After the Game Ended, So Did My Marriage

Beckett's laughter still echoed in my ears.

"Having a bestie is a thousand times better than marriage—no bride price, and I still get all the benefits. Tsk, what kind of good karma did I rack up in my past life?"

Enough. I'd had enough.

I stood up, refusing to watch that nauseatingly warm and cozy scene a moment longer, and walked away.

After copying the surveillance footage, Claire and I went straight to the law firm to submit the evidence, ready for one last negotiation with Serina.

The moment I stepped out of the firm, my phone rang. It was a police officer friend of mine—he lived next door, and we'd always been on good terms.

When I answered, his voice carried a strange weight.

"Has Serina been acting... off lately?"

A bad premonition surged in my chest. "Enzo, just tell me directly."

"At the camping base, someone made a few frivolous remarks at the guy. Serina snapped, smashed a bottle over his head, and was taken to the station for mediation." He hesitated. "It's hard to explain... I'll send you the footage from the station's security cameras."

Not long after, my message notification pinged.

With trembling hands, I opened the video.

On the screen, Beckett had his arms wrapped around a bruised Serina, tears streaming down his face.

"Serina, there's something I've held back for so long. But today—I have to say it."

"I like you. I really, really like you."

"If Marvin hadn't gotten in the way, I would've confessed first!"

Before his words even faded, Serina cupped his face and kissed him deeply, like two long-suffering lovers finally crossing mountains and rivers to find each other again.

And me? I was the intruder. The third wheel.

My ears buzzed, my hand shook so violently I nearly dropped the phone.

Another message from Enzo came through.

[After mediation, the two of them went straight to a nearby hotel. I'll send you the address.]

Almost at the same time, Serina's message popped up.

[Hubby, the project is a little complicated. I won't be home tonight. Get some rest early, love you~]

My knuckles turned white from clenching my fist. Claire noticed and looked at worriedly.

"Marvin, are you okay? Just say the word—your friend is ready to roll."

I wiped away my tears, the last trace of warmth in my eyes completely gone.

"Of course. We'll let everyone see exactly what a good bestie does in a hotel room."

Serina cared most about her precious reputation. So I'd tear that mask right off her face in front of the world.

—

Outside the hotel.

I opened a livestream, with a caption: "How Close Can a Wife and Her Male Bestie Get?"

A few viewers trickled in.

[Another baseless rumor, I bet.]

[Ugh, just another case of platonic friendship being slandered.]

[The host must be petty as hell—what kind of grown man acts like this?]

Watching the skepticism and mockery scroll across the screen, I smiled and nodded.

"You're right. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Maybe I even picked fights with my wife's best friend over nothing."

"So here I am—with top-shelf wine and cigarettes—to apologize to him in person."

With Serina's ID number, I had a duplicate room card made. Then I strode toward the room.

The door swung open.

On the messy bed, Beckett lay shirtless, tangled up with Serina.

I lifted my phone, smiling.

"Look—this is what it means to be so close you share the same bed."