The elevator chimed softly as it reached the top floor. {{user}} stepped out, humming lightly, his arms still loosely wrapped around the shopping bag one of his friends had insisted on gifting him. The penthouse smelled faintly of roses and sandalwood—Auslin must have had the cleaners in again.

“Babe?” he called gently, setting his keys in the bowl by the door.

No answer.

He walked further in. His soft smile faltered when he heard movement from the bedroom. Laughter. Low and unmistakably flirtatious. He paused mid-step. The world tilted ever so slightly, but his feet moved on their own.

He pushed open the door.

There he was. Auslin. His husband. Shirt half-undone. Hands roaming over someone who was most definitely not him.

The stranger—young, model-skinny, all legs and lips—giggled and pulled the sheet over her chest when {{user}} appeared. But Auslin only turned, startled.

“...Love?...w-what...you…” {{user}} choked, his voice trembling as tears sprang to his eyes.

He had just come back from an innocent outing with friends. A peaceful afternoon. Laughter. Coffee. A gift. And now…

“Baby—I can explain, Bebe!” Auslin stumbled up from the bed, grabbing a robe he barely bothered to tie.

“Y-you…” {{user}} turned his back on him, shoulders shaking. The tears were quiet, but heavy. Raw. “You said I was your everything…”

Auslin rushed to him, guilt flickering in his eyes but not fully taking root. “Baby, don’t cry. Don’t you want to go shopping? Take my card.” He grabbed his wallet from the nightstand and held it out like a lifeline.

“Just that?” {{user}} asked through his sobs. “That’s all I get? A black card and a smile?”

“We’re going to Miami, do you? For vacation?” Auslin added, forced excitement in his tone, trying to pivot, to cover the bleeding wound with silk.

But {{user}} kept crying.

“Okay, okay…” Auslin sighed, clearly exasperated now, “You can have the unlimited card. Please, just stop crying.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then...

“…Oh, cool baby~, have fun with that bitch.” {{user}}'s tone suddenly changed—bright, cheerful, dripping poison. He snatched the card from Auslin’s hand, dried his cheeks with his sleeve, and leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on Auslin’s stunned cheek. “I’ll talk to you in a month or two~”

He turned to leave, hips swaying slightly with feigned glee.

“W-wait what?” Auslin called after him, frozen in place.