I shot my sister-in-law a frantic look, and she finally noticed my cousin's presence. With a flicker of awkwardness, she hurried into the room, cooing over him, as docile as a little kitten.
A few moments later, my cousin locked the bedroom door. Even an idiot would know what was about to happen. For some reason, a sour feeling twisted in my gut. I even had the urge to go knock on the door.
A while ago, when she was relentlessly squeezing me dry, I had desperately hoped for my cousin's return to save me from the fiery pit. But then, she came up with her incentive plan, and I was overjoyed. I had been pushing myself to the limit, all to reach that goal so I could touch her without any barriers.
Now that she had a real man to satisfy her, she had thrown me to the back of her mind. That tiny sliver of hope I had was shattered by my cousin's return.
Then again, it was my own narrow-mindedness. It was only natural for a husband and wife to be intimate. Was I really going to stop them?
I'd already had skin-to-skin contact with her; that was good enough. How could I be so greedy? Some things were destined to be buried deep in the heart, an indelible brand.
Without realizing it, hot oil splattered onto the back of my hand, raising a blister. I didn't even feel the pain. After cooking a few dishes, I called for them to come eat.
"Ethan, you go ahead and eat. Don't worry about us," my cousin's muffled voice came from the room.
Even though I had put my heart into cooking, the food tasted like wax. I held a bowl of white rice, staring foolishly at her bedroom door. Usually, at this time, she would be the one getting me off. I wondered if she felt even a little bit strange.
After a long while, the door suddenly opened. My cousin came out first. I quickly looked down at my food, afraid he'd notice something.
"Ethan, your sister-in-law's best friend's birthday is today. We're going out to eat. Want to come?" my cousin asked, opening the shoe cabinet and picking out a pair of leather shoes. He noticed I was acting strangely.
"I don't think so. I have to study tonight." I actually wanted to go, just to see the world, but I'd be a third wheel. And for some reason, seeing them so close now made me incredibly uncomfortable.
"Alright then. We'll probably be back late. You go to bed early," he said, putting on his shoes and heading downstairs.
It took my sister-in-law a few more minutes to come out. She was wearing light makeup and a tank top that revealed a good portion of her chest, paired with her long, fair legs. She had a captivating allure. Any normal man would have the urge to rip her clothes off.
"Ethan, want me to bring you back some barbecue later?" she asked. I couldn't feel any of the previous tenderness in her voice.
"No thanks. You guys have fun," I said, shaking my head, not wanting to look at her.
She didn't seem to care. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned around. "Oh, right. Throw away the stuff at the bottom of the freezer later. And don't you dare mention our business to your cousin, or don't blame me for turning on you."
I numbly nodded. She closed the door, leaving me completely stunned.
Throw it away? Was she kidding me? They say a little wank is fine, but a lot is harmful, and forcing it will destroy you. But I had been gritting my teeth and pushing through, all to make her happy. I was willing to be drained dry for her.
But her words were a clear signal to give up on that idea. I lost my appetite. I opened the freezer and took out the pile of condoms. A bold thought entered my mind: I should put these under my cousin's pillow and let him know how much I had suffered.
Then, I slapped myself hard twice. "Ethan, what the fuck are you thinking?" I muttered. "That's your cousin. Don't destroy someone's family!"
Well, maybe throwing it away was for the best. It would save me from the constant anxiety. I just couldn't understand why she needed so much of my cum. Even if she was using it as a face mask, she wouldn't use it up that fast. And now she was just throwing it away. What a waste. It wasn't easy for me to produce all that.
After throwing out my essence, I trudged back to my room but couldn't fall asleep. It wasn't until after one in the morning that they came home. Both of them were drunk. My cousin had his arm around her, whispering sweet nothings that made me blush just listening.
Then, she started helping him get ready for bed. I had to admit, she was a good wife. Even though my cousin reeked of alcohol and was a complete mess, she didn't show a hint of disgust. She poured him tea to help him sober up and brought over a plastic basin in case he threw up.
