Jason’s lips trembled into a faint smile, his eyes bright, though he only gave a small nod.
Beside him, Daniel yawned, grinning.
“Alright then, Ethan. Take him shopping this afternoon. And while you’re at it, get me a new watch. Sophia promised she’d replace my old one with a limited edition.”
His voice was half-teasing, half-serious.
I smiled back and played along.
“Sure. I’ll get you one too.”
Then I let my gaze sweep across the three men, one by one.
These were the people closest to me, the ones I trusted most.
Daniel, my brother-like childhood friend. Jason, the student Sophia and I had been sponsoring. Michael, the capable assistant who had been with her for years.
Together, they had witnessed all thirteen years of my relationship with Sophia.
And yet, an inexplicable heaviness settled in my chest.
I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to doubt.
But my great-grandmother’s words echoed in my mind—I knew her lover had to be one of them.
Even in the dream, when she said Sophia was unfaithful, my first instinct had been denial.
I met Sophia when I was eighteen.
Back then, she had nothing but sheer determination.
She once told me, “The beginning will be hard, but when I finally succeed, I’ll make sure you live better than anyone else.”
Without hesitation, I had taken her hand.
From selling at flea markets to running a tiny shop, from countless failures to finally building our first company—we went through it all together.
In the worst of times, when our merchandise was stolen and I chased the thieves alone, I was stabbed seven times.
What warmed me most was that Sophia had never broken her promise. For ten years straight, she loved me fiercely.
In our second year of marriage, we were in a car accident.
In that split second, she shielded me with her own body, taking the full force of the crash and passing out.
Even as she lost consciousness, she managed a weak smile and whispered, “Ethan, don’t be afraid. I love you.”
How could I believe that someone like her would ever betray me?
Back then, I laughed and told my great-grandmother,
“Stop joking. The most important thing in marriage is trust. And I trust Sophia.”
She snorted, puffing on her pipe.
“You’re still too young. There isn’t a soul on this earth who doesn’t stray. I’ve sent you three dreams before, saved your life three times—and still you don’t believe me?”
Her words stuck in my chest like a lump I couldn’t swallow.
Every dream she had sent me in the past had turned out to be true.
And lately, Sophia had been acting differently.
She had worn her wedding ring for six years straight. But recently she took it off, saying she’d sent it to the jeweler for maintenance.
Another time, I sat in her car and noticed potato chip crumbs in the passenger seat.
Sophia was a clean freak—she’d never allow anyone to eat in her car.
She explained then, “Michael borrowed my car to pick up his kid the other day. Must’ve been her who dropped the crumbs.”
At the time, I trusted her completely and thought nothing of it.
But now, looking back, each detail seemed wrong.
I swallowed my suspicions, pretending to speak casually.
“By the way, Michael, isn’t it about time to pick your kid up from school?”
Michael blinked, then smiled.
“Oh, no. Last year I transferred her to Lincoln High School. It’s right next to our place, just a five-minute walk. Haven’t needed to drive her in ages.”
He said it easily, his expression calm.
