Don't Come Home

I see an anonymous poll online after Aidan Spencer returns to me and our family. "Does a man feel guiltier to his wife or mistress after cheating?" 99% of the voters chose "mistress". I turn to Aidan. "Do you agree with this?" He puts down his book, a hint of indescribable fatigue in his cool gaze. "I'm already back with you, Lily. What else do you want from me?" Chapter 1 My husband, Aiden Spencer, frowned, got up, and went to the balcony to smoke. I looked over. Against the backdrop of bright city lights, his tall and slender figure blended into the faint haze of smoke, exuding loneliness and desolation. Half an hour later, he walked back inside, forcing a smile that screamed of silent endurance. "This time, come with me to the company's family day event. Since I'm free this weekend, I'll take you to the mall to pick out a few outfits." Aiden's company held family day events from time to time, but he never took me along. On the rare occasions I asked about it out of curiosity, he would frown impatiently. "Those are benefits arranged for the lower-level employees. The slots are limited. As a senior executive, I need to be mindful of that. There's no point in competing with them." At this moment, I really wanted to ask him, "So this time, you don't have to be mindful anymore?" But I didn't. Ever since Aiden moved back in with me, there had been a heavy, suffocating tension between us. Yes, suffocating. Like something thick and sticky was lodged in my throat, neither rising nor falling. It was just a constant, lingering presence that never let me forget it was there. "Alright," I said. He smiled as if he were happy. But the moment he turned around, the smile faded, and he let out an almost imperceptible sigh. That night, I turned off the lights, ready to sleep, when the door suddenly opened. Aiden walked in. "Are you asleep?" We slept in separate rooms now—I got the bedroom, while he stayed in the study. The day he chose to come back home, he stood at the doorway with his suitcase and said, "Lily, we both need time and space to sort things out. Let's not share a room for now." At the time, I was overwhelmed by an onslaught of intense emotions—the agony of betrayal by the person closest to me, the self-loathing from the reckless things I did after everything fell apart, and the righteousness of standing on the moral high ground. Every movement and expression was distorted and magnified. I tilted my chin up and sneered at him. "Aiden, what do you think this is? Do you really think I let you move back in just so we could sleep together? Do you assume everyone is as filthy and depraved as you?" "As you wish, then." He didn't argue. He simply responded with indifference, dragging his suitcase into the study. … Now, he stood quietly by the bed for a moment. Then, he slowly lay down, his hand slipping under my clothes to my waist. "Lily, we're still husband and wife." His voice was thick with an inexplicable emotion. Strangely enough, despite the simplicity of those words and the fact that I couldn't see his face, I could hear the resignation in his tone. It was a sigh of patience—a quiet endurance. It was as if his desire for me was something he had no choice but to surrender to. It seemed like he was finally giving in to fate and reluctantly acknowledging the bond we still shared. He sounded like this was an offering bestowed upon me as his wife of ten years. Outside the window, the moon hung in the sky, tired and indifferent, watching the world below. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I finally said the name I kept buried for the past three months. "And what about Skyla? Wasn't she the only wife you ever truly wanted?" The air became deathly still. Chapter 2 Behind me, Aiden burst out in the darkness, his voice sharp with rage, "Why are you bringing her up? I came back! We've already paid the price for what we did! You got everything you wanted! Lily Chapman, what more do you want?" I didn't want anything. I just couldn't hold it in. I felt wronged and wanted to rip apart the thin veneer of pretense covering my life. Aiden and I were college classmates. We met during an event on campus, fell in love, got married two years after graduation, and had our daughter, Chloe Spencer, the following year. Everything happened naturally, one step following the next. I was outgoing, full of energy, and always smiling. I loved being around people. Aiden was more reserved. He was an expert in his field with top-tier research skills, but his lack of social aptitude held back his career. I felt he was wasting his talent, so I put my networking skills to use. Through my boss, I got to know Elijah Holmes, one of the key directors at his research institute. During that time, I woke up early every morning to bake desserts and traveled halfway across the city to deliver them to Mr. Holmes' mother, who had a sweet tooth. Aiden felt nothing but disdain for what I was doing. "My skills speak for themselves. Why should I lower myself to this kind of petty flattery? What if it all comes to nothing? I'd end up making a fool of myself!" I treaded carefully around his pride and sincerely admitted that perhaps