Chapter 11

This game was getting more fun. I took up the mug of herbal medicine, gently blew on it, and sipped it gracefully. However, it was so bitter that I immediately spat it out. At some point, Henry returned home and changed his shoes at the front door. When he saw how clumsily I was spitting out my drink, he looked disgusted. He said indifferently, “Don’t force yourself if you can’t stomach it.” “What do you care?” I wiped the corners of my mouth. “Why are you back again?” I asked, thinking about Henry's unusual behavior these days. Henry yanked his tie in an unintentionally cool manner. “This is also my home. What’s wrong with me being here?” Henry took a seat across from me and responded with a blank expression. “Oh, right.” I nodded and lowered my head, continuing to sip the herbal medicine. However, it was far too bitter. Even though I was used to drinking black coffee with no sugar, I could not stand the bitterness of this herbal drink and spat it out before it reached my throat. The projectile range was quite long this time, and some of it splattered on Henry’s face and shirt. Henry's face darkened in an instant, and he gave me a cold stare. I was still stunned by the bitterness and could not speak at the time. When I noticed water droplets dripping from the tips of Henry’s eyelashes, I quickly dabbed his face with a tissue as a final courtesy. Henry quickly swatted my hand away. The disgust in his eyes triggered the familiar bitterness in my heart. “Sorry, this herbal medicine is too bitter.” I kept my cool and tossed the tissue I was holding onto the ground. Henry remained silent and went to change his clothes. Edith came in at this time and quickly cleaned up the soiled surfaces. She was more diligent and attentive than the other housekeepers. “Edith, please prepare dinner,” I said tiredly after she finished cleaning. Edith nodded and went back to work in the kitchen. I pinched my nose and gulped down the rest of the herbal drink as quickly as I could. I could not simply eat more food to gain weight. I needed to get my body in shape by following this naturopathic regimen that would regulate my immune system and metabolism. After finishing the herbal drink, I went upstairs to the music room and uncovered a dusty instrument bag, revealing a cello that had not been touched in a long time. As I slowly plucked on the strings, the deep and pleasant vibrations of the notes filled the room. I was immersed in the music, recalling college memories, when Henry opened the music room door at some point. “It’s so noisy!” he scowled. Initially, I was considering taking a break from playing, but when I heard his words, I suddenly felt spiteful. In my previous life, I stowed away my beloved cello because Henry thought it was noisy. In retrospect, I can see why Krystal and the girls called me stupid. I spitefully pulled the bow a couple of times in the most horrendous-sounding combination I could muster, shocking Henry and earning a beautiful frown from him. “Then divorce me. If we’re divorced, we’ll live separately. That way, I won’t disturb you no matter how much I practice,” I said softly, gracefully putting down my bow. “We can live separately without getting a divorce,” Henry replied mockingly. “So, what exactly are you doing here?” I had been racking my brain for what could possibly attract Henry home lately. It can’t be me, right? Henry seemed irritated because he was not used to me talking back. Based on what I know about him, he would probably storm out soon. However, he was clearly suppressing his rage when he asked, “Zena, you don’t seem too eager to see me at home. Why, have you found a new lover?” Was Henry only frequenting the house because he suspected that I was cheating on him and wanted to catch me red-handed? I widened my eyes in shock. “Is there a problem with that? I thought you said I could f*ck around as long as I didn’t post it?” “Are you f*cking cheating on me?!” Henry interrogated me angrily. “Gender equality. Why can’t I do what you’ve been doing?” I retorted. “Sir, Madam, it’s dinner time,” Edith said cautiously, interrupting our heated argument. I pushed Henry out of the way and went downstairs to eat, not wanting to mistreat my body because of him again. Edith was a fantastic cook. She prepared a four-course meal with three main courses and one soup. It was visually appealing and flavorful enough that I asked for seconds. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Henry coming downstairs and leaving at some point. “Edith, this meal is delicious! You’re a great cook. Your husband and children are so blessed to be living with you.” After finishing my meal, I smiled and praised Edith. Edith was a little shy. “Madam, these are just regular home-cooked meals. You must be exaggerating.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t just dish out compliments randomly. This is truly amazing! Hasn’t your family ever praised your cooking skills?” “My daughter enjoys my cooking and often suggests that I open a small diner. I just think that her idea is too naive.” Edith’s eyes lit up at the mention of her daughter. My smile began to fade. “There’s nothing wrong with her idea. You never know when you’ll strike gold and realize your dreams!” In my previous life, I requested to see Henry on my deathbed. But, according to my mother, Henry was at the opening of his future mother-in-law’s restaurant and didn’t have time to see me. Of course, he had purchased a restaurant for them. The restaurant was also ranked among the top three largest in Avonopolis. “We’re just a humble family, and we don’t have much luck,” Edith replied respectfully and humbly. “Luck can’t be stopped. What if your daughter marries well?” I wanted to tell Edith that she didn’t need to be so humble because her family’s social standing would skyrocket in less than a month. However, I held back when I noticed Edith’s awkward smile and left the dining table. I had to give credit where credit was due. Laurel’s family didn’t have ulterior motives. In my previous life, Laurel’s parents were initially strongly opposed to Laurel and Henry’s relationship because Henry was a married man and Laurel was still in college. It would be humiliating if word of their relationship got out. However, Henry's persistence eventually won over Edith and Aren, who accepted him. They were blissfully ignorant of my agonizing ordeal as Henry’s wife. I lay comfortably on the bed after taking a shower and checked my phone as usual before going to sleep. I happened to scroll through the nightly entertainment news, which featured Henry having fun at a bar with Sid and three other women. Henry was a public figure whose identity drew a lot of attention online. He could make headlines simply by eating a hotdog from a food truck. As Henry’s wife, I was frequently mentioned in the comments section. [Henry’s wife is incredibly patient! She is unquestionably the endurance champion!] [Well… If he were my husband, I’d gladly care for his mistress through her pregnancy.] [@commenterabove, you’re just blinded by his looks! I doubt you’ll be able to tolerate it if this happens to you! I’ll take one for the team and care for his mistress!] [You’re a bunch of nymphomaniacs! Henry is an *sshole for being involved in so many scandals since the start of his marriage. He makes us men look bad!] [This paparazzi needs to work on their photography skills. They can’t even capture the spicy details!] Some netizens sympathized with me, while others envied me or mocked me. I simply brushed it off. I was about to fall asleep when Yenna’s call jolted me awake. Her tone was hurried. “Zee, hurry over! We’re in trouble!”