My Wife Drugged My Milk to Save Her Ex

1: 1

My wife, who never cooks, was up early making me breakfast.

Asher Gilbert, aren't you going to the bid today?

I looked up at her. It was the first time she'd ever asked about my work.

Yeah. This one decides where the company goes from here.

She nodded and pushed the glass of milk toward me, telling me to hurry and drink it.

That was when a line of comments drifted across my vision.

Don't drink it. There are sleeping pills in the milk.

Your wife wants you to miss this bid, because her childhood friend Sebastian Barnes is competing in it too.

Miss this bid, and your company goes bankrupt.

After the bankruptcy, you'll be driven to jump off a building.

My hand tightened on the glass, and I stared down at the milk.

Was there really something in it?

"Asher, why aren't you drinking?"

My wife, Regina Pruitt, pressed me again, an edge of urgency in her eyes.

"My stomach's a little off. I'll skip it."

I let go of the glass and picked up the sandwich instead.

"Asher, warm milk won't hurt. I heated it up just for you."

"Just a few sips. It's good for your stomach."

I'd been doubtful about whether those comments were real.

But the way she was acting this morning only made me believe them more.

On any normal day she couldn't have cared less whether I ate breakfast or touched the milk.

I raised my hand on purpose and knocked the glass over.

She shot up from her chair, her whole face pinched with displeasure.

"Asher, what's wrong with you? Did you do that on purpose?"

I waved a hand. "Regina, it was an accident."

"Never mind. I'll pour you another."

With that she headed for the kitchen, and I followed.

She took a fresh carton of milk from the fridge, then pulled a blister pack of pills from a drawer.

She turned around and saw me standing in the doorway.

The pack slipped from her hand to the floor. Her face went white, her eyes darting.

I took two steps forward, but she got to the pills first, snatching them up and stuffing them into her pocket.

"Those are my vitamins."

Her voice shook, just slightly.

I nodded. "I came in for a glass of hot water."

She didn't tell me to drink the milk again for the rest of breakfast.

It was still early, so I sat on the couch for a while with my briefcase beside me.

"Asher, run down to the pharmacy and get me a box of painkillers."

"My head hurts a little."

She frowned, rubbing her temples.

"Sure. I'll go now."

I took my phone and reached the door, and the comments appeared again.

Your wife sent you off on purpose. She's going to swap out the documents in your briefcase.

Look, quick. Your wife's got her eyes locked on your briefcase.

Plan A didn't work, so now she's onto Plan B.

I pulled my hand back from the doorknob and turned around.

She was bent over my briefcase, and she didn't look like a woman with a headache at all.

I walked over quickly and picked it up.

"Asher, you're going downstairs for medicine. Why take the bag?"

"Regina, this bid matters too much to the company. I can't afford a single slip."

"I'll go get your medicine."

I'd barely shut the door when I heard her phone ring.

I lingered outside a moment.

"Sebastian, don't worry. You're definitely going to win it."

2: 2

After I left the apartment, I went to the pharmacy near our complex.

On my way back, I ran into our neighbor, Ruby Lambert.

"Asher, my son mentioned you two are buying a new place. A villa, no less."

Her words left me baffled.

It was true I'd once thought about moving into a villa.

But my wife said she didn't like too much empty space, that our big open-floor unit was perfectly fine.

The truth was, I knew she was being considerate. She knew my company was strapped for cash.

Her family was well off, and these days she helped her father run their company.

And she understood me. She knew I wouldn't ask her to pay for a villa.

In short, she never looked down on me. She always let me keep my dignity.

It was only that in recent years, her family's company had declined a good deal too.

My wife was cool by nature, but our relationship was still solid.

That she would do all this to me over the bid left me heartsick.

"Asher, that villa's got to be expensive, right?"

Ruby's booming voice pulled me back.

I waved a hand. "Ruby, we're not buying any villa."

She quickly whipped out her phone and pulled up a chat log.

"Look, my son sent this to me."

"This is your wife, Regina, isn't it?"

In the photo on the screen, my wife was viewing a house with a man, beaming.

Only a sliver of the man's profile showed.

But going by his build, I was certain it was Sebastian Barnes.

Sebastian and I were in the same industry, so we'd crossed paths several times.

"Ruby, that's my wife, but the man isn't me."

Ruby's eyes went wide, and her expression turned a little awkward.

"Asher, Regina probably just went along to keep a friend company. Don't read too much into it."

"That girl seems cool on the outside, but she's got a good heart."

"I've got my dance group to get to, so I'll be off."

And with that, Ruby vanished from sight in a flash.

Painkillers in hand, I went home.

My wife had already changed into a business suit and was sitting on the couch.

I poured a glass of warm water and handed her the medicine.

"Regina, take your medicine."

She nodded. "Mm, I'll take it in a bit."

"Regina, once I win this bid, we'll move to a villa."

"The villas out in the western suburbs are really nice."

In that instant, her face went a shade paler.

Because the villa in the western suburbs was exactly the one she'd gone to see with Sebastian.

"I also hear Sebastian's planning to buy out there. We could be neighbors."

She set the glass back on the coffee table, frowning.

"Asher, do you know that Sebastian and I went to look at a house?"

"You don't need to test me. I only went to keep him company and check out the area."

Regina and Sebastian had grown up together, childhood friends, but there'd never been anything improper between them.

On that point, I still trusted her.

