Using Up My Love

Ever since my CEO husband returned from his business trip, he's been acting strange. His hugs are stiff, and his kisses are empty. Even when we're intimate, something just feels off.

When I ask him why, he just smiles and says he's tired from work.

But everything falls into place the moment I see his first love stepping out of his Maybach, her body covered in hickeys. That's when I finally give up.

I don't argue or cry. I just smile… and tear up the 99th love coupon.

Once, he wrote me a hundred love letters. On our wedding day, we made a promise—those letters would become 100 love coupons. As long as there were coupons left, I'd grant him anything he asked.

Over the four years of our marriage, every time he left me for his first love, he'd cash in one.

But what he doesn't know is that there are only two left.

Vincent Harper and I were finally pregnant after trying for a baby for four years.

The company threw an elaborate get-together to celebrate the success of the new project. I wore a loose dress and staked a seat in the corner, carefully shielding my baby bump.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the banquet hall. I followed the direction of the noise and saw Vincent's first love, Queenie Lawson, anxiously pointing at the mezzanine outside the window. Her voice cracking as she cried, "My cat! It ran out!"

Everyone turned to stare out the window. The white cat was curled up on the mezzanine outside the window of the 20th floor, trembling. It looked like it could fall off the edge at any moment.

Queenie was so anxious that she stomped her foot, tears brimming in her eyes. "Vincent, do something! The cat is the only family I have left!"

Vincent didn't so much as bat an eye before turning to fix his gaze on me. "Go and bring the cat back."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the banquet hall fall deathly silent. Everyone froze as they looked between me and Vincent. I, in particular, eyed him with disbelief as my fingers clenched the hem of my dress.

"Mr. Harper, that's a little… inappropriate, don't you think?" one of my co-workers couldn't resist asking. "Mrs. Harper is pregnant, and this is the 20th floor. It's too dangerous."

"Yeah, Mr. Harper. Why don't we get the security to sort this out?" another co-worker suggested.

However, Vincent didn't seem to hear them. He kept his eyes on me, his voice full of unyielding authority as he commanded, "Go."

I opened my mouth to refuse, but he suddenly leaned close to me and whispered into my ear, "I'll use a coupon."

His words were like a bucket of icy water tipped over my head, drowning out any intention I had to protest. I looked down, my fingers lightly caressing the slight swell of my tummy as bitterness welled up within me.

Indeed, Vincent could use a coupon. Years ago, he had written me 99 love letters in hopes of getting me to date him. When he wrote me the hundredth letter, I was so moved by his dedication that I chose to be with him.

On the day we got married, I turned the one hundred love letters he wrote me into one hundred love coupons to repay his dedication. We agreed that as long as the coupons didn't run out, I would unconditionally agree to whatever he asked of me.

Two years ago, Vincent had cherished the coupons so much that he couldn't bring himself to use them. But in the two years since the return of his first love, Queenie, he'd used up 97 coupons. And now, he was using the 98th.

I did not argue any further and quietly stood up, then headed toward the window. My co-workers tried to stop me, but Vincent said nothing and only watched, his expression unyielding.

Outside the window, the wind was so strong that I could barely keep my footing. I took a deep breath and forced myself not to look at the drop underfoot as I took one step after another toward the cat.

The cat seemed to sense my goodwill and did not put up a fight, obediently letting me pick it up.

But just as I passed the cat through the window, a strong gust of wind suddenly picked up. I instinctively looked down, and the view from the 20th floor had my head spinning immediately. My legs caved under me, and I tipped backward.

There was a chorus of screams, but I couldn't hear it clearly anymore. All I felt was the rough impact as my body fell on the safety grille of the 18th floor, my stomach hitting the rail on the side. The pain that followed was so sharp that my vision turned black. I was close to losing consciousness.

In my daze, I heard my co-workers' panicked cries.

"Call an ambulance!"

"Mrs. Harper, hang on!"

I tried my hardest to open my eyes, only to see a group of people swarming around me, their faces etched with fear and worry. However, Vincent was notably absent from the group.

With a lot of effort, I turned my head to peek through the bars of the safety grille. I saw Vincent standing beside Queenie, his head dipping low as he comforted her softly. He was even patting her shoulder as though she were the one in need of consoling.

Meanwhile, Queenie leaned into his embrace as she sobbed miserably. I closed my eyes, letting my tears fall quietly. I told myself it was all right and that there were only two coupons left.