The VIP Ticket to Betrayal Chapter 1

A big concert was being held at the local arena.

I asked my husband to save two VIP tickets for me.

He readily agreed, but later handed me two nosebleed seats.

I asked him, "No VIP tickets this time?"

Without even looking up, he replied, "I gave them to a friend. She's pregnant and needs special care."

Curious, I asked, "Which friend of yours is pregnant? Why haven't I heard of her?"

My husband immediately got defensive: "Chloe, are you seriously jealous of a pregnant woman?"

* * *

If my coworker hadn't asked me about the tickets, I wouldn't have even known a concert was coming to our town.

My husband, Arthur, owns a liquor store. Whenever the liquor brand he sells sponsors a concert, the company always gives its distributors some tickets for networking and building relationships.

A big event like this is rare in our small, overlooked town, so everyone was excited.

Thinking of our nanny, who not only helps me take care of our newborn but also cooks for my older daughter in elementary school and my mom with a broken collarbone, I felt she deserved a treat.

I figured, if others are getting tickets, my nanny must have them too!

And they have to be the good ones!

In previous years, when coworkers asked me for tickets, I’d just tally up the number and send it to Arthur.

This year, I specifically emphasized that he must save two VIP tickets for me, even if we had to pay for them.

So when Arthur said he gave the tickets to someone else, I immediately knew something was off.

I wouldn't say I was angry, but I definitely felt uncomfortable.

Concerts are loud, crowded, and chaotic. Would a pregnant woman really be comfortable there?

If she's really worried about her health, she just shouldn't go. Why does she need VIP seats?

Besides, I often told Arthur how hard the nanny works. Leaving our second child in her care means we should show her some appreciation.

I racked my brain. Arthur usually just shuffles between his mom's house and his store.

Plus, at our age, very few people are having a second child, let alone a third. I hadn't heard of any of his friends planning for one.

I thought he was joking and asked teasingly:

"All your friends just want to drink and party. Which one of them is pregnant? How come I didn't know?"

Arthur, who was looking down at his phone, suddenly snapped his head up, glaring at me:

"Chloe, what's your problem? Are you seriously jealous of a pregnant woman?"

I was just asking a question; his extreme reaction was suspicious.

Anyone with eyes could see this wasn't normal...

"I'm just curious. Whose pregnant wife needs your special care? Where's her husband? Also, the nanny takes such good care of our baby, shouldn't we save two tickets for her?"

"Furthermore, I told you about this in advance, and you agreed. Now you've gone back on your word. Did you even ask me before giving them to someone else?"

Arthur's eyes darted away slightly, but he still spoke with self-righteousness:

"It's just a multi-artist concert with a bunch of D-list singers. What does it matter where you sit? With Mrs. Lee's age, can she even understand what she's watching?"

I didn't back down: "Yeah, it's just a multi-artist concert, what does it matter where you sit? So why can the pregnant woman go, but the nanny can't? Arthur, I never realized you were so good at playing favorites!"

Arthur was so choked up by my words he looked ready to burst: "Chloe, you! You're being completely unreasonable!"