The Affair with Married Ex

The industrial-style restaurant was buzzing with laughter and old stories. The dim lighting and the thumping 90s music created a thick, nostalgic atmosphere. In a corner of the room, Yuli swirled her wine glass, her eyes unconsciously following Jonas's movements as he was engaged in an animated conversation with some old friends near the bar.

"Jonas Blake. Still as perfect as ever, huh? Top of the class back then, Student Council President, now a Senior Manager at a fintech company. Some people are just destined for success," murmured Clara, their former classmate, leaning back in the chair next to Yuli.

Yuli took a deep breath. "He always knew what he wanted." Her words sounded flat, hiding the turmoil in her chest.

From across the room, Jonas caught Yuli's gaze. He responded with a slight nod and a small, quick smile before turning back to his conversation. Even though their relationship had remained civil and amicable after the breakup, there was always an invisible wall separating them, a chapter in the book of life that hadn't been fully closed.

As the night wore on, the event began to wind down. Beer and whiskey had loosened many people's inhibitions. Some were already staggering, including Jonas, who usually seemed the most composed. Yuli's own head felt foggy, but her consciousness was still relatively intact.

"You okay?" Jonas asked, suddenly standing by her table, his face flushed and his breath sharp with the scent of whiskey.

"Still able to walk straight, at least for now," Yuli replied, trying to sound light. "Where's... your wife?"

"She had another event. And... she's not the type who enjoys reunions like this," Jonas said, and Yuli could detect a flicker of weariness in his eyes before he quickly masked it.

"Do you need a ride? I'll call a taxi," Yuli offered, seeing Jonas struggling to keep his balance.

Jonas nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "Thanks, Yuli. I think I underestimated the alcohol earlier."

Inside the quiet taxi, they sat at a polite distance. The sound of the engine and the whisper of the night wind filled the awkward silence between them.

"Do you still live in that apartment near the park?" Jonas asked, breaking the quiet.

"Still there. It feels comfortable. Not as big as your house in the suburbs, but it's enough for one person," Yuli answered, watching the cityscape pass by the window.

"Yuli..." Jonas's voice sounded hoarse, deeper than usual. "I... Have you ever wondered, how things would have been if back then I hadn't..."

"The past is the past, Jonas. You've committed to someone else. A marriage, however it began, is still a vow," Yuli cut in gently but firmly. Her heart pounded, anticipating the dangerous direction of this conversation.

Jonas let out a long sigh, staring blankly ahead. "A vow. Yes. But a vow for what? We live like two strangers sharing the same address. She... she doesn't want children, Yuli. That was clear from the start. She said it would interfere with her lifestyle and career. And I... I feel like I'm just living out a life script written by someone else, with no chapter about true happiness."

Yuli fell silent, shattered by this sudden openness. She had always imagined Jonas living a perfect, settled life.

"You can't force her, Jonas. It's her body and her life choice."

"Then what about my choice?" he hissed, his voice breaking and full of despair. "Wait, driver. Please stop at that hotel over there," Jonas suddenly instructed, pointing to a simple but clean business hotel.

"Jonas, this isn't the way to your house."

"I know. I just... need some time to clear my head before going home. Keep me company for a bit? Just for a coffee. Please," Jonas pleaded. His eyes, which were once always full of confidence, now looked at her with profound vulnerability.

Yuli's heart melted. Under the pretext of making sure Jonas wasn't alone in this state, she nodded and followed him out of the taxi.

---

The hotel room was standard, functional, and quiet. Jonas sat slumped on the edge of the bed, holding his head.

"Back then, you always said you wanted a warm family. With a kitchen that always smelled of cakes and children running around," Jonas said suddenly, his voice faint.

Yuli was stunned, then sat down on the work chair near the desk. "You still remember things like that?"

"How could I ever forget? It was your simple dreams that... that made life feel real to me. Now, everything feels like a role-playing game. I play my part well, but my soul isn't in it."

"This is just the alcohol talking, Jonas. Tomorrow morning you'll wake up and realize your words tonight were excessive."

"No!" he retorted with a sudden burst of energy. "It's because I'm drunk that I have the courage to be honest. I regret letting you go, Yuli. I regret letting other people's expectations override my own heart."

"Jonas, don't..."

"Can't we steal just one night? Forget all our titles and statuses. Forget 'Senior Manager' and 'wife'. Let's pretend we're back in those days, in the school library, where the only things that mattered were the exam tomorrow and your smile."

His words hung in the air, tearing down every defense Yuli had built all night. Her long-buried feelings surged up, overwhelming her reason.

"But we're not school kids anymore, Jonas. I am Yuli, a woman who has to guard her heart. And you are Jonas, a husband."

Jonas walked closer and knelt before her. He didn't touch her, but the proximity was electrifying.

"Then, for tonight, be my Yuli from back then. The one who believed in love and the future. And let me be your Jonas from back then. The one who was sure the world was in his grasp as long as you were by his side. Let us... get lost for just one night, in the memories we left behind."

"Jonas, you're completely drunk. You can't be held accountable for what you're saying. Just sleep, I'm leaving," Yuli said, not wanting to be tempted.

"I'm serious, Yuli. Even though I've been drinking, I'm fully aware. Look, I can count my fingers..." Jonas held his ten fingers in front of his face and started counting. "One... Two..."

Yuli sighed. This man was acting crazy. "I don't have time to indulge the ramblings of a drunk," Yuli said, even though she had been drinking too, just not as heavily as Jonas.

"I'm leaving!" Yuli said, annoyed. She was exhausted and sleepy, wanting to get home and collapse immediately.

But Jonas's words held back her shattered heart, his words piercing deeply, "I still love you."

Yuli froze. Her position was turned away from Jonas. "I knew you loved me once," she said, trying to be rational. Her vision was starting to spin, and the world seemed to tilt when Jonas pulled her from behind.

Now they were face to face.

"I'm f*ck*ng love you, Yuli." In an instant, Jonas captured Yuli's lips.

Yuli's eyes widened in shock and she pushed against the man's broad chest with all her strength. But Jonas just held the nape of her neck and deepened the kiss.

Without releasing his embrace, Jonas pushed Yuli until they fell onto the bed. Yuli was trapped under Jonas's large body, creating a dilemma between love and desire.

The morning sun crept through the gap in the hotel curtains, dazzling Yuli's newly opened eyes. For a few seconds, there was a pleasant confusion before the memories of last night hit her like a freight truck.

The hiss of the AC, the pungent smell of hotel soap, and the most piercing—the warmth of Jonas's body beside her, the man's arm draped wearily over her waist.

Her chest felt tight. This was wrong. So wrong.

Sleeping in the same bed as another woman's husband, even if they hadn't crossed the line she had imagined, still made Yuli feel guilty towards his wife.

Last night, Yuli thought they were going to violate the boundary, but it turned out the man had passed out after kissing her and fallen into a deep sleep as if nothing had happened.

Yuli sighed. Relieved.

Moving slowly, as if stealing, Yuli extricated herself from the embrace of the still-soundly-sleeping Jonas. She put on her shoes, which