Their eyes locked, tension thick in the air, neither willing to let go.
The crowd’s deafening chant of “Be together!” stabbed into me like knives, slicing my heart open.
In that moment, I felt like a thief, watching from the shadows as my husband tangled intimately with another woman.
Beside me, Ethan’s face had darkened with fury. He was about to charge forward when I grabbed his arm to stop him.
My hand shook as I dialed Daniel’s number.
Through blurred vision, I saw him pull out his phone, visibly annoyed by the sudden ringing.
Once, twice, three times…
He stared at the screen flashing “Wife” and never answered.
Sophie lazily draped herself across his chest, letting out a contemptuous snort.
“Your nagging wife checking up on you again?”
She quickly hit the decline button, then tapped his nose with a smirk.
“Don’t go choosing a woman over your brother, or we won’t be brothers anymore.”
“Don’t say that,” Daniel chuckled, pulling her tighter into his arms. “A wife could never be more important than a brother.”
With a swift motion, he powered off the phone, tossed it aside, and rolled with Sophie across the grass again.
Yes. A wife could never be more important than a brother.
What else did I need to understand?
The cold wind made me shiver violently. Pointing at the laughing pair, I whispered,
“Ethan, is there a camera covering that spot?”
He immediately caught on. “I’ll make sure it’s saved.”
It felt like my heart had burst open, bleeding out uncontrollably.
Daniel, if you’ve already made your choice…
Then the outcome is clear: your complete disgrace.
Not far away, the group had settled around a barbecue, drinking heavily, words spilling freer with each glass.
Sophie lifted her bottle and sighed dramatically.
“This reminds me of Daniel’s wedding day. I was so heartbroken, I went to the Hudson River and drank alone. Posted it on Facebook too.”
She giggled. “Guess what? He ran out to me in his tux, and we sat by the river like idiots, watching the stars all night.”
My throat tightened. I remembered that night.
Daniel had said an urgent matter came up, and I spent my wedding night waiting alone on the bed.
“And that’s not all,” Sophie continued. “Later I told him I never wanted to marry, but I did want a child. Guess how this fool answered?”
She paused, savoring the suspense, then burst out laughing.
“He actually said super seriously, ‘Fine, I’ll donate. If you’re having a baby, it has to be mine!’”
The crowd erupted—“Now that’s real brotherhood!”—as Sophie nudged him playfully.
“Well? You’re so loyal. But what about Anna?”
Daniel’s gaze dropped, his tone calm, almost casual.
“I’ve been slipping her birth control. I don’t want kids anyway.”
“What the hell!” Ethan blurted, horrified. “And you can live with that?”
The sunlight seared my eyes. I could only laugh—until tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Funny, isn’t it? He once said he wanted us to be DINK, just the two of us forever.”
For three years I had tried and failed to conceive. I thought something was wrong with me.
But he—so considerate, so gentle—had told me:
“Anna, it’s fine. We’ll be childfree. You’re my everything.”
And now, I realized I was nothing but a pathetic joke.
Sophie’s laughter still rang in my ears.
“Having a good brother is a thousand times better than getting married. No nagging wife, no drudgery, and I get all the benefits. God, what kind of blessing did I earn in my past life?”
