One week before the wedding, my best friend rushed back from another province just to help me prepare for the ceremony.
That night, while she was still in the shower, her phone began to ring.
"Elaine, can you check who's calling?" she called from the bathroom.
I chuckled and teased, "Aren't you afraid I'll find out if you're hiding some secret boyfriend?"
I picked up her phone and unlocked it. A message popped up from a pinned contact on WhatsApp.
[Baby, are we doing it tonight?]
Beneath it was a photo—a provocative one of a woman in a skimpy bunny costume, holding a pair of pink handcuffs.
Another message followed, this time a voice note.
"I've missed you so much. How about we try this tonight?"
I froze. Then I played it again.
My face burned at first—then the heat drained away, leaving me cold all over.
Because that voice... wasn't anyone else's.
It was my fiancé's, Iñigo.
——
The room was warm, but I felt like I'd fallen into ice water.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom, every splash pounding against my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I stared at the chat—Iñigo, using a secret account I'd never seen before, exchanging bold, filthy messages with Talia, my best friend.
The same Talia who was showering in my bathroom right now.
My mind scrambled for explanations.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe the voice just sounded similar?
After all, Talia and I grew up together. She had never dated anyone, and always said she wasn't interested in men.
In fact, the first time she met Iñigo, she wrinkled her nose and said, "So you're that toad?"
Completely ignoring my embarrassment, she gave him a once-over and added, "Listen, you disgusting toad—treat my princess well, or I'll make sure you die fast!"
That meeting had been a disaster.
Even now, whenever Iñigo mentioned her, he'd sneer, "If she weren't your best friend, I would've killed her the first time we met!"
Yet here I was, staring at a WhatsApp chat window where he and Talia had matching couple avatars.
A new message popped up—a single question mark.
My heart jolted. I quickly exited the chat, switched to my own phone, and called Iñigo.
The video call rang for a few seconds before he answered.
"Hey, wife!"
His familiar smile appeared on screen. He turned his camera to show a few of his friends waving behind him.
"Sister-in-law's checking up on us?"
"Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on Iñigo for you!"
"This idiot only has eyes for you, no need to worry, sister-in-law!"
They were his childhood friends—now shareholders in his company—currently on a business trip to expand the firm's reach.
He turned back to me, smiling softly. "Wife, do you miss me?"
Leaning closer to the screen, he lowered his voice. "I miss you so much. I keep rushing these guys so I can finish up and get back to you!"
Hearing him call me 'wife' again and again still made my face warm. My heart softened despite everything.
"I know. Work comes first," I said, forcing a smile.
Maybe I was being paranoid. Maybe I shouldn't doubt him—or the love we'd built, or the marriage we were about to enter.
Still, I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Iñigo... what do you think of Talia?"
I tried to sound casual, almost teasing. "She seems to be seeing someone lately!"
His expression froze for a fraction of a second before he shrugged it off.
"Who cares about that tomboy?" His tone was laced with disdain. "I have zero interest in her life. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even want to hear her name!"
Then he smiled again. "Wife, I've got to run. Let's talk later, okay?"