I was too impulsive. Then, I smiled and said, "Even if it doesn't work out, it's no big deal. Consider it an act of kindness toward an elderly lady. Plus, getting to know someone like Mr. Holmes could benefit my own career, too." Mr. Holmes admired my persistence. That, combined with Aiden's undeniable talent, convinced him to personally endorse Aiden for a crucial promotion. After five stagnant years at the institute, Aiden finally got the career advancement he deserved. His salary and bonuses skyrocketed, but with research and management responsibilities on his plate, work became increasingly demanding. Meanwhile, no one was home to take care of Chloe, who was at a critical stage in her development. After discussing it thoroughly, we decided that I would step down from my main position at work and take on a more flexible role, giving me more time to focus on our family and fully support his career. I always thought of myself as lucky. When I picked Chloe up from preschool, the moms would gather to chat. They all agreed that our family was the perfect modern-day example of happiness. My case was the epitome of the perfect college love story. I had a husband with a thriving career and a lively, adorable daughter, and I also had a flexible job. I felt happy and fulfilled. Every now and then, I would see my former colleagues, who were once my subordinates, get promoted and earn raises. I would feel a fleeting sense of wistfulness. However, I reminded myself that marriage was an economic and emotional partnership. Sure, I gave up some things, but it was the best decision for the sake of my family. That was enough. The first time I saw the name "Skyla Thompson" was on a research report lying on Aiden's desk. Two names were signed at the bottom—Aiden's and Skyla's. I handed Aiden a freshly brewed cup of herbal tea and joked, "Your names go surprisingly well together. Just looking at them, I can already picture some kind of dramatic, tragic story." Back then, I was still living under the illusion of a perfect life. I didn't notice the fleeting softness in his gaze when his eyes landed on Skyla's name. "She's an unmarried colleague. Don't joke about that." His eyes lowered as he slid the report away, his voice calm but laced with warning. Chapter 3 The second time I saw Skyla's name was six months later. I was making a presentation for Chloe's elementary school speech, but my laptop ran out of battery. Aiden wasn't home since he was out for dinner with his department, so I turned on his computer. While searching for materials online, I accidentally clicked on the cloud drive and saw a folder named "My One True Love". Aiden was obsessively organized. Inside the folder, 27 subfolders were neatly arranged in chronological order, each labeled by year and month. Human intuition was a strange thing. Before seeing that folder, I never suspected Aiden of anything, not even the slightest bit. However, at that moment, as I hovered the mouse over one of the folders, I realized my hand was trembling uncontrollably. I sat there in silence for two hours. Inside the main folder was a detailed record of a relationship spanning two years and three months. It was cryptic yet burning with intensity. They started out as colleagues from different departments who were assigned to the same research project. Through countless days and nights, they indulged in deep intellectual conversations, exchanging thoughts and ideas. Slowly, they caught feelings and fell for each other. They knew their love was forbidden. It was morally unacceptable and would be scorned by society. So, they made a pact to keep their love pure. They would be strictly platonic, never crossing the line into physical intimacy and succumbing to carnal temptation. Using this hypocritical facade of moral obligation, they allowed themselves to bask in a little Eden of their own making, freely expressing their emotions and unleashing their love. Aiden called Skyla the only wife in his life. "When you walked past me today, I caught the scent that's so uniquely yours, and my heart trembled." "Most women in this world are tainted, but you… You are pristine and untouched—the one place where my soul can rest. Thank you for cleansing my life." "Every night, I can only think of your face, repeating your name over and over in my heart." "I used to mourn my wasted 33 years, but then you appeared, like a vision, and suddenly, every moment leading up to now feels worthwhile." Skyla called Aiden "Aidie". "Aidie! My love! My husband!" "This morning, I lost a few strands of hair. I carefully placed them on your desk. Now, we're bound together by fate." "In the meeting notes, our names were written one above the other. I couldn't help the joy that crept into my heart. They were the four most beautiful words in the world to me now." "Aidie, last night, I had a dream I can't even speak of. In the dream, I called your name again and again. When I woke up, all that was left were two streaks of tears soaking my pillow." "I think of you day and night. My performance at work has hit rock bottom, but instead of firing me, they let Elizabeth go. Aidie, was it you? Did you pull some strings for me? I feel guilty… and yet relieved. You've landed me in an impossible position." That message was followed by Aiden's gentle words of reassurance. "My love, don't blame yourself. I bent the rules for you willingly. I've never cared for power, but for once, I'm grateful to have it in my hands!" 