Chapter 2 Payroll Card Spending Records

Natalie's POV

"Honey, you must've misread things, right? I've been at the dinner the whole time. Want me to call the business partner over to explain?"

He seemed flustered as he tried to explain himself.

I looked at him, puzzled. "Why are you reacting so strongly?"

"Being misunderstood by my honey-That's as bad as the sky falling for me. If I'd known Aiden was going to get a fever, no amount of money could've made me take this business trip."

Logan watched my expression carefully. "How about this, honey — I'll head back first thing tomorrow morning. Forget the stupid contract, I'm not signing it. Nothing matters more than you and Aiden."

Watching him swear up and down like that, my doubts slowly started to fade.

Logan had truly and genuinely spoiled me for five years. He'd even treated me better after we got married than before. How could I suspect such a loving husband of cheating just because I saw someone with a similar silhouette?

Maybe I was wrong. Or maybe that person just happened to look a bit like him.

I talked myself out of it and said firmly, "It's fine, focus on your work. I'll call you if things get too overwhelming here. But next time, no matter how busy you are, you have to pick up when I call."

Logan immediately snapped to attention with an exaggerated salute. "Yes,  ma'am!"

His silliness made me laugh. We chatted for a bit longer, then I hung up.

Aiden had fallen asleep. I curled up carefully on the single bed beside him, but sleep wouldn't come.

The next morning, before I was even fully awake, I felt something tickling my face. I mumbled with my eyes still shut.

"Aiden, stop it. Let Mom sleep a little longer."

I groggily reached out to stop him, thinking he'd gotten over his fever and was playing with me. But instead, someone grabbed my hand. I snapped awake instantly and opened my eyes wide — right into Logan's face, barely holding back a grin.

"Honey, the sun's been up forever. Why are you still sleeping?"

I rubbed my eyes and stared at him in disbelief. "What are you doing here? Didn't you say yesterday the contract would take at least two more days?"

"I was worried about Aiden, and I didn't want you handling everything alone. I left things with my assistant."

Logan explained as he pulled out a thermometer and started taking Aiden's temperature.

Aiden woke up from the noise, and the moment he saw Logan, he reached out with both arms.

"Daddy, you're back!"

Logan scooped him up enthusiastically and planted a big kiss on his cheek. "Did you miss Daddy? What happened — why'd you suddenly get a fever? Did you sneak outside without your jacket again?"

Aiden pouted and defended himself. "I didn't! A kid at kindergarten got sick and gave it to me."

After explaining himself, Aiden shot me a pitiful little look.

Logan nodded. "As long as you listened to Mommy, that's what matters. Remember — no matter what, we're both Mommy's soldiers. We follow her orders."

Watching them together, I couldn't help but smile.

And just like that, I pushed yesterday's worries completely out of my mind.

They were the most important people in my life. The reason I kept going.

Just seeing them gave me all the strength I needed.

"Alright, you two, stop being so clingy. The doctor's coming to check on Aiden again soon."

I said with a smile, and right on cue, the doctor pushed the door open.

He took Aiden's temperature again and, after the exam, said, "Infectious illnesses are spreading a lot right now. I'd recommend staying in the hospital for two days."

I nodded without hesitation and turned to Logan. "Stay with Aiden for a bit. I'll go downstairs to handle the admission paperwork and pick up some medicine."

Logan nodded. "Sure, go ahead, honey."

I took the elevator down, handled the admission paperwork on the first floor, then headed to the fourth-floor pharmacy for some preventive medication.

After they calculated the total, I pulled out Logan's bank card from my bag.

Aiden's medical bills this past year had all come out of my HSA, which was long empty.

I had no choice but to use Logan's paycheck card.

But when I handed it over, the staff member glanced at it and said, "There's no money on this card."

I stared at her. "That can't be right. We've never touched that account."

"Why would I lie to you?"

She turned the card reader screen toward me. It read: Insufficient Funds.

"There's nothing I can do. Do you have another card?"

I stood there, my head buzzing.

This was Logan's paycheck card. Money came in every month like clockwork. There was no way it was empty.

I took out my phone and opened the banking app to check the balance. The number on the screen knocked the air out of me.

Balance: $312.60.

I clicked on the transaction history. At 9:03 PM last night, there was a charge: $3,560.

9 PM last night — that was exactly when Aiden and I had arrived at the hospital.

Logan was out of town. So why were there so many charges on his card?

Almost instinctively, my mind went back to that familiar silhouette in the hospital room. The doubts I'd pushed down just last night came crawling back, wrapping tight around my heart.

If Logan was hiding something from me, it could only mean one thing — he was cheating.

I paid in a daze and went straight back to confront him.

My whole body was wound tight. My mind was a mess. There was something building in my chest, ready to explode at any second.

But I still didn't want Aiden to see us fight. So I stood at the door and called Logan out.

Logan took one look at my face and rushed over. "Honey, are you sick? You look terrible."

I shook his hand off without hesitation and stared him down.

"Where were you last night? Really."

Logan looked almost startled. "Honey, don't you remember? I was on a business trip. I even video-called you to check in."

"Stop lying to me!"

I snapped, my voice breaking.

I stared at the face I knew so well and felt something strange — like I was meeting him for the first time. His features hadn't changed, but somehow everything felt different.

"If you weren't here last night, then what are all these charges on your card?"