It has been seven days.
Seven days since that night.
Seven days since my wife sat across from me—with calm eyes and a steady voice—and told me she wanted an open marriage.
Two days since Chen Hao and Yue Mengli stopped pretending everything was fine and demanded to know what was wrong with me.
And I'm still not okay.
If anything—
I'm worse.
Pain doesn't stay the same.
That's something I've learned this week.
It evolves.
It adapts.
It finds new ways to exist inside you.
The first few days were a shock.
Raw. Blunt. Disorienting.
Like my mind couldn't fully process what had happened.
Then came the confusion.
Questions that didn't have answers.
Why? When did this start? Was it always there?
Now—
It's something else.
Clarity.
Cold. Sharp. Unforgiving clarity.
My marriage is over.
The thought doesn't hurt the way it should.
Or maybe it does.
Just… differently.
Because somewhere between the sleepless nights, the silent dinners, and the sound of her voice drifting in from the balcony—
Something inside me stopped holding on.
Not completely.
Not cleanly.
But enough.
I still love her.
That hasn't changed.
And maybe that's the problem.
Because love makes everything slower.
Harder.
More painful to cut away.
I loved her too much, loved her unconditionally , I never thought this day would come ,this betrayal would come...
so I had let myself fall deeply for her.
I loved her unconditionally.
Without hesitation.
Without ever imagining a day where I would have to question it.
And that's why this feels like—
A collapse.
Not just of a relationship.
But of something I built my entire life around.
At home, nothing has improved.
If anything, it has become more… blatant.
She doesn't hide it anymore.
Her phone is always in her hand.
Messages. Calls. That quiet smile.
And at night—
That same routine.
Sun Junfeng.
The name doesn't even sting the same way anymore.
It's just—
There.
A fact.
A presence.
Something that has already taken root in my life.
At first, I thought she just didn't understand how much this was hurting me.
Now—
I know that's not true.
She understands.
She just doesn't care enough to stop.
And that realization—
That one—
That's the one that changed everything.
Because once you understand that—
There's nothing left to argue about.
No misunderstanding.
No confusion.
No "fixing it."
Just—
Truth.
And the truth is simple.
She wants him.
More than this marriage…
And she believes—
She can have both.
I had sat in the living room, staring at nothing, listening to the faint sound of her voice outside.
I didn't move.
I didn't react.
Because reacting would mean something still needs to be said.
And I don't think there is.
I already gave my answer.
"No....."
But she didn't accept it.
And that tells me everything I need to know.
This isn't a negotiation.
It's pressure.
Slow.
Persistent.
Emotional pressure.
She hasn't crossed the line physically.
Not yet.
But emotionally?
She's already gone.
And I see it now.
Clearer than ever.
This isn't just confusion.
This isn't just unresolved feelings.
This is manipulation.
dark emotional manipulation
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
But effective.
She's creating a situation where resistance feels pointless.
Where silence becomes acceptance.
Where my refusal slowly loses meaning.
And for a few days—
It almost worked.
Because I was too busy hurting.
Too busy trying to understand.
Too busy holding on.
But now—
Now I see it.
And I won't let it happen.
I will not share my wife with another man.
Not because I'm possessive.
Not because of pride.
But because—
That's not marriage.
And if that's what she wants—
Then she doesn't want this marriage.
Which means—
This ends.
The thought settles in my mind.
Heavy.
Final.
I don't know when I fully accepted it.
But I have.
There will be a confrontation.
Soon.
And when it happens—
There's no going back.
That's the only reason I've hesitated.
Because once I say it—
Once I make it clear—
It's over.
Completely.
And despite everything—
That still scares me.
Not because I doubt the decision.
But because I know what I'm losing.
Or at least—
What I thought I had.
"Wuji."
I blinked.
Chen Hao is standing in front of me.
I didn't even notice him approaching..
"Break time," he said, pulling a chair and sitting down without asking.
Before I can respond—
Another chair moves.
Yue Mengli.
She sits across from me.
Quiet.
Watching.
I already know what this is.
I exhale slowly.
"I told you," I say. "I'm fine."
"No, you are not," Chen Hao replies immediately.
I don't respond.
"Seven days, Wuji," he continues.
"Seven days of you looking like you haven't slept, barely eating, messing up work you used to handle in your sleep—"
He leans forward slightly.
"Enough."
The word lands heavier than expected.
Yue Mengli speaks next.
"We're not asking out of curiosity," she says softly.
"We're worried."
Her voice is gentle.
But firm.
"You don't have to carry everything alone."
I look at them.
Really look at them.
And for the first time—
I don't look away.
Because I'm tired.
Tired of holding it in.
Tired of pretending.
Tired of being the only one who knows.
My throat feels tight.
The words—
They're there.
And this time—
I don't push them down.
"My wife…" I start.
My voice comes out rough.
I pause.
Take a breath.
Try again.
"My wife wants… an open marriage."
Silence.
Complete.
Chen Hao doesn't move.
Yue Mengli doesn't blink.
For a moment—
It feels like the world has stopped again.
Then—
"What?"
