Chapter 6 - Doubt

I thought we'd never see Viet again after graduation. Yet now, he was about to become our neighbor. Hoa's words at dinner brought back the vivid "imagination" of that used condom in the tent's corner. Coupled with running into Hieu today, a surge of jealousy and suspicion erupted in me. Swallowing the chaos in my heart, I **** myself to laugh and chat with the family through dinner.

That night, after putting our son to sleep and climbing into bed, I felt Hoa's cool hand slip around my waist. It's awkward to admit, but despite being a young couple, our sex life was pretty dull. Since Hoa gave birth to Bi, we'd barely been intimate. Sometimes she'd initiate, but I often reject her with a lame excuse because of my insecurities about my modest endowment and frequent "performance issues".

Feeling her hand slide down to my limp groin, I gently stopped her and turned to say, "I'm a bit tired today, honey. Let's try another night, okay?"

Hoa softly murmured, "Okay," but I could see the clear disappointment in her eyes. As she turned her back to me, I sighed inwardly and drifted into sleep.

Past midnight, I jolted awake needing to pee. Sitting up, I noticed Hoa wasn't beside me. Our son was sleeping soundly in his crib, but a question flashed in my mind: Where's my wife? I quickly calmed myself. She was probably using the bathroom.

My parents' and my sister's rooms were downstairs. Up here, we had our bedroom and a guest room for relatives visiting from the countryside. Each floor had a bathroom, but I was too lazy to go downstairs. So, I lay back down, waiting for Hoa to return.

Minutes passed, and she still wasn't back. Worry crept in. I got up to check. The upstairs bathroom door, broken for days and still unrepaired, wouldn't close properly, letting a sliver of light spill through the gap. Something felt off. I tiptoed down the hall and peered inside, swallowing hard.

The sight was straight out of the JAV films I collected in college. Hoa, my gentle, demure wife, was stark naked under the dim yellow light. Eyes closed, lips pressed tight to stifle soft moans, her sensual curves trembled as a long cucumber slid between her spread legs on the toilet. Her slender hand fondled her milk-swollen breasts. A strange thrill surged in me, my groin pitching a small tent.

But as I touched myself, I glanced at the cucumber rhythmically moving in and out of her. My mind flashed to a comparison: a childish boy versus a grown, virile man. The thrill mixed with helplessness and self-blame. I quietly went downstairs to use the bathroom, then returned to bed.

It was my own inadequacy that drove Hoa to sneak off and masturbate in the middle of the night. But behind those closed eyes, who was she thinking of? The thought stirred my emotions again. Fear gripped me. I could lose Hoa, lose the happy family I'd worked so hard to build. Lost in these thoughts, I slipped into a restless sleep.

The next morning, sunlight flooded the bedroom. It was the weekend, so I didn't have to get up early for work. Checking the clock, I figured Hoa was at the market. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and went downstairs. Dad was reading the newspaper, our son was out with my Mom, and my sister (Tam) went out. After a quick breakfast, I went back upstairs to browse online. The memory of last night's scene hit me again.

On impulse, I searched "how to check if your wife is faithful." Scrolling through results, a forum called "Test Your Wife" caught my eye. Curious, I clicked and was stunned by the introduction:

"Tormented by doubts about your girlfriend/wife's fidelity? Welcome to the 'Test Your Wife' community, where you can ask members to 'test' your partner's loyalty. Simply post her info and location, wait for members to reach out, then choose someone to test her. Here's to a lasting love!"

My heart raced. This was exactly what I needed. Browsing, I saw many others in similar situations, some successfully resolving their doubts by having their wives tested. Why not have someone message Hoa to see if she's truly faithful? I trusted she loved our family, but maybe I'd uncover her hidden thoughts. It was just a test. No harm done.

I created a post introducing Hoa, including our location. Following other posts' examples, I attached a rare bikini photo of her (face blurred, of course). Hesitating for a second, I hit post. Reading my post about my perfect wife, I smirked with pride. Deep down, I wanted other men to see how amazing she was.

The weekend passed quietly, like any other. That evening, while Hoa was playing with our son, I checked the forum for responses. As expected, her bikini photo drew tons of comments. I even got private messages. But most were crude, like:

• "Damn, your wife's hot. She looks like a JAV idol!"
• "Keeping that body to yourself? What a waste! Let me join in."
• "That juicy ass would feel amazing doggy-style."

No serious replies! The private messages were just as bad. Disappointed, I was about to close the forum when a message from "RealMen69" piqued my interest:

• "Hey, man. Gotta say, your wife's a stunner. As a guy, I'm honestly jealous..."

I smiled, reading on: "I get your worries. With a wife that amazing, I'd probably lock her up to keep other guys away. But trust me, the more controlling or jealous you are, the easier it is to lose her."

His message felt sincere and experienced. I replied instantly:

• "Hey, you're right. I'm worried about whether she's faithful. Any way you can help me test her?"

