NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: Chapter 05 - Someone's Wife
Lucas sat on the sofa with a mix of emotions swirling inside him. That night, the system's surprise had brought him a brief moment of joy when he won $5,000 from the Wealth Spin. But that excitement didn't last long because his neighbors—an already-strained married couple who had just moved in a month ago—started making a racket on the wall next door.
When the arguing started, Lucas shot a glare at the shaking wall. He was already tired of dealing with real-life drama, and now, even with his rainbow-colored hair making him the center of attention, he had no desire to get involved in this mess. But the yelling between the couple was clear as day.
"Why is it that every time I try to have a decent day, there's always something to ruin it?" he muttered, trying to block out the increasingly loud noise.
Lucas decided to go back to his computer and play some music to drown out the bickering. But just as he was about to put on his headphones, the husband's shout made him jump.
"YOU USELESS WOMAN, YOU CAN'T GIVE ME A CHILD AND YOU'RE MAKING MY LIFE A LIVING HELL."
Lucas bit his lip at the shout, eyes occasionally darting toward the wall. Tom's voice, full of anger, and the harsh words made Lucas's jaw drop. He had no idea what was causing the fight, but the sheer aggression was enough to make him more annoyed.
"Geez, this domestic drama is straight out of a female lead novel. Too bad this is real life, and there's no handsome CEO to swoop in and save the day," Lucas joked.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to calm down as the tension built up. The yelling seemed to echo throughout his tiny apartment, making the walls feel like they were shaking with Tom's rage. He sighed, attempting to distract himself with the music playing on his computer, but every word Tom yelled came through loud and clear, as if they were whispering in his ear.
After a while, Lucas turned the volume down a bit. "Are they done yet?" he muttered, feeling trapped in a drama he never signed up for.
Suddenly, a softer voice, one that was choked with sobs, made him pause. The voice was familiar, and Lucas felt like he knew exactly who it was—the young woman next door, Clara. Clara and Tom had only moved in a month ago, but they were already a hot topic among the building's residents. Clara, who was beautiful, kind, and always cheerful, now sounded fragile and broken.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I just... don't know what to do anymore," Clara said, her voice so weak.
"Dammit, I might as well just grind for gold in-game and sell it later," Lucas muttered. He opened up his game and continued playing his character, flying to an area of the map full of monsters that dropped silver, gold, and a few cheap items.