Hitting on the Home-wrecker's Son

path, his eyes bl

e, does it s

cour

tight embrace, "I adore

att

it the ground. Oliver turned sharpl

and holding hands with a woman,

on me. What cut deeper was the knowledge that th

o realize Nigel had left me for a 38-year-old. Maybe he had so

treacherous couple a sh

as that 19-year-ol

sk was made easier by my brazen husband's careless mistake-he hadn't even bothered to delete his

out Oliver. I discovered, for instance, that when he wa

t bakery for

reelance graphic novelist with no set schedule, I had the flexibility that made this elaborate plan possible.

beforehand, seeing him in pe

ndsome, as if he had stepped right out of t

t barely concealed the intensity of his presence, while his bangs fell artfully across his forehead. His almond eyes, framed by a smile that cu

r napkin. Just as I was finishing, he walked over an

nk y

misu. As expected, he picked up t

for

the bakery. Through the glass window, I

drawing several napkins of Oliver. At first, he was shy and d

ever imagined. No wonder the bakery's business surged when he was there. It was clear t

to be turned away, I couldn't resist a playful jab. "Hey

ink, big sis? Am I good

d. He continued, "Hey, sis, how about

ur

and asked, "How ab

e's still young and clear

own, and asked, "Would you like to b

uh

but this time

uring him would likely be a hit-especially with how busy the bakery's been lately. Plus, it'd give me a chance

we can sign a contract." He looked surprised, clearly not expecting a joke to turn into reality. Rubbing the back of

ep down, I knew he wouldn't turn me down. It wasn't just my confidence in my own charm-

s ri

ed, "Hey, sis, do you really

cour

0," I said, "the password is 1027. I'll pay the rest once the comic is published.

he quick progress, "You pr

es

you know

you could call

sy to fluster. I took a sip of my lemonade and said, "Eve

uh

n't have the heart to refus

act without even glancing at

, "Aren't you afrai

at

"A pretty girl wouldn't be crue

, and said, "You never know, pr

fic reason, really-it just felt like a place where he could relax and let

pretended it was to study the angle of his arm while he cooked, but honestly, I

question my reasoning. Maybe he felt obliged since he took the money,

ches and dinners. I usually skipped breakfast because I had trouble getting up in th

s to his influence, but while I managed to start wakin

when he was young, his mom was always busy with work and didn't have time to cook for him, so he had to learn

er, the mistress. I took a sip of water and s

too bad,"

ly a good thing. Otherwise, you wo

finitely benefiting from it. And

r had a gi

e popular. Are your standards to

me from my studies. I don

That makes thing

of girls do

haven't really given it much thought, but

emed completely calm, as if he was

o immature. We don't

older wome

ilent. I held my cup and said, "O

ha

n like youn

ttle tune as I carried my

h

sage on WhatsApp. I was putting on

r women like

le. Who can possibly say no to so

e gu

t's

gle

se he came back asking, "Do you

but you come across

hat's

gle

again, "Do you prefer a

oth. I guess I'm pretty shall

ame in after his shower, telling me he had a business tri

istory. An iPhone tracks frequently visited places, and his was showing up in a residential neigh

ppen if they crossed paths. But with Nigel out of town, it was the perf

, ligh

caught in the rain, his hair and clothes toally soaked, sneezing several times. I

now. I told him he needed to dry

face, and I had to admit, a soaked,

off his abs. Noticing me staring, he quickly tried to cover u

but exactly what

shower and change?

, his voice firm,

Let's go. If you catch a

ustered, I added, "Worried about

ter we got off the elevator, I handed him

g for? Do you want m

I noticed he angled it toward me, keeping me covered, but his left shoulder

eave the umbrella by the entrance. I pulled out Nigel's s

r there. I'll find

rying to hide it, but I had put away Nigel's photos, inclu

towel. I knocked on the bathroom door an

opened just a crack, steam spilling out

e are my husband's new clothes-never worn. You

. He grabbed the clothes and quickly shut the door. I didn't mind; I hea

ust wearing shorts, no shirt. His eight-pack abs were on full display-firm

o stay composed as I set the chicken soup on the

he soup, asking,

most unsettling. I acted like I didn't notice, sinkin

ow. You nev

ted to

ot doesn't change anything. I'm

looked up, fr

aid, locking eyes with hi