I turned and made my way to the central control room, pulling up the surveillance footage from the room.
Artemis was already dressed in a seductive fox outfit, kneeling on the floor like a willing servant.
Conrad sat before her, his eyes running over the delicate fabric, his gaze filled with desire.
He sat up straight on the sofa, his posture dignified, but the crimson tint at the corners of his eyes and the quickening of his breath betrayed the urgency of his need.
The woman in front of him, utterly submissive, was focused on him, her attention unwavering.
In a move driven by raw desire, Conrad lifted her by the waist, tossing her onto the bed, his body following with haste.
There was no playfulness in his movements today, no teasing. He simply needed to release his cravings to satisfy the gnawing ache inside him so he could return to me.
But when he hurried back to the private room, he found me gone.
The team members said that once he left, I had disappeared without a trace.
He panicked instantly.
When he stumbled back into the room, he was startled to find me calmly sitting on the sofa.
"Wife, when did you come back?"
I met his gaze without a flicker of emotion. "Didn’t you say you were coming back to rest?"
Instead of getting nervous, Conrad just smiled, the corners of his lips curling in a way that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Then, in a flash, the lights in the room suddenly went dark.
Conrad’s team flooded in, carrying flowers and candles and circled around us like stars around a moon.
He knelt before me in a slow, deliberate motion and presented a red velvet box.
The diamond inside sparkled under the dim light, casting a brief flash of brilliance that made everyone gasp in awe.
"Brother Conrad is really generous! Did he use the operation bonus to buy this ring?"
"Oh my gosh, you’re so lucky, sister! What a catch!"
"The captain is so affectionate; he's truly a perfect man."
***
As the ring settled on my finger, my heart stuttered.
When Conrad and I had first married, we had nothing.
He had lured me back home with a ring crafted from a simple soda can pull-tab, far from the grand gesture I had once dreamed of.
We never had the proper wedding ring and that had always remained an unspoken regret between us.
Five years, exactly five years and I finally had this wedding ring.
Tears pricked at my eyes and Conrad rushed to his feet, pulling me into his arms and offering soft words of comfort.
Artemis, standing nearby, smiled knowingly.
"Conrad even asked me what kind of ring girls like. Sister, he’s really thoughtful!"
She flicked her hair back and the diamond on her ring finger flashed in a cascade of colors.
She smiled sweetly at the crowd, adding, "This? My boyfriend gave it to me."
And in that simple statement, everyone understood exactly what she was implying.
The warm atmosphere that had lingered moments ago evaporated in an instant, replaced by a cold tension.
Conrad hurriedly spoke, his words meant to patch up the cracks he had just created.
"Wife, after the mission ends the day after tomorrow, our whole team can retire. I’ll take you far away and from now on, I’ll be with you, always by your side."
I could see the unmistakable unease in Artemis’s eyes, but I didn’t press further.
Instead, I feigned being touched by Conrad’s empty promises.
Leaning against him, my expression remained unchanged, cold, indifferent.
How revolting.
Only moments ago, he had been tangled up with another woman and now, here he was, swearing eternal devotion.
It didn’t matter anymore.
Two days from now, I would be gone.
The next morning, I woke to find Conrad had already bought breakfast.
He carefully arranged all the food in front of me, his smile warm and effortless.
"Wife, today I’ll stay home with you. I’m not going anywhere."
He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight.
Just as I was about to pull away, Conrad’s phone rang, the sound cutting through the moment.
He answered the call, his expression shifting in shock.
At the same time, my phone buzzed with a message.
“I’m at your back door. Guess, will he choose me or choose you?”