27 folders, each with 30 documents. A total of 810 files. For 810 days and nights, they co-wrote their love story in this so-called Eden, pouring out their hearts and sharing their deepest emotions. Chapter 4 It was just past September, yet the heat of late summer still lingered. Despite that, as I sat in the study, my whole body was cold, as if I were trapped inside an ice cellar. I rushed out the door, lost in a haze. Somewhere deep down, I still refused to believe Aiden betrayed me. I told myself that everything I found on his computer was fake. Someone was trying to set him up. They wanted to frame him. I called his phone, but there was no answer. He told me earlier that he was at dinner with his department. So I searched for him, restaurant by restaurant. I stubbornly wanted to confront him in person. I needed answers. When I finally spotted Aiden in a barbecue shop, the table was filled with laughter and conversation. He sat at the head of the table, smiling slightly. He was the perfect image of a cultured, confident, and effortlessly charming man. To his right sat a woman in a white dress, her long hair cascading down her back. Her eyes shone brightly, and her expression was shy. She was a delicate beauty—soft yet alluring. My steps abruptly came to a halt. I found myself hesitating, unable to move forward. The voices of the younger employees rang out in playful banter. "Mr. Spencer, we admire you in every way except for how whipped you are for your wife. That, we just can't relate to!" "Yeah, Mr. Spencer, you're always so chill and in control. How could you let your wife, an outsider, meddle in how we do things? What happened to 'strict teachers make great students'?" It took me a while to register their words. Then, it clicked. I finally understood why they were saying that. Aiden was never naturally good at managing people. His approach was to do everything himself since explaining things to others felt like a waste of time to him. As a result, he exhausted himself, shouldering all the burdens alone, which made him the busiest and most overworked person in the department. It was so extreme that he even didn't have time for Chloe. So, I suggested that he step back into a proper leadership role and review his subordinates' work instead of doing everything himself. Otherwise, his department's performance would always suffer. I had no idea how Aiden framed it when he explained it to his team, but judging from their words tonight, they clearly blamed it all on me. But right now, I had no energy to care about that. My eyes were locked on the long-haired woman. She sat in the middle of the crowd, smiling faintly, looking poised and warm. Amidst the noisy, bustling restaurant, she carried an air of quiet elegance, as if untouched by the world around her. Just then, she smiled gently and said in a soft voice, "Alright, alright. Don't bully Mr. Spencer. If you guys ever need extra help, I'll lend a hand." The young employees burst into laughter. "Man, if only Mr. Spencer's wife was someone like Skyla. Our department would be heaven. Ah, it's too bad!" My heart sank. So, it was true. The long-haired woman was Skyla. They clinked their glasses, raising toasts to her. Skyla's face flushed a rosy pink, her hands shielding the rim of her glass as she laughed. Suddenly, Aiden stood up. He took the glass from her hand and downed the entire drink in one gulp. "We don't let women drink in our department. Don't mess with her. I'll drink for her!" Skyla lowered her gaze, smiling shyly as she and Aiden exchanged a look. The younger employees cheered and refilled his glass. Aiden, full of bravado, downed another shot. From across the restaurant, I watched him, my entire body trembling violently. Aiden had a weak stomach. Even the slightest irritation would trigger his ulcers. For years, aside from taking care of Chloe, keeping Aiden healthy was my number one priority. I searched everywhere for remedies, brewed traditional medicine, and made herbal tea. He wasn't allowed to eat anything too hot, too cold, or too spicy. Even though I loved spicy food, I never used chili when I cooked. When we had watermelon, I even took it out of the fridge in advance so it wouldn't be too cold when he got home. Chapter 5 Alcohol was absolutely off-limits for Aiden. I went through so much trouble and put in so much effort just to help him heal his stomach. And now, just to make his true love smile, he was downing drink after drink like it was nothing. I suddenly couldn't hold it in anymore. So, this was what happened when someone was pushed to the edge of fury. There was no such thing as staying calm, thinking rationally, or weighing the consequences. My mind roared with anger, and I charged forward. I snatched the glass from Aiden's hand and smashed it onto the floor. "You bastard!" I screamed. Aiden stared at me in shock. "Ah!" Skyla gasped, startled. She