My Husband's Old Flame Got Divorced

2

It was already noon by the time we woke up. Julian Sterling carried me to the bathroom for a shower, but we ended up fooling around in the bathtub for ages.

I leaned lazily against him, feeling completely drained.

His stamina was incredible, even more vigorous than when we first got married.

That evening, he took me out for dinner.

When I got out of the car, my legs felt weak. Luckily, he caught me just in time.

Julian Sterling laughed, the amusement in his eyes impossible to hide.

He took me to dinner with his friends. There were five of them, all close buddies of his whom I'd only met once or twice.

In our two years of marriage, the place we spent the most time was in bed, with the occasional trip.

'So what's this all about today?'

I was finding him harder and harder to understand.

Less than fifteen minutes later, someone else arrived. It was Eleanor Wynne.

She was even more beautiful in person than in her photos, with a kind of fresh, clean aura about her.

Of course, I didn't feel insecure. I'm beautiful too; Julian Sterling had just complimented me last night.

'What is this, a changing of the guard?'

I hadn't realized Julian Sterling was so into formalities. It felt like he was about to hold a handover ceremony.

"Eleanor, you're back for good this time, right?" someone asked pointedly, clearly for my benefit.

I sat calmly beside Julian Sterling, opening my mouth to eat the shrimp he was feeding me.

It wasn't that I was trying to show off. It was his fault for being so relentless, leaving me without even the strength to peel a shrimp.

Eleanor Wynne looked at me, a ripple disturbing her crystal-clear eyes.

"I'm not leaving again," Eleanor Wynne said with a smile. "I'm looking for a place to live. Does anyone have any recommendations?"

"Doesn't Julian have a place in Southbay? It's still empty, isn't it?" It was the same friend again, steering the conversation toward Julian Sterling.

He continued peeling shrimp for me and replied casually, "My wife handles all my properties. I'm not too sure."

'Me???'

All eyes in the room turned to me in unison.

'This guy is a real pro at passing the buck.'

I really couldn't figure him out. Was he trying to solidify my position, or was he pushing me to back down?

He offered me another peeled shrimp. I bit down and chewed it to pieces.

'I won't have another woman sleeping by my bedside.'

But...

I glanced at Julian Sterling, diligently peeling shrimp for me. He really looked like the poster child for doting husbands.

The more he put on this act, the more my rebellious streak flared up.

My gaze shifted to the friend who had spoken up earlier, and I replied nonchalantly, "Sure. It's just sitting empty anyway. It could use a little life."

It was a casual remark, but it set off a firestorm.

The friend who made the suggestion choked on his drink.

Julian Sterling's hands, in the middle of peeling a shrimp, also froze.

Even Eleanor Wynne shot me a look.

'Was it really that serious?'

I rolled my eyes internally, not wanting to expose their little game.

I figured that from the moment Eleanor Wynne returned, this bunch had been eager to swap out their "sister-in-law."

Their acting was so terrible, even my kindergarten-aged nephew could do better.

I thought my magnanimity would give these hypocrites an easy way out. But the moment the words left my mouth, it was stuffed shut.

A peeled shrimp was shoved right into my mouth, silencing my "grand" offer.

"Eleanor, you should probably look for something else," he said. "My wife and I have lived in that house, after all. It wouldn't be convenient."

"..."

Before I could even react, another shrimp was stuffed into my mouth.

'Julian Sterling, you scoundrel! If you want me to step aside, just say so. Are you trying to choke me to death instead?'