Lover in the Dark

After nearly ten years with Ethan, his performance in bed had taken a sharp nosedive as he approached thirty. His temper and behavior had also grown increasingly bizarre and erratic. Then, returning home from a business trip, I was shocked to find that Ethan seemed to have magically reverted to how he was when we first fell in love. Our intimate life had never been better. Yet one thing baffled me: every single time we made love, he insisted on blindfolding me. At first, I thought he was just spicing things up. Later, I realized that whenever we were tangled in the sheets, my hand would unconsciously trace a long scar across his back. The problem was, Ethan had never had a scar on his back… It was Thursday, two weeks since I’d returned from my business trip. Ever since I got back, Ethan and his mother, Evelyn, had been treating me with an unsettling amount of affection. It was sweet, but strange. At first, I didn't think much of it. I figured it was just because I had recently been promoted to department supervisor, while Ethan was still stuck in a dead-end entry-level job. I thought they were just kissing up to me because I had become the primary breadwinner of the household. Ever since my return, Ethan seemed like a completely different man. Every night, he initiated intimacy, leaving me utterly exhausted and hazy. Evelyn also made a habit of bringing me a warm glass of milk every morning and every night before bed. She claimed it was to nourish my body and keep my strength up. I genuinely believed good fortune had finally smiled upon our marriage. That afternoon, a package I ordered arrived—a sheer, sultry lace nightgown. I figured that since Ethan was putting in so much effort in the bedroom, I should step up my game too. Conveniently, Evelyn called that afternoon saying she was driving out to her hometown in the countryside to pick up some things. Tonight was the perfect chance to give Ethan a real surprise. I grabbed the package and headed home early. Ethan wasn't back from work yet, so I took a long shower and pampered my skin with scented lotions until I was soft, fragrant, and glowing. After slipping into the sheer lingerie, I hid in the bedroom closet, waiting to jump out. Before long, I heard the front door click open. It was Ethan. "Hello, Mr. Sterling? Yes, as soon as everything is ready, I'll text you. Then you can come over." Mr. Sterling? Why is Ethan talking so subserviently, like a nervous lapdog? Hearing that name, I thought to myself. Wait, is he bringing a guest over? If someone's coming, I definitely can't be dressed like this. Just as I was about to step out of the closet, Ethan walked into the master bedroom. I shrank back. Parading out in front of him half-naked when someone was expected felt humiliating. So I stayed put. A moment later, Ethan took another call and stepped out of the apartment. I crept out of the closet, slipped on a pair of regular pajamas, and threw a casual tank top on underneath. It was dinnertime, and when I walked into the kitchen, I noticed a mug of warm milk Evelyn had left on the counter. How sweet of her, I thought, lifting it to my lips and drinking half. Just as I set it down, Ethan walked back in. He froze when he saw me. "Nora? When did you get home?" Too embarrassed to bring up the lingerie, I quickly came up with an excuse. "Oh, I wasn't feeling well, so I took off early." I noticed the nervous twitch in his expression. "Is something wrong? Did something happen at work?" Ethan seemed snapped back to reality. A stiff smile tugged at his lips as he stepped forward and pulled me into his arms. "Nothing's wrong. I just missed you, babe." Nestled against his chest, I felt a rush of warmth. Then his eyes drifted toward the glass on the counter. "Did you drink the milk?" "Yeah, I was a little hungry." "How much did you drink?" "About half." Hearing that, Ethan seemed to let out a subtle sigh of relief. His hands around my waist began to roam, his lips grazing against my earlobe. The electric shiver made my knees go weak, melting my body into his touch. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me straight into the bedroom. Just like every night for the past two weeks, he picked up the black lace blindfold from the nightstand, intending to cover my eyes. Seeing his hands move, I pouted playfully. "Can we skip it tonight? I want to watch you."Ethan’s hands froze instantly in midair. His expression turned rigid. Assuming he was annoyed and not wanting to ruin the mood—after all, a little sensory play wasn't a crime—I quickly compromised. "Alright, alright. Put it on." With that, Ethan tied the lace securely over my eyes. The darkness only heightened the sensitivity of my bare skin. Ethan leaned down, peppering kisses across my forehead, my nose, my lips, and down my neck, slowly trailing lower. My mind began to feel heavy and clouded, though not quite as numb and hazy as previous nights. Suddenly, the heat on top of me vanished. The fog in my head left me only able to whimper in mild protest. "Be a good girl. I'm going to grab a condom. Wait for me." Hearing his familiar voice, I relaxed into the mattress. A moment later, a heavy, warm body pressed back down against mine. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, bracing myself as the rhythm grew faster and more demanding. My hands wandered across his back, and suddenly, my fingertips brushed against a distinct scar. It wasn't long, maybe two or three inches. A lightning bolt of clarity shot through my mind: Ethan had never had a scar on his back… I instinctively reached up to tear the blindfold off. Before my fingers could touch the fabric, my wrists were pinned firmly above my head. With a final, trembling shudder, the man on top of me pulled away and stood up. Catching my breath, I reached up and pulled the blindfold down. The first thing I saw was Ethan standing near the bed, his face completely drained of color. Seeing me move, terror flashed across his eyes, his voice trembling slightly. "You're... you're awake?" Afraid he thought I was complaining about his stamina, I murmured softly, "I'm just so tired. So sleepy. I want to sleep." I reached out, hugging him playfully. Ethan grabbed a warm washcloth. "Here, let me clean you up." I kissed his cheek. "Okay." Afterward, Ethan brought another cup of milk to the bedside. "Drink this, sweetie. It'll restore your energy." I was genuinely parched, and having done this every night, I suspected nothing. "Thanks, honey." After finishing it, a heavy drowsiness dragged me under, and I fell fast asleep. Once I was out, Ethan slipped into the hallway stairwell to make a phone call. "Ten times! That's more than enough! You promised me, and you better deliver. Next week, I want the official announcement that I'm the new branch manager." Ethan's face was flushed with fury, his eyes bloodshot, his fingernails digging so hard into the concrete wall that his knuckles turned white. On the other end of the line, a man chuckled softly. "Ethan, my boy, you really are a lucky man. Your wife is stunning, and so incredibly soft. What can I say? I'm hooked." Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean?!" "I mean, I want one more night. One last time, and I guarantee your branch manager position." Appalled by the man's sheer shamelessness, Ethan's face contorted into a monstrous scowl, his voice a furious hiss. "No way in hell! Vance, I let you screw my own wife ten times! I swear to God, I want to kill you!" Vance didn't seem fazed by his rage at all. His tone was dripping with calculated control. "One last time, and I'll make you the Finance Director at the corporate headquarters instead. How about that?" Ethan's rage evaporated in an instant. A stunned, greedy disbelief washed over him. "Really? Corporate Director is leagues above a branch manager!" "Of course." Ethan didn't hesitate for a single second. "Fine! Tomorrow night!" He hung up, the bitter resentment in his eyes completely replaced by euphoric ambition. There wasn't a shred of guilt left on his face. Naturally, he never noticed me standing behind the corner of the stairwell wall—paralyzed as if struck by lightning, trembling in sheer agony, clutching both hands tightly over my mouth to stifle my screams…After falling asleep, I had woken up with a full bladder, probably from drinking all that liquid. Even though my limbs felt heavy and weak, I refused to wet the bed. Mustering the last ounce of my strength, I forced my eyes open. Ethan wasn't beside me. Then, faint murmurs drifted in from the stairwell outside our door. It was Ethan's voice. I dragged myself out of bed, crept to the door, and slipped into the corridor. Peering around the corner, his words hit me like a barrage of bullets. Ten times. Promotion. Tomorrow night. Every syllable drove like a dagger straight into my heart, tearing my soul to shreds. I clamped my hands over my mouth, my skin ice-cold, my vision spinning. A suffocating wave of hatred threatened to swallow me whole. I needed to figure out what was going on. Forcing my shivering legs to carry me back, I crawled beneath the covers and pretended to be fast asleep. A few moments later, Ethan walked back into the room. I felt him brush a gentle kiss against my forehead, muttering under his breath, "I'm sorry, Nora. Just one last time." I kept my eyes shut, fighting with every fiber of my being to suppress the violent trembling of my body fueled by pure, unadulterated hatred… Early the next morning, Evelyn returned from the countryside. That day, so many puzzle pieces that I had overlooked in the past suddenly clicked together. For instance, the warm milk at night and in the morning was only served on the days Ethan and I were supposedly "intimate." For instance, whenever she handed me the milk, Evelyn stood over me, watching like a hawk until I drained every last drop. For instance, the weirdly triumphant glint in Evelyn’s eyes every time I finished it, and the uneasy, guilty way Ethan looked away. And… every single time, Ethan would claim he had to go grab a condom, yet I had never once found a single used wrapper in our trash can. That morning, I acted as if everything were perfectly normal. After drinking the milk, I said goodbye and left for work. The moment I walked out of the building, I took the remaining milk from my travel mug straight to a private toxicology lab. I paid a hefty rush fee to guarantee results within eight hours. All day at work, my stomach churned as if I were being roasted over an open fire. I couldn't bring myself to believe that the man I had spent ten years loving was a cuckold freak willing to pimp out his own wife just for a promotion! When I got home after work, Evelyn greeted me at the door, her fleshy face splitting into a sickening, fake smile. "Oh, Nora, you're back! Come, come, sit down. Mom warmed up another cup of milk for you tonight. Drink it up, sweetie, it works wonders for your sleep." I took the mug and brought it to my lips, watching Evelyn out of the corner of my eye. That sly, calculating smirk on her face made my stomach turn. I pretended to set the mug down. "Mom, my stomach is really upset today. I think I'll pass." Evelyn's voice instantly shot up an octave, piercing and harsh. "Pass?! How can you pass? You have to drink it!" She reached out aggressively, practically trying to force the rim against my teeth. Seeing me down the entire glass under her pressure, her face smoothed back into a warm, gentle mask. "Good girl, Nora. You really are the lucky star of our family." As she spoke, her disgusting gaze swept up and down my body, inspecting me like an appraisal. Suppressing the bile rising in my throat, I choked out, "Mom, I'm going to take a shower." "Go on, go on! A warm shower is wonderful!" I rushed into the master bathroom, locked the door, and shoved my fingers down my throat, gagging violently until every drop of milk was vomited into the toilet! Gripping the edges of the sink, I stared into the mirror, my eyes bloodshot and brimming with tears from the retching. "Ethan! Evelyn! If you two really are this demonic, then don't blame me for what comes next!" That night, everything started out just like before. Having purged the drugged milk, my mind was razor-sharp, completely free of the usual heavy fog. Just as expected, after blindfolding me, Ethan slipped out of bed, whispering that he was getting a condom. A minute later, another man slid under the sheets. The moment he entered me, the sheer difference in size made me gasp! Every previous time, my mind had been so drugged and disoriented that I hadn't even noticed! I listened to his breathing, my hand trailing across his broad back until my fingers found the raised scar… It was him. In a split second, I ripped the blindfold off my face. The man was caught completely off guard by my sudden move. Startled, he shuddered and released inside me. I glared at his unfamiliar, striking face. "Who the hell are you?!"