took two steps back, tripped, and fell. Her hand knocked over a nearby serving cart, sending the steaming hot soup splashing everywhere. Scalding oil splattered across her face and forehead. She let out a piercing scream. Aiden jolted and shouted in panic, "Skyla!" Everyone rushed toward her. Suddenly, a powerful shove slammed into my shoulder, making me lose my balance. I stumbled backward and crashed onto the floor. My forehead struck the edge of a table. One of Aiden's young subordinates glared at me viciously. "Where did this madwoman come from? Do you think you can run after hurting someone?" I clutched my head, feeling a warm liquid trickle down, blurring my vision. Through the blood, I saw Aiden rushing toward me, his face etched with panic. But I didn't care. I lost it. I screamed at the top of my lungs, "I saw it! I saw everything in that damn folder! You two are disgusting! It's absolutely revolting!" … For the past three months, every time I thought about what happened next, it always felt like a dream. It was a nightmare—a horrific, twisted nightmare. The shock, the head injury, the screaming—I must have worked myself up too much because I blacked out. When I woke up in the hospital, Aiden was sitting next to me. His head was bowed low, and his expression was blank. Weakly, I opened my mouth. "Get out. I don't want to see you. You make me sick." Aiden's body stiffened. He raised his unshaven face, his voice hoarse as he said, "Lily, don't get so worked up. It's not what you think." I reached for the thermos on the table and hurled it at him. He didn't dodge. It hit his jaw with a dull thud before falling to the floor. Aiden closed his eyes for a moment, then bent down to pick it up and place it back on the table. With a deep sigh, he said, "You can hit me, curse me, and do whatever you want. At this point, I'm not going to defend myself. I just want to say one thing. Skyla and I never crossed the line." I stared at him, my teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached. "So what? Am I supposed to applaud you two for your noble morals? Thank you for not going all the way?" Aiden looked at me, his expression full of sorrow. "Do you have to say it like that?" Under the blanket, my trembling hand pressed tightly against the mattress. "You think my words are disgusting? Are they as disgusting as what you two did? Just thinking about the things you wrote to each other makes me want to vomit! "Don't act like a tragic pair of star-crossed lovers! What a load of crap! Your so-called "platonic love" is just cheating in disguise!" In the past, whenever I watched TV shows or read novels where the female lead caught her husband cheating and flew into a hysterical rage, screaming and crying as if they had completely lost it, I always felt indifferent. I thought those women were too emotional and undignified. I used to think, "He's just a man. If he's done you dirty, just ditch him." But now that I experienced it, I realized there was no controlling it. I was drowning in rage and betrayal. My chest felt like it was going to explode. I wanted to throw every vile, hateful word I could think of at them. I wanted nothing more than to destroy him. I wanted to drag him and that woman to hell with me. Chapter 6 In an instant, I went from being the optimistic, cheerful, and warmhearted Lily to a sharp-tongued, violent lunatic. Aiden looked at me like I was insane. His expression only fueled my rage. I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at his face. "Get out!" Aiden slowly smoothed down his disheveled hair and stood up. His voice was calmer this time. "You're too upset to have a rational conversation. I'll leave for now. As for Derrick pushing you, he already apologized to me. You can't really blame him. He doesn't know you. You suddenly rushed in and startled Skyla so badly that she got hurt. He was just standing up for her. "Skyla's forehead was burned, and it left a scar. But she's not planning to hold you responsible, so you don't have to worry. In any case, this whole situation isn't as ugly as you think. "Just take some time to calm down. If you still can't get past this, then no matter how you choose to punish me, I won't complain." He bent down, picked up the pillow, placed it back on the bed, and turned to leave the hospital room. … I lay in the hospital for three days, my mind clouded in a haze. I drifted in and out of sleep, jolting awake each time. Every time I opened my eyes, I needed a few seconds to figure out whether I was in a nightmare or reality. My mom came to visit me. She told me that Aiden called her, explained everything in detail, and asked her to come take care of me. She stroked my face and sighed. "He sincerely admitted his mistake. He swore that nothing actually happened between him and that woman. "Lily, remember how you used to be obsessed with celebrities? You wrote whole notebooks full of love letters to them. Just think of it like that." I shook my head. "It's not the same." "But getting yourself worked up like this isn't worth it. If you won't think of yourself, at least think of Chloe." Then, my mother-in-law, Martha Mattison, and sister-in-law, Amelia