They were playing Truth or Dare when Charles lost.
Asked to choose, he picked Truth.
“Mr. Miller, do you like our Vivian?” asked Vivian’s close friend, Emily Carter.
“You have to tell the truth—no lies allowed!”
Charles gazed at Vivian with affection. “Yes, I do.”
The room erupted in cheers. Emily pushed further.
“Then when will you marry her, Mr. Miller? I’m waiting for my wedding invite!”
Others chimed in.
“Yeah, dump that witch of a wife already!”
“She’s unbearable. At every team dinner she tags along like an outsider. Always complaining—can’t play this, can’t eat that!”
“Exactly. She’s just afraid Vivian will steal you away, so she follows you everywhere.”
“Doesn’t matter. Vivian and Mr. Miller are true love!”
Listening to them mock me, while they collected my company’s paychecks, made my blood boil.
The game went on. This time Vivian lost.
Emily asked, “Truth or Dare?”
“I’ll take Dare.”
“Then French-kiss Mr. Miller!”
Vivian blushed. “That’s too much.”
“What are you afraid of? Sophia isn’t here!”
“Kiss! Kiss!” the group chanted.
Vivian gathered her courage, cupped Charles’s face, and kissed him deeply.
While their lips tangled, I pushed the door open.
The room froze. The cheers died instantly.
But the two of them were so engrossed they didn’t notice.
I grabbed Vivian and slapped her twice across the face.
Charles roared, “What the hell are you doing?!”
I turned and slapped him twice as well. “What do you think?”
Realizing he was in the wrong, he softened his tone.
“Babe, it’s a misunderstanding. We were just playing a game.”
“Oh? Games now include tongue-kissing?”
“We’re all adults. It’s just fun—we didn’t sleep together.”
I laughed bitterly. “So as long as you don’t sleep with her, it’s not cheating?”
“I admit I went too far. You can hit me, I won’t mind. But Vivian did nothing wrong. You need to apologize to her!”
Vivian sobbed while Charles held her tenderly.
“Vivian, I’ll make Sophia apologize. Don’t cry.”
“Sophia, apologize right now!”
“Is she even worthy of it?” I spat.
Vivian wept harder. “Mr. Miller, Sophia must look down on me.”
“She does! You’re a professional woman, while she’s just a housewife leeching off her husband. She has no right to look down on you. She only lucked out by marrying well—otherwise she’s nothing!”
Charles glared at me. “Sophia, are you going to apologize or not?”
“No.”
“Fine! If you won’t apologize, then forget about having kids!”
I froze. For years I had dreamed of a child. But Charles always refused, hiding behind excuses about not liking kids, always using protection.
Now he dared to use my greatest desire as leverage.
