Working overtime until 2 AM, I accidentally clicked on a pop-up ad and saw a viral Reddit post. The OP's tone seemed casual, but every word screamed despair: "Today, while my wife was working, I snooped on her phone." "Reddit, putting everything else aside, she only blocked me. Does this mean I'm special to her?" "I'm not a simp, but being the only one blocked... isn't that special?" I understood immediately. This was a man driven insane after seeing something on his wife's phone. But that woman was so careless. How could she let her husband see her phone? Unlike me. I'm always cautious. I shook my head and instinctively patted the spot next to me. Then I froze— Wait, where is my phone? Chapter 1 After replying to the client's last email, it was already 2 AM. The living room was quiet. My cat, adopted six months ago, was snoring on the balcony. My husband of one year, Julian Vance—whom I married for a business merger—was in the study dealing with his own work. I stretched, intending to wash up and sleep. My hand slipped, clicking on a pop-up. A hot Reddit thread appeared. I blinked, curiously scrolling down. The post was laid out before me. The OP was a man. His tone was light, but despair seeped through the screen: [AITA for thinking I'm special because my wife blocked only me?] "Today, while my wife was working, I despicably snooped on the phone she left in the study." "Reddit, putting everything else aside... she pinned her best friend, her ex, and her family. But she only blocked me. Does this mean I'm special to her too?" Me: ??? Good lord. Where did this 24K gold simp come from? Why didn't I meet someone like this? Truly, some drown while others die of thirst. I sighed with emotion and scrolled down to the comments. User A: "Bro, excuse me for asking, but when you say 'putting everything else aside,' what exactly is 'everything else'?" The OP replied thoughtfully, word by word: "Umm..." "Just putting aside that she tells her best friend I'm old, putting aside that she tells her best friend she wants a divorce, putting aside that she wants to find her ex, putting aside that she hates talking to me, putting aside that she doesn't let me touch her stuff..." "Yeah, that's it. Just putting these aside for now..." User B: "??? Bro, you ARE a simp. How can you still think you're special?" "Does she have to slap the divorce papers on your face and tell you to fuck off before you believe you're unloved?" The OP went silent. More and more rubberneckers flooded in. Every comment was some variation of: "Look at this simp. Hopeless..." ... Half an hour later. The OP came back online. He fiercely refuted all comments calling him a simp: "Yes, I love her. I loved her before we got married. Even if she scolds me, hates me, and wants to divorce me every day after marriage, I can't convince myself not to love her." "But I'm really not a simp. I'm sober. I'm rational. I know what I'm doing." "But I don't understand. How is being the only one blocked not special?" "You single dogs don't get it. What do single dogs know...?" The commenters weren't angry. Instead, they laughed harder: "Haha, OP is triggered. He's a delusional simp..." I rubbed my temples, understanding the situation— A man checked his wife's phone and was driven crazy by what he saw. But that woman was careless. How could she leave her phone around? Unlike me. I'm always cautious. I shook my head and patted the sofa next to me. I froze. Wait, where is my phone? Chapter 2 I searched around the sofa. Nothing. Crap. My phone was gone. It had all my work messages. Calming my anxiety, I retraced my steps. Finally. My gaze landed on the study door. I worked in the living room all day, only entering the study once to find a file. The study door was ajar. The light was still on. My merger husband was obviously still working. Coincidentally, every time I worked until dawn, he did too. I hesitated. Then I walked toward the study. Just as I reached the door. The light went out. Then. Steady footsteps sounded. Moving away in the dark. Disappearing behind the door connecting the study and the master bedroom. Julian went to sleep. I pushed the door open and walked in. Sure enough, I found my phone on the bookshelf. I didn't use a screen lock. I swiped open, replied to a few messages, and went back to the contacts list. Pinned at the top: My best friend, my parents. And... my idiot ex-boyfriend whom I broke up with eons ago, inexplicably pinned there. Disgusting. Bad luck. Want to vomit. I rolled my eyes. Quickly unpinned the ex. Suddenly, an absurd thought flashed through my mind. Wife working late at night. Phone forgotten in the study. Pinned best friend, family, and ex. Was that post written by... Julian? Chapter 3 Julian and I had an arranged marriage. That year, I just graduated college. Ready to conquer the world in my chosen field. But I was told I had to marry the eldest son of the Vance family, four years my senior, stern and boring. To me, this marriage was a cage destroying my freedom. So, I resented my parents, the Vances, and especially Julian. After marriage, I never gave him a good face. Of course, he always faced me with an expressionless mask. We lived our rotten lives together. Later, I accidentally saw Julian staring at a photo in a daze. The figure in the photo was blurry, but I could tell it was a young girl. I suddenly understood. Julian was probably forced into this marriage just like me. From that day on. I stopped being hostile. But we still had nothing to say to each other. The atmosphere shifted from tense to extremely awkward. I started hating going home. But Julian seemed unaffected. He came home on time every day. Like a programmed robot butler: cooking, laundry, cleaning. Last week was my birthday. I partied until dawn. When I opened the door. I saw him sitting alone on the sofa, staring into space. Our eyes met... I clearly saw the dark circles under his eyes. He looked at me quietly, lips moving slightly as if to speak. But I was too afraid of the awkwardness and rushed upstairs. At the top of the stairs, I looked back. Julian was still sitting there. A rare look of unease on his face. Like a child who made a mistake, tugging at the hem of his shirt. I thought I was hallucinating from fatigue. ... Back to the present. I found that post again. I clicked on the OP's profile picture. A familiar, huge diamond ring flashed before my eyes. I pursed my lips, quickly pulled up my wedding photo with Julian, and zoomed in on the ring on his right hand— It was identical. I was in shambles. Julian loves me? How is that possible? He looks like he hates me more than I hate him! Coincidence. Must be a coincidence. Chapter 4 The next day was Saturday. I had a shopping date with my best friend, Lila. But because of the overtime and the discovery of Julian's potential secret... I had insomnia. Hearing Lila roar on the phone: "Macy! If you aren't out in an hour, you're dead!" I scrambled out of bed, sporting dark circles, frantically searching for clothes. At this moment. Julian, having finished breakfast, walked past my door with a cup of coffee. Without his suit, he looked much gentler. Features still deep and handsome, hair styled in the slight curl I liked, lounge wear collar loose, revealing delicate collarbones. He walked past. Leaving a scent of pleasant cologne. I was dazed by his handsomeness for a second. Suddenly remembering last night's guess. My mouth moved faster than my brain: "Julian, can you... come help me find a dress?" The moment the words fell. Julian froze. The coffee cup slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor with a loud crash. ...Wow, what a reaction. I was a bit scared, lowering my eyes guiltily: "Ah, um, if not, then..." Before I finished. A shadow loomed over me. I looked up instinctively, meeting Julian's eyes, surging with subtle undercurrents. "I can." He said calmly. I was stunned. Before I could react. Julian was already standing stiffly in front of the closet, hands hanging uneasily by his sides. Clenching, releasing. Clenching, releasing. ...He seemed very nervous.
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