My door was open, so I could see everything. Drunk people are prone to causing trouble. She was exhausted but couldn't sleep.
I couldn't stand to watch anymore. I pretended to get up to use the bathroom and walked over, patting her on the shoulder. "Sister-in-law, I'll take care of him. You go get some rest."
"Ah," she said, slightly startled. Before she could respond, my cousin pulled her into his arms and started getting handsy. "Ethan, you... you go to bed. It's a woman's job to serve us men."
Her face turned red. "Don't mess around," she chided. "Ethan's watching."
"I'm touching my own wife. What's wrong with that? I'd touch her even if the king of heaven himself was here," he slurred with a shameless grin.
She looked helpless. "It's fine," she whispered to me. "I'm used to it. You have class tomorrow, go to sleep."
This foolish woman. Her face was etched with exhaustion, yet she was still so diligent. I think I finally understood. I understood why she had been so harsh and demanding when I first arrived. Everyone has a breaking point. She took all of my cousin's shit, and she needed somewhere to vent. I was his relative, so it wasn't surprising I became her punching bag.
Now that I had spent more time with her, I realized she was actually a kind person. It was my cousin who was steeped in patriarchal bullshit, only caring about his own pleasure and never considering his wife's feelings.
I sighed to myself. As an outsider, I had no right to interfere in their business. But I caught a glimpse of determination on her face. I had a feeling something was about to happen.
Their lovey-dovey phase lasted only one day. The next evening, when I came home from my late class and was about to open the door, I heard them arguing inside.
"Why do you need more money? Didn't I just give you twenty thousand last month?" That was her voice.
"Just transfer it! I told you, the construction site is just starting up. I need to grease some palms. Once the building is up, we're looking at a profit of at least a million. I'll pay you back with interest, what more do you want?" he said impatiently, his voice filled with frustration.
"Hah! You think those drinking buddies of yours are going to make you rich? Let me ask you, are you seeing another woman?" she demanded. Standing outside the door, even I was shocked. With her personality, she wouldn't make something like that up.
"Don't change the subject with your nonsense!" he retorted instantly.
"I knew you'd deny it. See for yourself!" Just as she finished, he exploded with rage.
"Chloe, you fucking bitch! You used my fingerprint to unlock my phone while I was sleeping! Fuck you!"
CRACK. The sound pierced my heart.
I knew the situation was out of control. I rushed in. "Don't!"
But I was too late. My cousin slapped her across the face. Her phone was smashed on the floor. Ignoring my attempts to intervene, he grabbed her by the collar and ripped off her necklace and gold bracelet.
"Cousin, where are you going?" I instinctively blocked his path. Seeing her so disheveled and broken, I was overcome with a wave of misery. I even had the urge to hit him.
"Get out of the way. This is adults' business, none of your concern. Just focus on your studies," he snarled, his face dark. It was the first time I had ever seen him so angry.
Seeing me stand there silently, he pushed past me and stormed out.
Out of respect for him, I didn't try to stop him. I rushed to help my sister-in-law up. Tears of humiliation streamed down her face. It was a heartbreaking sight.
"Sister-in-law, please don't cry. He was in the wrong," I said, not knowing how to comfort people. Seeing her sobbing made me panic.
"Is he even human? Using my savings to keep another woman," she wept, her body trembling. I brought her a tissue, gently putting my arm around her to wipe her tears. I couldn't help but caress her cheek.
What the hell was my cousin thinking? He had such a beautiful, sexy wife at home, but he had to go chasing after other women. Was it true what they say? You never cherish what you get too easily.
As she poured out her sorrows, she wondered what kind of woman would fall for a guy like my cousin, who was "short and quick."
It turned out that ever since they got married, she discovered he suffered from impotence and premature ejaculation and could rarely satisfy her sexually. She never complained. When she was desperate, she would take care of it herself, never doing anything out of line.
Of course, she was a little sheepish when she said that. I just gave an awkward smile. For some reason, a tiny spark of joy ignited within me. Did their relationship falling apart mean I had a chance?