Chapter 4

After so many divorces and remarriages that we'd gone through, I finally stopped hating Hansel and started resenting Teresa instead.

If she'd only ever seen me as Hansel's replacement, why had she spoiled me so much? Why had she gone so far as to promise me forever at our wedding?

If she'd ever loved me, how could she keep hurting me with one divorce after another? And if she'd stopped loving me altogether, why did she keep coming back to marry me again?

I should've realized a long time ago that our marriage had never meant what I thought it did. Teresa had only married me to get back at Hansel.

I pushed those memories aside and interrupted Stephen's rambling before glancing down at my phone.

I was leaving tomorrow, and I felt genuinely happy.

In another 24 hours, even being Teresa's ex-husband would be a thing of the past. After that, we'd have nothing to do with each other.

To make sure she couldn't interfere with my plans, I decided to move out of my apartment early and spend my last night at a hotel.

What I hadn't expected was that Hansel would be the first to call me.

This time, he sounded downright hostile. "Andrew, I had no idea you could be so vicious when it comes to women."

I drew a sharp breath.

I'd spent years swallowing my pride and putting up with everything Teresa and Hansel had put me through, only to have him accuse me of being the cruel one.

"You knowingly went after a married woman, Hansel. If that's all you've got to say, do us both a favor and shut the hell up."

I saw no reason to be polite anymore. If he thought I was vicious, I might as well live up to his expectations.

"I don't know what you did, but I'll admit you've managed to get the upper hand this time," Hansel continued, ignoring my sarcasm. "Teresa married you nine times, and every single time, she only did it to make me jealous."

I lowered my head. Of course, I knew that.

"But so what? Whenever I come back, she divorces you without a second thought. I figured this time would be no different, but..."

Hansel fell silent for a moment before bringing up something I'd been deliberately trying not to think about.

"But this time, she keeps picking fights with me. It's ridiculous, really. She says I'm the one she loves most, but I know better. Somehow, you've managed to make her fall for you, even though you were only ever supposed to be my replacement."

I couldn't bring myself to believe him, although his words left me with mixed feelings.

Still, I couldn't resist taking a jab at him. "What, are you scared?"

Hansel suddenly burst into arrogant laughter.

"Scared? Andrew, I asked Teresa to marry me. Why don't you take a guess? Do you think she said yes?"

I sighed and hung up.

I'd always known just how much Hansel meant to Teresa.

Back when she'd rushed onto the track to help me after I sprained my ankle, I'd noticed a pendant around her neck engraved with Hansel's name.

When she'd tutored me, the textbook she'd brought had an elegant leather cover with the name "Hans" written on it.

And when she'd put that fraudulent company out of business for cheating me out of my wages, she'd used an investment fund called the Hanresa Corp.

Teresa had been such a huge part of my youth that nearly every memory I had revolved around her.

But Hansel was the man she'd never been able to forget.

That night, even though I knew Teresa wouldn't call, I kept staring at my phone. I sat on the hotel couch and watched it until morning.

Today was supposed to be the day we got married for the tenth time.

Instead, I was leaving.

At 7:00 am, I took a cab to the airport. Teresa hadn't sent me a single message, so I opened our chat and deleted her contact.

By 8:00 am, I'd cleared security. She still hadn't called, so I found her number and blocked it.

At 9:00 am, I boarded the plane and began deleting every photo and message on my phone that had anything to do with Teresa.

Just then, my phone rang.

It was Stephen.

I answered the call, but instead of hearing his voice, I heard Teresa's.

She sounded frantic and on the verge of tears.

"Honey, where are you?"