My Cheating Boyfriend Was Just a Stand-in

I couldn't bring myself to be angry about his infidelity. So I forced a smile and said, "It's fine. I won't hold it against you."

I added, "From now on, you don't need to tell me about these things."

"It's over between us."

Kason's hand, still holding hers, went still. After a beat, he gently let her go.

"I need to talk to Lisa alone," he said, dismissing her.

Once she was gone, Kason stared at me for a long moment before letting out a sudden laugh. "Lisa, I thought your patience was endless."

"So, you do have a limit after all."

I blinked. "What limit?"

He smiled, though there was something cruel in it. "The limit of your love for me."

"Come on, Lisa. Don't be like this."

"I swear, this will really be the last time, okay?"

...

* * *

To be honest, the first time Kason cheated and Lisa found out, he panicked. But surprisingly, she forgave him so easily.

Instead of calming his nerves, it only made him more uneasy. Kason thought Lisa didn't love him—that her indifference was proof of it.

Jose, his friend who owned the jewelry store, teased him for worrying over nothing.

"Do you know Lisa ordered a ring from me three months in advance just to celebrate your anniversary?"

"She even had Scarlett airfreight lavender from Provence to decorate the whole restaurant."

"What you should be worried about isn't whether Lisa loves you, but how to make amends after hurting someone who loves you that much!"

Words like that barely reassured him, keeping him grounded while planting seeds of doubt.

So he kept pushing her boundaries, testing how much she could stomach.

Lisa kept forgiving him—yet he wasn't satisfied. He even suggested they break up.

But when Lisa's tears fell again, he decided her love must run deep—so deep that even infidelity couldn't tear them apart.

Only then did he finally find peace. So, she really does love him.

He thought it was time to truly cherish what they had.

What happened with Halle Ferguson was a mistake—unexpected and unfortunate.

She was a fresh college grad who'd just joined his company and eagerly volunteered to accompany him to a client dinner.

After the dinner, she broke down in tears and confided in him, making herself seem vulnerable and alone. Kason let his guard down, crossed a line, and kissed her. One deliberate choice led to another.

Halle was understanding about it. Afterward, she didn't demand a relationship. Instead, with glossy eyes, she only asked, "Mr. Martin, can you at least visit me sometimes? It was... my first time..."

"I don't need you to take responsibility. I just want a place in your life where I can feel safe."

No one could be that harsh to a recent graduate, so he agreed.

Today's accident was just Kason shielding Halle from drinking too much, then having her drive him home.

Halle, unfamiliar with driving such an expensive car, got nervous—which led to a fender bender.

Judging by Lisa's expression, he figured she'd assumed it was another affair.

But he wasn't worried. He considered it a final test for Lisa.

The engagement ring he'd ordered was already on its way, and once Lisa passed this test, he was going to propose.

Yet Lisa had asked for a breakup.

Kason was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered.

Of course.

Even the deepest love has its limits.

After he'd tested her repeatedly, she was bound to be upset.

So he forgave what he dismissed as her "tantrum."

With sincerity, he solemnly swore, "I promise you, this really is the last time, okay?"