RealMen69 responded quickly:

• "Happy to help, bro. We're all guys here; I feel you. Has she done anything to make you suspect she's not loyal?"
• "No, she's great. Devoting to our family and kid. The issue's with me..."

I hesitated, embarrassed, and stopped typing. RealMen69, tactful, didn't press on my awkward issue. We chatted about random topics, and I grew to like this anonymous guy.

Feeling understood, I opened up about my bedroom struggles and Hoa's masturbation last night. I was shocked at myself for sharing such a sensitive matter with a stranger, but it felt relieving.

• "Oh, I see!" RealMen69 replied. "You're right to worry. From what you've said, your wife's got high sexual desires, man. She plays the dutiful wife and daughter-in-law, but when her desires flare up, it's like a volcano erupting."

I protested: "No way! I trust she's not like that."

• "Hard to say without testing her."

Skeptical, I asked, "Test how? She won't just talk to a stranger."

• "Don't worry, I've got you. I've helped couples like this before. No need to meet in person. Just give me her number, and I'll text her, see what I can dig up, and report back."

That reassured me. It was just texting. She probably wouldn't even reply to a stranger. Convinced by his words, I reluctantly typed Hoa's number and sent it.

• "Got it!!! Wait for my update."

I suppressed my unease and replied, "Thanks, but don't send anything too spicy, okay? Don't let her know about us."

• "Trust me. Oh, what's her name? Gotta save the number."
• "Hoa..."

Shit! Why did I give her real name? But it was too late. The message was sent.

• "Perfect. One thing: while we're testing her, keep finding excuses to avoid sex. Don't satisfy her with hands or mouth either."
• "Why?"
• "Think about it. If she's satisfied by you, she'll bury her true thoughts and desires deeper. To know what she's really thinking, you gotta follow my lead and avoid intimacy starting today."
• "Got it."
• "Great! I'll update you. G9."

Before I could reply, he went offline. Hearing the bedroom door open, I quickly shut my laptop. It was my wife, Hoa. After some awkward small talk, we went to bed.

Maybe because she'd pleasured herself last night, Hoa didn't initiate anything. Staring at her curves barely hidden by thin fabric, I recalled the forum's lewd comments. My groin stirred, urging me to ravish her. But remembering RealMen69's advice, I reined in my urges and tried to sleep.

Days passed calmly. I watched Hoa closely and checked the forum for RealMen69's progress. Hoa was busy with housework and family, showing no odd behavior. RealMen69 said he was trying to reach her, but she hadn't replied, expectedly. Though slightly disappointed for reasons I couldn't explain, I felt proud of my faithful wife. Maybe I didn't need to test her further.

Through our chats, I grew closer to RealMen69, sharing more about my wife. Her favourite flowers, colors, hobbies, and where she goes in her free time. I gave him this info casually, thinking it harmless. Two weeks passed. That afternoon, as I logged into the forum to tell RealMen69 to stop the test, a message popped up:

• "Yo, progress! I got through to your wife, lol."

Shocked, I typed, "What? Hoa replied to you?"

• "Yup! She answered this morning and even initiated a chat at noon."

I remembered last night. Hoa wanted sex, but I refused, the fifth time in two weeks. Though she said nothing, her eyes showed disappointment and hurt. Maybe my constant rejections pushed her to talk to a stranger like RealMen69. Swallowing the bitter jealousy, I asked, "Did you get anything out of her?"

• "Gotta go slow, man. She's not ready to open up yet, but she will soon. Don't worry."

Before I could ask more, he went offline. I could only wait, uneasy.

The next day, as I stepped out to take out the trash, I saw a familiar figure leaving Uncle Tư's house next door, also holding a trash bag. It was Viet, my college classmate. Hoa had mentioned he was looking at that house. Apparently, he'd moved in.

Seeing me, Viet flashed his familiar smirk. He wasn't as boyishly handsome as in college, but his rugged features and tall, sturdy frame gave him a masculine edge.

He walked over, saying, "Thien, right? Long time no see, and now we're neighbors!"

Viet switched his trash bag to his left hand, offering a firm handshake with his right. I had **** but to take it, wincing at his grip. He continued cheerfully, "Heard you and Hoa got married? You sly dog, snagging the class beauty and not even inviting your buddies to celebrate!"

I laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, a lot of friends couldn't make it."

• "No way! We gotta have a meal to make up for it. I just moved in, so tomorrow, you and Hoa come over for dinner, yeah?"

Before I could find an excuse, he noticed my trash bag and grinned. "Oh, you're tossing trash too? Mind taking mine while you're at it? See you tomorrow!"

He handed me his heavy bag, patted my shoulder with a "thanks," and walked back inside. I gave a wry smile, holding two bulging bags, and headed to the alley. Glancing at Viet's bag, I spotted several condom wrappers peeking through the plastic. Still a playboy, I thought. Inviting Hoa to his place for dinner didn't seem like a good idea.