Never be anyone's stand-in;just be yourself.

The chat log was filled with suggestive exchanges between my husband, Lean, and an unknown woman. Scanning the dates, I saw they continued day after day, without pause. My fingers trembled as I typed, "Who are you?" My heart pounded as I stared at my phone, waiting for a reply. "Anna," came the name. My mind searched, but no memory surfaced. I'd never heard Lean mention it, nor found any trace of her in his phone. As I tried to recall, Anna sent another message. "Is your couple's ring engraved with 'LA'?" Before I could reply, another message arrived. "That's the abbreviation of my name." "No, it's the initials of Lean and mine," I explained without hesitation. "Heh, that was a lie." Reading those words, I could picture her smug expression. Doubt began to creep in. "Alice, what are you lost in thought about? I've been calling you for ages." Lean's gentle voice reached my ear. I snapped back to reality, looking at him—his eyes filled only with me. How could I possibly be a substitute? "Nothing, just spaced out." "Hungry? I'll cook." Lean smiled fondly, leaning in for a kiss before leaving. Since marrying Lean, he'd done most of the cooking. He said he loved preparing meals for his beloved, finding immense satisfaction when I devoured every bite. Watching the man who cooked and washed up for me, I knew he wouldn't deceive me. "Darling, what do you think the letters on our rings mean?" I couldn't help asking. "You've forgotten? I explained it to you back then—it's L and A. What a memory you have," Lean said with an exasperated look. I tapped my forehead, suddenly realising. "Oh dear, what a scatterbrain I am." Turning away, my smile vanished instantly as I continued scrolling through Anna's messages. Even without a reply from me, she kept sending them tirelessly. Suddenly, a list of preferences caught my eye. As I scanned the familiar items, my heart grew colder."Alice, stop messing about. Wash up and come to dinner." Just as I was engrossed, Lean called me. The dishes looked familiar. These were all dishes from Anna's list. Potatoes and curry only entered my diet after marrying Lean. He'd cook them daily if I refused, so naturally I learned to eat them. He'd coax me with "You mustn't be fussy, you need balanced nutrition." The dishes that I adore are rarely made—only when I cook myself. I'd tried to delude myself, but as the truth grew clearer, I began questioning his kindness towards me. "Alice, why just rice? Eat more vegetables—these are all your favourites." "I don't like carrots or potatoes, and I can't stand the taste of curry." I wanted to be stubborn for once. "But how can that be? These were your absolute favourites before." Lean looked genuinely puzzled. "I don't like them anymore." "What's wrong? Is your appetite off today? These dishes are so nutritious, good for your health." Lean said, serving me a few more chopsticks of food. "Do you know Anna?" I asked, stifling the pang of bitterness in my heart. Seeing the flicker of unease cross Lean's face, my own heart sank. "No, I don't. Is she a new colleague of yours?" He immediately adopted an air of complete unfamiliarity. "No, she's an online acquaintance," I replied flatly. Seeing Lean visibly relax, I began to believe Anna's words. "There are many scammers online. Don't engage with strangers," he cautioned. "I know," I replied, lowering my head. After dinner, we curled up on the sofa to watch television as usual. He chose a horror film again – the very genre I dreaded. Truthfully, I disliked them because I was easily frightened and couldn't bear to watch. But Lean insisted that the more timid one was, the more one should watch them—to build up one's courage. Seeing me cower in his arms when frightened, he claimed, would strengthen our bond. I'd come to believe his words, yet today Anna revealed that watching horror films together had been their favourite pastime. "I don't want to watch horror films. I want to watch comedies."