You Took My Husband, I'll Take Yours!

“Has Prane left yet?”

Hana narrowed her eyes at Ranti, who was already standing at the front door. They lived in the same housing complex—only about a hundred meters apart.

“What are you doing here this early?” Hana asked, sidestepping Ranti’s question entirely. Her voice came out sharp.

“It’s already seven, Han. That’s not early.” Ranti chuckled.

Hana rolled her eyes in annoyance. She was already in a bad mood, and Ranti’s presence only made it worse.

“To me, it’s still early. Especially for showing up uninvited.”

“I need a ride with your husband.”

“What happened to your car?”

“Ran out of gas. I forgot to fill it yesterday. Ibra is out of town for a three-day seminar. If he were home, I’d ask him to drop me off.” Ranti explained, clearly hoping Hana would stop asking.

Hana was about to suggest she just call a taxi, but before she could, Prane stepped out.

His face showed surprise when he saw Ranti already on the porch.

“She wants to ride with you. Says her car’s out of gas. Can you believe it?” Hana’s displeasure was evident.

“It’s fine, sweetheart. It’s on the way.” Prane didn’t seem bothered at all. Hana sighed, irritated.

“Come on, let’s go. We’ll be late with the traffic.” Ranti’s excitement was impossible to miss. Prane walked over to his wife.

“I’m off now.”

He gave Hana a quick hug and kissed her forehead like he always did. Hana nodded and lifted his hand to her forehead briefly, a small gesture of respect.

After the car pulled away with her husband and her cousin inside, an uneasy feeling settled in Hana’s chest.

Prane’s behavior hadn’t changed. Nothing seemed off about how he treated Ranti. So why did something in her gut whisper that there was something between her husband and her cousin?

Maybe it’s just me, she tried to convince herself. My period’s coming. I’m being too sensitive.

Prane and Ranti worked in the same building, so refusing Ranti a ride would have seemed over the top. Ranti worked for a well-known insurance company, one of the most trusted in the country. Many large corporations entrusted their employee insurance to Ranti’s firm, including Prane’s company. And a lot of that business came from Ranti’s connections—she was, after all, the boss’s wife’s cousin.

“Ma’am, your mother-in-law is here.”

Nina, the household assistant, appeared in the doorway. Hana had been about to leave for the boutique where she worked, but that would have to wait.

Being a fashion designer gave Hana flexible hours.

“Where’s Prane?” her mother-in-law asked the moment she saw Hana.

“He already left.”

“So? Any news?”

There it is. Hana gritted her teeth internally.

“Not yet.”

“It’s been three years, Han. Prane is our only son. His father and I are really hoping for a grandchild.”

“I know.”

Hana was tired of hearing the same words, repeated more times than she could count.

“Go to the hospital together. Find out which one of you might have an issue. I’m not accusing you, but Prane’s older brother got his wife pregnant right away. And in my family, no one has trouble conceiving.”

Not accusing, right? Hana thought bitterly, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to start an argument.

“I’m not blaming you, Han. I’m just saying. Talk to each other. If the natural way doesn’t work, you can try other methods, right? Like IVF.”

Hana just smiled at her mother-in-law. She didn’t say much until the woman finally left.

By then, Hana had lost her motivation to go to the boutique. Her mother-in-law’s words kept echoing in her head. Forcing herself to sketch when her mind was so distracted would only produce bad work.

The boutique where Hana worked was located directly across from the office building that housed Prane’s company. She parked in front of the boutique and walked over to Prane’s office.

“Is Prane in?” she asked Irma, his secretary.

“Oh, Mrs. Hana. Good morning.”

Hana nodded.

“He hasn’t arrived yet.”

Hana frowned. He left two hours ago. If he’s not at the office, where did he go?

“Are you sure?” Hana asked again.

“Yes, ma’am. I just put some files on his desk. If he were here, he’d have seen them.”

Irma looked uncomfortable, and Hana felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn’t meant to make it sound like she was accusing the secretary of hiding something.

“Oh, maybe he made a stop along the way. Something must have come up.” Hana tried to smile, but she knew it came out strained. The uneasy feeling in her chest grew heavier.

“Well, I’ll be going then. Thank you, Irma.”

“Of course. Should I tell him you stopped by?”

Hana shook her head. “No need. I just dropped by.”

“All right.”

With her thoughts in turmoil, Hana left Prane’s office. Part of her wanted to go check the insurance company where Ranti worked, but she hesitated. If Ranti hadn’t arrived at her office either, what would that mean?

What’s going on between Ranti and Prane? Why are they acting so suspicious?

She massaged her temples, trying to ease the dull ache. Accusing her husband and her cousin of having an affair seemed absurd.

Ranti’s husband, Ibra, was no ordinary man. He was a doctor, better looking than Prane by most standards. The idea that Ranti would turn to Prane made no sense. And like Hana and Prane, Ibra and Ranti had no children—but Ranti had chosen to delay motherhood, while Hana was ready to be a mother now. Three years of marriage, and despite tracking her cycles, nothing had happened.

She decided to go back to the boutique, telling herself to think positively. Her husband was probably just running late.

But as she stepped out of the elevator, her eyes caught a reflection in the glass—Prane stepping into another elevator, heading up to the office floors. He wasn’t alone.

Ranti was with him.

What made Hana’s heart clench was the way they were laughing together. She watched Ranti playfully hit Prane’s arm just before the elevator doors slid shut.

Is there something going on between them?

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