Chapter 3
Dylan didn’t come home all night.
He finally returned the next evening.
But he brought me tacos from my favorite place.
“It’s from that place you love. Waited in line forever. You eat first, I’m gonna grab a shower!”
“Okay!”
Dylan headed to the bathroom.
I immediately grabbed the spare keys and the takeout box, then went straight down to the parking
garage.
The car had been washed, spotless.
The passenger seat was adjusted to my usual position.
Everything seemed normal.
But that wasn’t what I was looking for. I needed to check the dash cam.
I pulled up all the surveillance footage from yesterday until now.
Dylan had driven to the university in the south part of the city.
He called the girl and said just two words: “Come down!”
The girl bounced down and hopped into the passenger seat.
Kissing sounds. Heavy breathing.
“Have you touched that old woman?”
“Shut up!”
“Did you or didn’t you?”
15:04
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
10.09
Chapter 3
Dylan’s voice was husky, dripping with lust.
“What do you think?”
The girl sounded smug: “You’re all mine!”
“Don’t beg for mercy later!”
The car’s speed showed just how eager the driver was.
Then the car stopped at an apartment complex near the campus.
The footage picked up again the next morning at ten.
Only Dylan was in the car.
The video played silently.
C
I sat frozen in the car, every muscle in my body tense and aching.
When I reached up to stop the playback, a phone rang through the speakers.
It was Blake, Dylan’s childhood friend.
“Where are you? Why aren’t you here yet?”
“On my way!”
“Tsk, being this late isn’t like you. Don’t tell me you went to see your little Peach again!”
Dylan grunted, “Yep.”
Blake seemed speechless: “Seriously, this frequency is getting ridiculous. Are you for real about
this?”
Dylan chuckled softly.
“What’s real? What’s fake?”
“Don’t play dumb! I thought you were just messing around, but now it’s turned into something long–term? Didn’t you love Claire to death? How did you suddenly start cheating?”
15:04
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
10.29
Chapter 3
The question seemed to catch Dylan off guard.
After a long pause, he spoke: “Claire’s 33 now!”
“So?”
“I don’t know why, but ever since she turned thirty, I just think she’s… kind of dirty!”
How long had it been since Dylan touched me?
I sat there smoking, trying to remember.
It started about six months ago.
That’s when my work got crazy busy.
Fighting for a promotion, I was pulling overtime and all–nighters constantly.
Every day I came home wanting nothing but sleep.
Dylan would hold me, try to kiss me.
I’d push him away.
“Stop it, I’m too tired. Next time, okay?”
The first time, Dylan didn’t mind. He even felt sorry for me.
The second time, he was unhappy but still held back his temper.
The third time, he got angry and stormed out.
Later I found him at a bar.
I realized this wasn’t good.
So I wrapped my arms around his neck and accepted his fierce kiss.
That time wasn’t pleasant. I even felt pain.
Dylan noticed too and ended it quickly.
1504
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrving Your Rival
10.4%
Chapter 3
That night, he turned his back to me–the first time he didn’t turn around to hold me.
I felt helpless, didn’t know how to fix it or how to comfort him.
But he beat me to it and comforted himself instead.
He said it was his fault, that he’d been too impatient.
‘Don’t overthink it, don’t take it to heart. Once you’re done with work, we’ll take a trip!”
thought everything was resolved.
He was still good to me.
८
Even though he stopped holding me when we slept, even though we hadn’t been intimate in six
nonths.
But he was good to me.
Yet now he was saying he thought I was dirty.
That one word–from the moment I heard it until now, every time I think of it, my whole body goes
cold.
The hand holding my cigarette kept shaking.
Ash fell on my hand, burning.
But it was nothing compared to the damage that one word had done.
15:04
