The Day My Husband's Mistress Became His Wife

By the time I got home, it was already afternoon. I tried entering the door code a few times, but none of my attempts worked. Finally, someone opened the door from the inside.

Maggie greeted me with a playful smile and a cheeky grin. "Auntie, I changed the door code. Uncle said I should stay here for a few days. The code is today's special date." She seemed eager to settle in.

Behind her, I heard Everett's voice urging me inside. I saw Maggie lying on our bed—mine and Everett's. Beside her, Julien was busy drawing her blood. My belongings were scattered carelessly in the living room. It was only then that Everett paid me a bit of attention.

"Maggie's meds haven't worn off yet. Julien said we need to monitor her for three days, so I asked her to move in," Everett said, trying to sound reasonable. I nodded absentmindedly, not rising to the expected confrontation. Every time Thanksgiving ended, it would lead to a shouting match between Everett and me about Maggie, followed by a week of icy silence until I inevitably caved.

Everett tried to reassure me. "Ophelia, next month we'll have a proper wedding." Another promise, but Everett, usually a man of his word, seemed unable to keep them when it came to Maggie. I looked up at him, watching his concerned gaze locked onto Maggie's face, unable to conceal his worry.

For the first time, I rejected his offer. "No need." Everett frowned as he looked at me. "Maggie's still young, don't hold it against her," he said.

I cut him off, looking him in the eye seriously. "I'm not holding it against her; I just don't want the wedding anymore." It felt pointless. Before Everett could say anything else, Maggie's sultry voice floated out from the room.

Everett looked angrily at Julien. "Didn't you say Maggie was fine? So what's going on now?"

Julien replied, confused, "Mr. Myers, the blood test results show no traces of drugs in Ms. Crawford's system."

Maggie started tugging at her clothes, and Everett quickly closed the door. Moments later, indescribable noises came from the room.

I spent the night on the couch, listening to the chaos until dawn, when I finally drifted into a restless sleep. It seemed my heart, which had always ached so much, had gone numb now.