But now that she'd done all this for Sebastian, I couldn't help but doubt.

"Regina, I'm not testing you. I mean it."

"If I win this bid, my company takes off, and I want to give you a better life."

"Sebastian's competing in the bid too. So which of us do you hope takes it?"

3: 3

Regina pressed her lips together, displeasure written all over her face.

Her voice came out cold. "Asher, do you really think there's any point asking a question like that?"

"Whoever wins the bid wins it on merit, right?"

On merit. What a line. When all she wanted was for Sebastian to take it.

I didn't want to drag this out any further. The one thing that mattered to me today was the bid.

"Mm, you're right. On merit."

"Regina, I'm heading out first. I'll go wait over there."

She shot up off the couch in an instant.

"Asher, I'm not feeling well today. Let me ride with you."

"Drop me at my office on the way."

I nodded without a second thought.

Just as I was changing my shoes at the cabinet by the door, she gave me a light shove.

"Asher, go grab that document off the desk in the study for me."

"Sure."

I'd taken only a few steps when a row of comments floated up in front of my eyes.

Your briefcase is still on the shoe cabinet.

Your wife's debating whether to take your briefcase.

She doesn't want to wreck your marriage, so she doesn't want to be too obvious about it.

I turned my head slightly to look at her. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deep and slow.

Even so, I walked over and picked up the briefcase, carrying it in my hand.

"Asher, are you guarding against me?"

Every bit of her displeasure was there on her face.

"Regina, why would I guard against you? You've got nothing to do with the bid."

"If anyone, it's Sebastian I'd need to watch. He's my biggest competitor."

I didn't wait for her answer. I walked briskly to the study.

When we got in the car, I set the briefcase on the back seat.

The second she sat down, she was tapping out a text on her phone.

I'd barely started the engine when she turned to look at me.

"Asher, drive slow for me. I'm still not feeling great."

"Okay, got it."

About ten minutes into the drive, she suddenly told me to pull over.

"Asher, stop at that convenience store up ahead. I want to grab something."

"Sure."

I pulled over to the curb. "Regina, what do you need? I'll get it for you."

"No need, I'll go get it myself."

And with that, she headed into the store.

Only she'd been in there ten minutes and still hadn't come out.

That was when the comments floated up again.

Your wife is hard on herself, huh. Chugging ice water and cold drinks in the middle of her period.

She's trying to make herself sick, get herself hospitalized, so you'll have to take care of her.

She's going to stall for time any way she can.

I clenched my fist and steadied myself.

The woman who normally took such care of her health, who was into all that wellness stuff, was actually pulling something like this.

I took out my phone and made a call.

"Peter Henson, where are you?"

"Good. Get over here right now. You're going to the bid in my place."

I checked the time. Half an hour had passed, and she still wasn't out.

So she really was stalling.

I got out and went into the store. Regina was sitting in a chair by the window, sending messages.

The moment she saw me, she apologized right away.

"Asher, sorry. I was dealing with some company business and lost track of time."

I waved it off. "Regina, did you get what you needed? If so, let's go."

She nodded. "Mm, all set."

Not long after we were back on the road, she was clutching her stomach hard.

A fine sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead.

"Asher, my stomach hurts so bad."

"Take me to the hospital."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She looked genuinely miserable.

"Okay, I'll take you to the hospital."

4: 4

At the hospital, my wife gripped my arm tight.

"Asher, I hate hospitals more than anything. You can't leave. You have to stay with me."

She was dead set on keeping me from the bid.

When the doctor examined her, she even started vomiting.

In the end they had to put her on an IV.

The doctor shook his head and scolded her.

"You know you're on your period. Why would you eat so much cold stuff?"

"You really don't take care of yourself."

"And you, her husband, honestly. You should keep an eye on your wife."

After the lecture, I took her over to get the IV started.

Even then, I never let go of my briefcase.

"Regina, I called Mom. I asked her to come sit with you."

"Once she's here, I'll go."

At that, my wife glanced up at the big screen in the hospital lobby. She was checking the time.

There was still an hour before the bid started.

The drive from the hospital to the venue was only twenty minutes.

"Asher, I don't want anyone else. I only want you."

Her voice was weak, but there was still that faint pleading in it.

Her phone buzzed in my hand.

I glanced at it. A message from Sebastian.

Regina, I'm already here. Once I win the bid, let's celebrate together.

My hand paused. I pretended I hadn't seen a thing and handed the phone back to her.

"Your phone buzzed, I think."

She took it, then shot me a guilty look.

Just then my mother came hurrying over.

"Regina, are you all right?"

"Asher, don't you have the bid today? Go, quickly."

I nodded and got ready to leave.

But my wife suddenly stood up and grabbed my arm.

"Asher, don't go. Stay here."

"Is some bid really more important than me?"

"There'll be other projects for you down the line."

"If you insist on going today, then I'll know you don't care about me at all."

"And there's no point in this marriage going on."

Her expression was oddly firm, her eyes shining with tears.

I let out a sigh and gave a helpless shrug.

"All right, Regina. I'll stay with you."

For the rest of the time she never let go of my hand, terrified I'd leave.

The moment the bid's end time came and went, she breathed out and her whole body eased.

I got a message from Peter.

Mr. Gilbert, we won the bid.

My wife's phone started buzzing like mad too. It was Sebastian calling.

She pulled a smile onto her lips and answered.