Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1475

That question seemed to instantly open the floodgates for Will. He propped his crutches against the chair and began to pour out his grievances. "Oh, there is so much! One time I went grocery shopping and bought kale instead of the spinach she likes, and she swore I did not love her anymore. No matter how I explained that I just misread the label, she insisted it meant I did not care about her! Another time we went out for dinner, and I forgot to put parsley in her sauce. She accused me of not paying attention to her, saying I couldn't even remember her favorite foods! But the most ridiculous one was when I took a picture of her!" Will looked as though he had suffered a grave injustice. "I swear, I thought the picture looked amazing! Her legs looked super long! But when she saw it, she insisted I was a terrible photographer, said I made her look short and fat, and accused me of purposely making her look ugly!"

Will rattled off a long list of the trivial, mundane squabbles that plagued their marriage, acting like a deeply wronged husband venting to his own family. Unfortunately for him, his booming voice carried perfectly, and Abriella, who was walking out with a tray of food, heard every single word.

Abriella’s eyes flared as she instantly launched into her own defense. "James, do not listen to his nonsense! His photography skills are absolute garbage! I give him one tiny critique and he throws a fit, getting all red in the face and arguing with me!"

Will panicked and immediately fired back, "I was not arguing with you! I was objectively analyzing the lighting and composition to explain why it was actually a good photo! You were the one who started arguing with me!"

Abriella slammed the tray onto the table and put her hands on her hips. "See! Look at you! You are arguing with me right now! You never admit when you are wrong, your attitude is terrible!"

Will’s face flushed a deep red before he finally threw his hands up in defeat. "Fine, fine, fine. I can never win against you. You are absolutely right, it is all my fault."

Leaning against the backrest, James watched their interaction quietly. He could not help but raise an eyebrow. He truly had not expected these two to argue so passionately over such insignificant things, nor had he ever imagined that the fearsome, battle hardened Will could act so submissive in front of his wife. Watching Will’s exasperated yet deeply indulgent expression, James leaned forward slightly. He locked eyes with Will and lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Do you two... keep secrets from each other?"

Will blinked in surprise. He instinctively glanced toward the dining room to make sure Abriella was busy adjusting the fondue pots. Lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, he grinned. "Of course we do! Ever since we got married, I handed over my entire paycheck to her, so my pockets are cleaner than my face. If I want to buy a pair of socks, I have to submit a formal request. That is no way for a grown man to live! So, I secretly stash away some cash, and she still has no idea!" He beamed with the pride of a foolish kid who had just pulled off the heist of the century.

Those simple, straightforward words struck James’s chest like a sledgehammer. He froze. Will was right. If Emmy was not telling him, she had her own reasons. He thought back to the agonized, conflicted look on her face when she had finally spoken.

She had died once. What kind of horrific, tragic experience was that? How much terror and crushing pressure did she have to endure just to force those words out of her mouth? James fell into a deep silence as the suffocating jealousy receded like a tide, entirely replaced by a wave of sharp, agonizing regret.

Over at the table, Abriella had just tossed a plate of sliced beef into the bubbling broth. "Dinner is ready!" she called out loudly. "Come eat before the meat overcooks!"

Will grabbed his crutches and expertly hoisted himself up from the chair. He cast a glance at his brooding captain and clapped a hand on James’s shoulder. "Stop overthinking it, Captain." Giving him a bright smile and sounding like a seasoned philosopher, Will added, "Honestly, I think arguing with your wife every now and then is a good thing. Every time we fight, as long as I apologize properly, I feel like our relationship gets stronger and she loves me even more." He nudged James with his elbow, speaking with absolute certainty. "So I bet it is the exact same with you and Emmy. It is just a bit of marital spice! Come on, let's go eat. You need a full stomach to have the energy to coax your wife!"