When I walked into the bar, Serena was sitting on a young guy’s lap in a short, strapless dress.

Everyone around them was chanting, “Serena, kiss him!”

The guy looked at Serena expectantly.

Serena was holding a drink, her eyes glazed over.

“Cut it out, my husband’s here,” she slurred.

The room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at me.

...

“Hey, Alex, we were just joking around,” someone said.

“Yeah, it’s Serena’s birthday. We’re just having some fun.”

The guy holding Serena, gave me a dismissive glance and tightened his arm around her waist.

“Wouldn’t this be more fun, Serena?”

The atmosphere instantly picked up again, and everyone was staring at us, waiting for something to happen.

They all knew Serena didn’t love me. They knew our marriage was just a sham.

So, it wasn’t a surprise that the guys around her weren’t afraid of me.

I ignored the guy and said, “The paparazzi are swarming outside. They’re waiting for you. If you don’t want a big mess, come with me.”

Serena smiled and didn't say anything or move, she just clinked glasses with the guy.

The guy was smug, and he kissed her cheek.

My heart clenched.

The next second, a waiter came into the room, claiming to be delivering a drink. But the “click” sound betrayed him.

Before I could react, he ran off.

There was no escaping the paparazzi.

Since that was the case, I didn’t see any point in sticking around.

I turned to leave, but Serena suddenly grabbed my hand and intertwined her fingers with mine.

“Alright, honey. I’ll go with you.”

I looked back at the guy she’d been with, and he looked crestfallen.

“Serena, you promised you’d go out with me.”

Serena ignored him, smiling at me. “What, you don’t want me to go home with you?”

I knew that guy was just a prop for her.

It was her birthday, and she knew the paparazzi would be there. She knew I’d be there, too.

Her plan was to have the paparazzi take pictures of her with another man.

Because if a scandal broke, the only one who would be punished would be me.

Her family would just think I hadn’t handled her well.

I squeezed her hand and said calmly, “Let’s go.”

I let go of her hand after we got in the car.

She chuckled, leaning in close. “Wow, you change your tune fast, huh, hon?”

I didn’t say anything. I was used to her taunts.

When we got home, I went into the guest bedroom.

Serena usually didn’t sleep in the same room as me.

She’d say, “We just put on a show when people are around. Otherwise, we do our own thing. You don’t bother me, and I won’t bother you.”

But even though she said that, she always made sure the paparazzi captured her out with other men.

And every time, I had to step in.

I’d just gotten into bed when Serena, in a thin silk nightgown, barged in.

Her curly hair was loose around her shoulders, making her look incredibly sexy.

She crawled into bed, her red lips brushing against my Adam's apple.

I pushed her away.

“I’m tired tonight.”

She scoffed. “It's not up to you, Alex. If I can’t get pregnant, my parents are going to have you replaced, again."

Serena and I had been married for seven years, and we still didn’t have children.

Her parents were pressing us.

The children weren’t what they wanted but rather a way to make appearances for the outside world.

The Mayer and Sterling families were powerful and wealthy, and the last thing they wanted was a scandal.

But Serena always took birth control.

She was determined to do the opposite of what I wanted.

I closed my eyes and stopped looking at her. “Leave, they’re looking for me, not you.”

Serena mocked me again, “Then you’ll have to take it!”

With that, she slammed the door and left.