The Obsessed Husband

Chapter 1

Ella Wang-Giffin glanced at her watch, waiting for her friend Skye to arrive. Skye had told her that she wanted to give her something and that the gift would bring her "total satisfaction." Ella had no idea what it could be. Throughout the eleven years of their friendship, Ella and Skye had only given each other gift cards. Of course they knew each other well enough to come up with more personal gifts, but they also knew that a Target gift card could never disappoint.

"Guess who's here with a present?" a voice sang.

Ella looked up at Skye, who wore a huge grin on her face and held a little pink bag. As always, Ella got up from her seat to give her friend an awkward embrace. Ella wasn't the biggest fan of physical affection, but Skye was a hugger, as was Ella's husband Dylan. Dylan—who was working late tonight. Again. She mentally shook her head, refocusing her attention on Skye. She wasn't going to be thinking about that.

"Did you put purple streaks in your hair?" Ella asked as they sat down. Skye was always dyeing her bob crazy colors; today, it was orange with purple streaks. It shouldn't have worked, but it did.

"Yes. Do you like it?"

"It looks great," Ella said honestly. "But you should quit bleaching your hair so often. It's going to fall out at this rate."

Skye waved her hand dismissively. "That's what ridiculously expensive conditioner is for." Then she asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "Want to open your present?"

"Are you giving me something illegal?" Ella asked, accepting the pink bag warily. She wouldn't put it past Skye. Skye had distributed "special" desserts in high school and sold counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags in college. Breaking laws wasn't unknown territory for her.

"Of course not," Skye answered with feigned indignation. "Just open it."

Inside the bag was a small light blue box. As if she were handling a bomb that was on the verge of exploding, Ella took out the box. After she lifted the lid, she immediately slammed it back down, a furious blush on her face. Her eyes darted around the coffee shop, checking to see if anyone had spotted the box's contents. "For the love of God, Skye! Why would you give me that in public?"

Skye rolled her eyes. "That is a personal massager, which is a valuable tool for women who wish to explore their bodies."

"It's a vibrator," Ella whispered.

"You're acting like an old pearl-clutching lady. It's 2019. Women can own their sexuality without being ashamed."

"I know. But why did you give me this? I mean, thank you, but seriously, why?" There was a reason that Ella and Skye usually stuck to Target gift cards.

"Every woman should own a vibrator. Also..." Skye's voice softened. "You said you've been lonely. From my personal experience, I can tell you a vibrator helps with that."

Loneliness—Ella had thought the concept would grow foreign to her with marriage. And it had...until Dylan's company had become successful and he'd started working 16-hour days. Then she'd gotten familiar with loneliness once more.

"I should kick Dylan's ass for neglecting you," Skye snarled, seeing melancholy creep into Ella's face.

"He's busy. His software company is in the process of making a deal with Apple—"

"I don't care. His wife should come first. You need to talk to him."

"I don't want to bother him. And to be honest, I'm kind of scared to. What if I find out something?"

Skye's eyes narrowed. "Like what?"

"Like what if he's having an..." Ella bit her lip, staring down at the table, unable to finish her sentence.

"An affair?" Skye exclaimed.

Pink rushed into Ella's cheeks. Jesus, she was becoming a cliché. A wife worrying that her wealthy husband's late nights at the office were actually sleazy motel sessions with his secretary. In her defense, Dylan's secretary Autumn was really beautiful. She looked like the love child of Blake Lively and Gisele Bundchen. But Autumn was also a sweet girl, the kind that would rather eat a bowl of live slugs than sleep with a married man. "Never mind."

"I've seen the way Dylan looks at you, Ella. For him, other women simply don't exist. A Victoria's Secret model could shake her bare ta-tas at him, and he wouldn't even glance at her. He's being an idiot right now, but I can promise you that man will never cheat on you. So quit being insecure and talk to him."

Every word that Skye had said was true. Dylan would never commit infidelity, and Ella had been silly for ever considering it a possibility. "I will. Thanks, Skye."

Skye grinned. "What are friends for if not to bitch-slap you with the truth?"