Stars Shine, No ReturnChapter 1

On our wedding anniversary, my husband’s so-called “female buddy” showed up.

In front of everyone, she shamelessly yanked down her neckline:

“My chest was busted by your husband’s hands—what are you going to do about it?”

Ethan Walker froze for two seconds, then burst into laughter.

“Chloe Miller, guess that silicone implant of yours wasn’t high quality. I was just joking around, didn’t even use any force!”

They acted as if it were some trivial joke, and no one seemed to think anything was wrong.

Chloe leaned closer, refusing to let it drop.

“It used to be real before—you could squeeze and I’d let it go. But this is a brand-new implant I spent twenty grand on, and you just popped it. You owe me compensation!”

Ethan batted her hand away. “Stop trying to extort me. It wasn’t on purpose. Maybe it’s just poor quality to begin with—nothing compared to my wife.”

He said this while wrapping his arm tenderly around my waist.

Immediately, all eyes turned toward me, filled with mixed emotions.

“Well, of course. Lily Evans is a real woman—curves in all the right places. What man wouldn’t be tempted?”

Ethan shot the guy a glare and kicked at him.

“Don’t even think about making a move on my wife.”

In public, Ethan always carried the image of a devoted husband.

If anyone dared to speak badly of me, he wouldn’t allow it.

If another man looked my way more than twice, Ethan would fume for days.

And yet, this very man insisted on keeping a small clique, which included his loud, brash “female buddy.”

Chloe glanced at me and forced a smile.

“Of course your wife has a great body—otherwise how would she have married you?”

“But unlike her, I’m your brother.”

She said this while hooking an arm around Ethan’s shoulders, cleverly nudging me aside.

“Ethan, you disloyal bastard. You won’t even cover a measly twenty grand? Didn’t you spend eighty grand last time on a diamond bracelet for your wife?”

Her face showed a hint of lingering delight.

“But tell me—between me and your wife, whose is softer?”

I frowned at Ethan, expecting him to shut this down.

To my shock, he didn’t feel offended at all. Instead, he picked up the banter.

“Of course it’s my wife. That fake chest of yours feels hard as plastic.”

Chloe pretended to be furious and leapt onto him, gnawing at his neck.

“You brat, how dare you talk about your dad like that? I’ll bite you to death!”