Lipstick on Your Back

Ethan tiptoed into bed, careful not to wake me.

Later that night, I listened to his steady breathing, then slipped quietly out of bed.

In his briefcase, I found another phone. I didn’t know the password, but I carefully used his finger to unlock it with the fingerprint sensor.

When the screen lit up, my heartbeat quickened.

I locked myself in the bathroom and began scrolling. The more I saw, the more I realized I had loved a monster all these years.

The phone was full of filth—group chats of scantily clad women, explicit photos, and lewd banter with other men.

"This girl is hot."

"That’s nothing. I’ve seen wilder ones."

Ethan chimed in: "Hook me up!"

My stomach churned. So he had been unfaithful as early as graduate school.

I had always been conservative, wanting to wait until marriage. When I asked Ethan if he thought I was old-fashioned, he had said:

"Baby, how could you think that? If you’re not ready, I’ll respect your choice. You’ll be mine sooner or later."

But that wasn’t respect. He already had countless other options.

I opened a chat labeled “ChloeBaby.”

The girl was Chloe Adams, our wedding photographer.

There were photos and videos of them together in bed. Ethan even praised her beauty.

The worst part was realizing they had hooked up just three days after meeting—right after our first photo session.

He had reduced our seven years to nothing.

So when he said he was reviewing wedding photos, he was really going to see her.

How laughable. What I saw as a sacred step toward marriage had become evidence of my humiliation.

And why her, of all people—the photographer we’d both met together?

Just three days, and he was already in her bed. Then what did our seven years mean?

I struggled to breathe, gasping for air.

I copied the photos and videos, then put his phone back exactly where I found it.

The next morning, Ethan behaved as if nothing had happened—up early, making me breakfast. He played the part of a devoted fiancé. So I decided to play along too.

During breakfast, I feigned casual interest.

"Why don’t we go together to the bridal boutique today? We can check how our wedding photos turned out. If they’re not good, we can choose new ones."

Ethan’s hand hesitated, then he quickly forced a smile.

"Sure. Chloe mentioned they also offer romantic wedding video montages now. We could play one at the ceremony for the guests. If you’d like, we can film one."

"Sounds good." I agreed without hesitation.

At the boutique, when Chloe saw me walk in, the smile on her lips froze. Ethan was the first to recover.

"Oh, we’re here to check on the finished photos."