To celebrate my divorce, my best friend hooked me up with a young 'puppy' type. I definitely enjoyed myself, but the next day, paranoia kicked in, and I went to the clinic for a check-up. And guess what? The attending physician was my freaking ex-husband. 01 I'm 25 years old, newly divorced. When my friends heard the news, they cooked up a massive "surprise" for me. And just like that, this 25-year-old divorcee officially became… well, let’s just say I crossed a line I hadn’t crossed before. 2 Daylight. The guy who’d been in my bed was gone. Rubbing my temples, I called my best friend, Alex. Her voice came through the phone, giggling. "So, Chloe? How was it?" How it was wasn't the point! "Who was the guy last night?" It was pitch black; I didn't get a good look at him. "Oh, you know him." "Who?" "Remember how you made that big declaration? That after the divorce, you'd find some cute young guy to soothe your soul? So, we contacted that guy you've been chatting with forever. The one you said was hitting on you online for like a year? The one you were thinking about meeting IRL but kept chickening out on… that 'puppy'…" BOOM. My brain felt like it exploded. 3 Who doesn't love unwinding with video games these days? Especially someone like me, whose real life felt like a dumpster fire, desperate for a digital escape? Right before my ex and I officially split, I got seriously hooked on this popular online shooter game. That's when I met him… the online 'puppy.' He started out as a Bronze rank player. I figured he was a total newbie. But after a few matches, he completely carried me. From then on, before the divorce, whenever I logged on, I'd beg him to play with me. The night I signed the divorce papers with my ex, Ben, I got wasted. I vaguely remember crying and venting to the 'puppy' through my headset. I called Ben an asshole, said he wasn’t even a real man! This 'puppy' guy was great in every way, except he never showed his face, never wanted to voice chat. All I knew from his profile was that he was only 20. I’d never actually heard his voice speak clearly. But that night, I heard him say, in this incredibly low, husky, controlled voice, "Chloe… maybe we should try…" 4 Ben and I also met online, way back in the AOL Instant Messenger days. We dated online for five years before finally meeting up IRL. Two dates later, we were married. So, when the 'puppy' confessed his feelings, my drunken brain sobered up instantly. So that’s what his silence was hiding – this massive curveball. Little punk, hitting on anyone he could find. After my experience with Ben, I was terrified! I took a deep breath, tapped my headset mic, and yelled, "Hello? Hello? What did you say? My connection's breaking up, this stupid internet…" Then, I pretended my game crashed and bailed! But from that day forward, the 'puppy' launched a full-on charm offensive. He still didn't talk much, but he texted constantly. Sometimes, after a gaming session, we'd chat on messenger. He'd send tons of those secretly intense emojis and gifs – you know, the little animated guy bumping against another one, or the kitten stretching its paws out asking for a hug… And occasionally, late at night— When all the grown-up animals and people start feeling restless—he'd send those husky, raspy voice messages— "Chloe? Wanna meet up?" My reply: "Thanks, but no thanks!" 5 Alex’s voice snapped me back to reality. I was practically crying into the phone, feeling utterly miserable. "Uh… Chloe… you… you okay?" Alex asked hesitantly. I managed a bitter laugh. "Thanks to you geniuses, I'm just peachy. Look, I gotta go." Before she could say another word, I hung up. Because of Ben's profession (he’s a doctor), I've always been super careful about my health. I scrambled out of bed, needing to clean myself up and get to a clinic ASAP for a check-up. 6 Half an hour later, I was at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Don't ask why this specific hospital; it's just the closest one to my apartment. I skulked towards the OB/GYN clinic, deliberately checking the doctors' schedule posted by the door. Phew, his name wasn't on it. Soon, it was my turn. The female doctor looked new; she didn't recognize me. Head down, she called out, "Chloe Miller…" "I'll take this one." A hand reached past me, grabbing the chart. Then, a tall figure brushed past my side. I froze, every muscle tense. The female doctor gently pushed me into the chair. "This is Dr. Carter, he's the best doctor in our department. Please don't feel uncomfortable just because he's male." Beneath my mask, I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes. Ben Carter. Like I didn't know if he was a good doctor or not? My ex-husband! Quickly, the female doctor left the room. Ben sat down at the computer, typing away, and asked without looking up, "What seems to be the problem?" "..." When I didn't answer, he continued, "I know you hate me, Chloe. But right now, we're just doctor and patient." This time, he looked up. His eyes were cold, distant – his standard treating-a-stranger look. Right. Ex-husband = Stranger. Okay, no need to act like I was caught having an affair. I stated calmly, "It hurts. Down there." I kept it brief. And damn it, he understood immediately. He snapped his head back to look at me, his gaze intense, complicated, unreadable. Then, just as quickly, his expression smoothed over. "Okay. Pants off, lie down on the exam table, legs apart." This… Knowing his ex-wife just slept with someone else, this was his reaction? Couldn't he at least show a little annoyance? Make me squirm a bit?! Intent on provoking him, I complied, saying as I climbed onto the table, "Yeah, things got a little… wild yesterday. You should probably take a look." But I underestimated Ben's self-control. He actually picked up the instruments and walked towards me, replying calmly, "Alright." Alright, my ass! 7 "Wait!" I suddenly yelled. Ben paused, frowning at me. "It looks swollen. I need to examine it more closely." This whole situation felt surreal. Before we were married, when Ben was chasing me, he was horny as hell, always trying to get me into a hotel room. Back then, I was playing coy, thinking we'd be married soon, let him wait. But then, after the wedding – after all that supposed pent-up frustration – he barely touched me for the entire year we were married! 365 days! It made no sense! Thinking about the cold shoulder treatment I endured back then just made me want nothing to do with him now. I shoved his hand away, jumped off the exam table, and blurted out some bullshit excuse, "Oh! I just remembered I have a date with my boyfriend. Gotta go." With that, I bolted out of the clinic, practically flying out of the hospital. I was catching my breath, squatting by the curb, when my phone buzzed. I pulled it out. Speak of the devil. My "boyfriend" had sent me a voice message on messenger. He said: "Hey Chloe, just call me anytime you need me, okay?" 8 "Need you like I need a hole in the head…" I started typing that into the chatbox, then instinctively glanced over my shoulder. My ex-husband just happened to be walking past with a few colleagues, and he casually glanced at my phone screen. Ha! I quickly deleted the text and switched to voice message instead. "Okay, baby! I'll hit you up tonight. Sheraton, downtown. Don't be late!" After sending it, I flagged down a cab like some triumphant peacock. The second I got in the car, I scrambled to retract the message, but he’d already read it. Not only read it, he replied instantly. "Okay Chloe, waiting for you! " My mind just fried! Desperate to explain, I tried calling him via the app. It rang once, then he disconnected. WTF?? Tried again. He hung up again! Wasn't even giving me a chance to backtrack?! As I was about to try a third time, he sent a picture first. You know the kind. The unsolicited transformation pic. Everything below the neck was visible – six-pack abs, V-line… crystal clear. Thump thump thump— Damn it. I was kind of tempted. I had to admit, the thing I liked most about my ex was his body. This 'puppy' was even more eye-candy than Ben. Gulp. I literally heard myself swallow. Then the 'puppy' sent another voice message— "Chloe, let me be your boyfriend. Please? Don't look for other guys, okay?"
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