He Used A Lottery Cup To Avoid Me, Only For Me To Mirror His Cruelty Chapter 02

He Used A Lottery Cup To Avoid Me, Only For Me To Mirror His Cruelty Chapter 02

Three hours later, Jasper and I arrived at the hotel he’d booked.

When I turned on my phone, Dexter’s messages started flooding in:

[Are you in the bedroom? I have some documents to handle and need to go out for a while. I might be back late.]

[If you’re tired, go to sleep. I’ll wake you when I get back to blow out the candles.]

I didn’t reply.

At the door, Jasper walked toward me, singing happy birthday and holding a cake.

“Happy birthday, Fern.”

Jasper really was my childhood friend.

We’d been separated in our teens.

The day we reunited, I’d been standing on the rooftop for two full days.

A hundred and fifty-six calls, none of them answered.

I’d finally walked downstairs in a daze, only to discover that I’d lost the baby.

Jasper had taken me to the hospital and cared for me through the entire recovery period.

He’d also grabbed my hand and smashed my wedding photo with Dexter to the floor.

“It’s just a patent. Give me one year, and I’ll make sure you can divorce him.”

He’d done exactly that.

On the nightstand, Dexter’s calls kept coming.

I ignored every one.

I came home after two days of cutting loose. Dexter sat on the sofa, staring at me with a blank face.

“Three hundred calls. You didn’t answer a single one.”

I glanced at him.

“Next time I draw your name, I’ll answer.”

I didn’t wait to see his expression. I turned and went to the bedroom.

I was exhausted.

As I drifted off, the mattress dipped. Dexter wrapped his arms around me from behind.

I opened my eyes in alarm and scrambled out of bed, putting distance between us.

Maybe he caught the flash of disgust in my eyes, because his voice turned sharp and ugly.

“Fern, I’m your husband!”

“I’m almost thirty. We should be thinking about having a child. Why won’t you let me touch you?”

Because I found him disgusting.

Back when he first drew Hadley and went off to be with her, I’d assumed it was just platonic company.

Then I’d seen them kissing, unable to separate, and even after being caught, Dexter had said it plainly.

“I drew Hadley, which means I can do whatever I want.”

Hadley had even slapped me across the face.

“If he didn’t draw you, then don’t bother us.”

I looked at him now, and Dexter looked back at me.

When I deliberately looked troubled and indecisive, his face darkened.

“Fine, let’s draw sticks. If you want a child, we’ll leave it to luck.”

I pulled out the lottery jar again.

Jasper’s name appeared in front of Dexter once more.

I shrugged.

“Just go to sleep. You don’t have the luck.”

His face tightened with anger.

He took a deep breath and tried to rein it in.

“Are you feeling okay today? If not—”

Troy’s call interrupted him again.

“Hadley said a glass broke at her place and cut her hand pretty badly. She’s home alone. Are you coming over?”

“That crazy wife of yours should be asleep by now. If she asks, tell her you came to see me.”

I heard every word, but I pretended I didn’t.

I rolled over and faced away from him, feigning sleep.

He was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “Fine,” and looked at me, his voice hoarse.

“Fern, I’ll give you time.”

“Think about this. Nobody will tolerate a spouse who makes snide little comments for the rest of their life.”

After he left, I opened my eyes.

He couldn’t tolerate it? Did he think I could?

Why should I pick up someone else’s discarded leftovers?

The next morning, I bought the link Jasper had been whining for.

The purchase notification popped up on Dexter’s phone, and he stormed in, his face dark.

“A pair of men’s underwear in XL.”

“Fern, is that for me?”

I ate my breakfast calmly.

“It’s for Jasper. He begged me to buy them, so I did.”

Dexter stared at me, and a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

“What do you want from me? You used to beg me to stay. I’ve already come back.”

“Now you’re inventing a man who doesn’t exist, ignoring my calls, refusing to let me touch you, and buying underwear in the wrong size just to spite me.”

“Do you enjoy watching me grovel like a dog?”

I did enjoy it.

So I laughed.

His expression darkened, and he turned away in frustration.