It's Chen Hao.
The word comes out sharp.
Almost disbelieving.
"She wants… to see someone else," I continued.
"Wants…." my word is barely a whisper. "Wants me .... me to agree to it."
My voice is shaking….
"She said she has feelings for him," I add.
I don't say the name.
I don't need to.
Because the meaning is already there.
Chen Hao leans back slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"That's…" he stops.
Shakes his head.
"That's insane."
Yue Mengli doesn't speak.
But her expression—
It changes.
Something soft in her eyes hardens.
"How long?"she asks quietly.
"About a week," I replied.
"And she's still…?" Chen Hao gestures vaguely.
"Yes."
The word feels heavy.
"Talking to him. Calling him. Acting like…" I stop.
Like what?
Like I don't exist?
"Like I don't matter?"
"…like nothing's wrong,"I finished.
Chen Hao exhales sharply.
"That's not just wrong, Wuji," he says.
"That's disrespectful."
I nod.
"I know."
"No," he says, leaning forward again.
"I don't think you do."
I frown slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"You're focusing on the request," he says.
"The open marriage. The feelings."
He pauses.
"But that's not the worst part."
I look at him.
"It's the way she's doing it," he continues.
"The timing. The pressure. The fact that she didn't stop after you said no."
My chest tightens slightly.
"And the way she's acting now," Yue Mengli adds quietly.
I glance at her.
"She's already behaving like she's in a relationship with him," she says.
"Even if it's not physical yet."
The words hit harder than I expected.
Because they're true.
"And she's doing it in front of you," Chen Hao says.
"Openly."
I don't respond.
Because there's nothing to argue with.
"That's not confusion, Wuji," he says.
"That's control."
Control.
The word echoes in my mind.
"…I'm going to confront her," I say.
They both look at me.
"I'm going to end it," I continue.
"This marriage… it's done."
The words feel final.
Real.
For the first time—
I say them out loud.
Chen Hao doesn't react immediately.
Then he nods slowly.
"Good."
But then—
He frowns.
"But your plan sucks."
I blink.
"…What?"
"It's too simple," he says.
"Too predictable."
Yue Mengli nods slightly.
"She'll expect it," she adds.
I frown.
"What do you mean?"
"You think she hasn't considered the possibility that you'll leave?" Chen Hao says.
"She already believes you won't."
My chest tightens.
"And if you just confront her and walk away," he continues, "you're doing exactly what she's prepared for. She must have a plan wuji."
I hesitate.
plan? what plan does she have? but thinking about it , all of it makes sense. she must have a plan to control my moves . predictable moves. i need something unpredictable , better plans.
"…So what should I do?"
They exchange a glance.
Then Chen Hao says—
"You need to talk to a professional."
"…A therapist?"
"No," he shakes his head.
"A lawyer."
The word lands differently.
He leans forward again.
"A divorce attorney."
That's how I ended up sitting in an office later that evening.
Small.
Clean.
Professional.
The man across from me listens quietly as I explain the situation.
I keep it factual.
Controlled.
He doesn't interrupt.
Doesn't react much.
Just listens.
When I finish—
He leans back slightly.
"And you want to confront her and leave?" he asks.
"Yes."
He nods slowly.
"That would be a mistake."
My chest tightens.
"…Why?"
"Because right now," he says, "you have nothing."
I frown.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean evidence," he replies.
"Proof. Documentation."
I stay silent.
"She hasn't physically cheated," he continues.
"From a legal standpoint, that matters."
My jaw tightens.
"But emotionally—"
"Emotion doesn't hold up in court," he cuts in calmly.
The words are blunt.
Precise.
"And if you proceed without preparation," he adds, "you risk losing everything."
Everything.
The word lingers.
"Then what should I do?" I ask.
He folds his hands together.
"Endure," he says.
The word feels heavy.
"Observe. Document," he continues.
"Her behavior. Her communication. Any evidence of an affair."
My chest tightens.
"Messages. Calls. Patterns, screenshots, video, audio.. Anything .. everything."
I don't respond.
"Let her do whatever she wants, record your conversations,specially your refusals in open marriage, proofs that you did not agree to her suggestion, but she still carried on. Build your case," he says.
"Prepare yourself."
His voice remains calm.
Measured.
"And when you're ready—"
He pauses.
"Then you confront her"
"only then you can win, in court, in your social and work life. And she will lose everything"
Silence fills the room.
I stare at the table.
This isn't what I wanted.
I didn't want this to become…This.
Legal.
Strategic.
Cold.
I just wanted—
My life back.
I did not want to destroy her life in the process.,
Then I thought of the betrayal, the blatant disrespect and the fact that she has already destroyed mine…so if it takes to destroy her to rebuild mine … then it's only fair.
The thought settles slowly.
Heavy.
Final.
I lift my head slightly.
"…Understood," I say.
And as I say it—
Something inside me changes.
Not completely.
Not all at once.
But enough.
Enough to know—
This isn't just pain anymore.
It's something else.
Something darker.
Something that doesn't forgive.
And for the first time—
I don't try to stop it.
The darkness begins....