Chapter 3: Nursing A Broken Heart

He never forgot the words she said that day. He could never forget the day she left him to move to another country, leaving him alone, divorced, and broken-hearted.

His parents had been furious. His father, especially. Edward Laurier despised a ruined reputation, and he had already let it slip by once when Matthew insisted on marrying a nobody. He only agreed with it eventually because it meant that Matthew was finally willing to take over the company, but he knew very well that this would come back to bite him.

And bite him it did.

“Tell all the reporters that you two divorced because you’re both so busy that you don’t have enough time for each other,” Chairman Laurier said gruffly, seated behind his desk at the company. He had called Matthew here to discuss the news that broke out the moment Matthew and Allison finalized their divorce and exited the court. “Don’t you dare tell them that she’s the one who proposed a divorce first. Either tell them that you’re the one who divorced her, or tell them that it’s a mutual understanding. No matter what that woman says, I will make sure that the press will believe your words more.”

Matthew could only give a lifeless nod, not finding it in himself to care about anything anymore.

The breaking news died down eventually as more celebrity rumors and political scandals rose to the surface in the span of one month, and Matthew had reason to believe that it was all his father’s doing. Edward Laurier’s influence and connections around the country were so huge that he was probably capable of controlling the media to his liking as well, but he always made sure to keep a kind, generous persona in front of the public. Matthew, on the other hand, never really cared about his own reputation. In this lonely place filled with lies, pressure, and fake people, Allison was the only one who proved to be a genuine person, and that was what drew Matthew to her in the first place.

'When exactly did we start falling apart?' Matthew wondered in despair as he drank his sorrows away at a bar, accompanied by his friend, Bryce Hallow, who was also the Chief Operating Officer at the company and his trusted, loyal right-hand man.

Bryce was an average-looking guy with curly, caramel-colored hair and curious brown eyes. His appearance was normally plain and unremarkable, but he was skilled at his job and he had a beautiful, unforgettable smile. He was the type of friend who would comfort and accompany you whenever you needed it, but he was also the kind of person who would tell you the cold, harsh truth regardless of what your reaction might be. He had easily gotten Chairman Laurier’s approval due to his skills, diligence, and honesty, and he was often stuck to Matthew’s side like glue, happy and contented with the responsibilities of his job.

Matthew, on the other hand, was a stark contrast to Bryce’s plain appearance. Matthew often drew eyes to him wherever he went because of his looks. With inky black hair, the strands plastered against his forehead, and deep-set eyes that resembled the color of a dark, stormy sea, he gave off a mysterious, provocative image that was irresistible to women. Coupled with his height, tanned skin, and elegant, tailored suits, he could easily sweep a woman off her feet if he wanted to.

However, Matthew wasn’t, and had never been, interested in anybody except for Allison.

“She told me that she didn’t love me anymore,” Matthew muttered as he finished his sixth glass of wine, his vision starting to blur slightly. “What should I do, Bry? I’m still in love with her.”

“This is probably for the best, Matt,” Bryce said bluntly. He refused to drink together with Matthew because the latter needed a sober driver after getting wasted like he wanted. “You two have only seen each other’s faces about five times these past six months. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“But I was willing to make it work,” Matthew mumbled. “I was willing to fix the marriage as long as both of us agreed to fix it…”

“But she didn’t want to fix it,” Bryce reminded him gently. “A marriage is between two people, and the two of you have to make it work together. It can’t be one-sided, Matt. I’m sorry, but if her feelings for you are gone now, you’ll have to let her go eventually.”

“But I don’t want to let her go,” Matthew choked out.

Bryce chose not to say anything, feeling his heart break a little at his friend’s pitiful state. Having known each other since their college years, Bryce knew very well how sensitive Matthew truly was. Even though he could come off as cold and aloof sometimes, that was only because Matthew couldn’t express his feelings well. He felt a lot of emotions on the inside, but he simply didn’t know how to show them.

Bryce knew that it was the product of the chairman’s strict training and discipline on his son. Matthew had always been quite passive since he was a student, but he had to force himself to be active and dominant in logical thinking and decision-making as he grew up. Matthew’s real wish was to live peacefully, away from the city, with a big, happy family of his own, away from all the pressure and attention from the media.

But he sacrificed his own dream and carried on with the training to become the CEO because of Allison.

Matthew had thought that he could overcome anything as long as he had somebody he loved by his side. He had thought that he could endure everything and accept his fate as long as Allison was with him.

But Allison was gone now.

Bryce couldn’t help but sigh. Matthew had grown so attached to Allison that he unconsciously made her his own world, depending on her for his own happiness and contentment. That was probably why Allison felt pressured and suffocated, and soon enough her love faded.

Not to say that she wasn’t in the wrong though, because she cared more about her work than her own husband. Bryce sometimes wished that Matthew would just bury himself in his work like her as well so that he wouldn’t feel so lonely, but Matthew chose to wait faithfully for Allison to come home every night, preferring to see her face rather than work overtime at the company.

The marriage was already doomed by that time.