Spencer, dropped by. They sat on either side of my hospital bed. Martha smiled and said, "Of course, Aiden was in the wrong for this. But you know, he's always been the type women are drawn to. And now that he's successful, it's only natural that some opportunistic women will target him. "In a way, it's good that this happened. It gave you a wake-up call before things got out of hand." Amelia sipped her iced black coffee and said, "Lily, I'm not just saying this to defend my brother, but Aiden is a sentimental person. He's got a solid character. "Honestly, he might've been set up. Besides, this doesn't even count as cheating. At worst, it's just harmless flirting. No—honestly, it's not even that. He's way too proper to say anything inappropriate!" Before leaving, Martha gave me a serious look. "Aiden was willing to tell the family about this himself. That means, at his core, he has nothing to hide. I understand if you need to vent about it for a bit, but it's best to let it end here. "Aiden is about to be nominated for the vice president position at the research institute. If outsiders hear about this conflict between you two, it could damage his reputation." … I honestly didn't know what to do. Should I get a divorce? This was a decade-long relationship and the home I carefully built over the years. There was also Chloe's upbringing and the perfect family image we had in front of others to consider. Mom, Martha, and Amelia all came to talk to me, but none of them mentioned divorce. They only told me not to let it affect my health or the family's harmony. It was as if, in their minds, this wasn't even close to being a reason for divorce. However, I was filled with this unbearable suffocation. Chapter 7 Aiden came to see me every day, bringing freshly made soup. When I ignored him, he simply set the insulated food container down gently and left in silence. Chloe called me a few times, asking when I was coming home and complaining that Aiden's cooking was terrible. I really didn't know what to do. The day before I was discharged, I decided to go down to the hospital garden for some fresh air on a whim. That was when I ran into Skyla and Aiden. Skyla was in her hospital gown, and Aiden was holding two insulated food containers. They were talking in hushed voices. They stood facing each other. The breeze blew behind Skyla, making her long hair dance across Aiden's face. Aiden remained still, letting her hair lightly graze him. It was an unspoken, ambiguous intimacy. For a long moment, he simply stood there. Then, lowering his gaze, he handed one of the containers to Skyla. The wind carried Skyla's soft whisper. "Aidie." A sudden roar echoed in my mind, and I rushed forward. As Aiden's pupils dilated upon seeing me, I grabbed Skyla's hair and yanked her hard to the ground. I screamed at her, my voice sharp and furious. "How dare you! How dare you still show your face, you homewrecker?" Skyla cried out in pain, clutching at her hair. "Ah!" A few young employees from the research institute rushed over in a panic. Seeing the scene unfold, they tried to stop me while anxiously explaining, "Mrs. Spencer! You've got it all wrong! We came to visit Skyla, and Mr. Spencer just happened to be here too!" I raised my hand, ready to slap Skyla across the face. But my wrist was caught in a firm grip. Aiden's voice was cold. "That's enough." The young employees awkwardly tried to pry my fingers loose, struggling to free Skyla's hair, but I instinctively clenched tighter. A crowd gathered, watching the spectacle unfold. People pointed at us and whispered. Skyla's shoulders trembled as she stifled her sobs, embarrassment and distress written all over her face. Aiden glanced at her, his expression softening with concern. Then, he turned back to me, his gaze cold and sharp. His voice rang out loud and clear. "I swear on our daughter, Chloe, that Skyla and I never had any kind of intimate relationship. There was no kissing—not even a hug! "Lily, you keep refusing to let this go. First, you got her burned, and now you're publicly humiliating her. If you keep acting like this, then let's just get a divorce!" I froze, staring at him in shock. "What did you say? Divorce? What right do you have to mention divorce?" The crowd erupted into murmurs. "If he's swearing on his own daughter's life, he's probably telling the truth. Damn, I thought she was exposing a homewrecker, but it turns out she's just a jealous wife going crazy." "And she even ruined that poor girl's face! Look at how vicious she is, yanking her by the hair. No wonder her husband wants a divorce!" "That guy actually seems decent. It looks like he's been pushed to his limit." In a daze, I loosened my grip on Skyla's hair. The young employees quickly shielded her and hurriedly pulled her away from me. Through the crowd, Skyla slowly lifted her head and met my gaze in silence. Her eyes were mocking and filled with contempt. There was even a hint of pity. Suddenly, I felt calm. From the moment I found that folder, I was consumed by fury. This was the first time I truly felt calm. I turned to Aiden. Looking straight at him, I spoke slowly, "No, I don't agree to the divorce."