, she said, placing a hand on her stomach. I'm pregnant now. A look of sudden realization dawned on her face. I get now. It's all my dad's doing. What do you mean? I asked, confused. His company is in serious financial trouble.

[00:41:56]You want me to divorce you so I can marry my old classmate. It's a strategic alliance. His family's money would bail Apex out. He brought it up with me before and I told him absolutely not.

[00:42:07]This must have been his backup plan.

[00:42:09]That day you saw me at the hotel with my classmate. It must have been a setup and him wanting a tour of our house. That was plan two. I told her about seeing them from the restaurant with Frank.

[00:42:19]Frank was definitely in on it. Chloe said without hesitation. My dad must have paid him off. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the car. We drove to her father's office and confronted him. Faced with the undeniable truth of Khloe's pregnancy, David Chen's composure crumbled. He looked at us defeated. Since you already know everything, there's nothing left to say.

[00:42:42]Dad, I told you I would never divorce Ethan," Chloe said firmly. "Especially not now that we're having a baby." "Come on, honey. Let's go." She took my arm and we walked out of the office. The light of the setting sun washed over us.

[00:42:56]I wrapped my arm around the woman I loved more than anything.