Chapter 2

"Losing the baby was just a warning to you.

"Every time I see your face, I want to throw up. I came here to tell you all something. I want to marry for love, and I want to be with Lucas!"

Her voice was so cold and final that my heart ached with every beat.

"If you don't let me be with Lucas, I'll bash my head against the wall and end it right now."

Only then did I lift my head and meet her savage stare.

Diane, protective of her daughter, quickly grabbed my hand.

"She only said that because she's heartbroken over losing the baby. Take her home and let her rest. Spend some time with her. All we want is for the two of you to be happy..."

I don't remember how I left.

Looking back, Vanessa had never once looked at me like that before.

Ten years ago, she was the one who begged her parents to let her get engaged to me. She was the one who swore I was the only man she'd ever marry.

"Evan, give Vanessa one more chance. You two have been together for ten years. I know it's hard for you to let go of her, too."

Richard sighed beside me before I left.

They all seemed to think I'd forgive her, like I always did.

When I got home, a friend from our circle sent me a link to a livestream.

It was being broadcast to the entire internet.

Vanessa and Lucas had gone to Iceland to chase the northern lights, and they were kissing beneath them.

Countless viewers watched their romance unfold with envy.

The comments started pouring in.

"Ms. Kane has cheated ninety-nine times. Has she finally settled down and found true love?"

"Bet her husband's about to storm over there and catch them in the act."

"Relax. Once Ms. Kane threatens to kill herself one more time, Evan Hale will go right back to being her good little doormat."

"He's only got himself to blame for being such a pushover..."

The speculation and insults online didn't matter to me.

I stared blankly at the two of them on the screen, my grip on my phone tightening.

Chasing the northern lights and kissing beneath them had been a promise between Vanessa and me.

She'd told me that, according to legend, lovers who did that would be blessed by the god of love and stay together forever.

She'd said we would do it the year we were most in love.

But ten years into our marriage, she'd kept that promise with Lucas first.

I'd once asked her why she treated me this way. Vanessa had answered offhandedly.

"I don't love you anymore. The spark's gone. What did you think it was?"

I quietly closed the livestream, but my friend was frantic.

"Your wife ran off with another man, and you're this calm? It's blowing up all over the internet. You're not going to handle it?"

While Vanessa and Lucas were lost in their kiss, my cheating compilation got another update. It had videos of all ninety-nine of Vanessa's affairs, along with photos of me begging her, my dignity thrown to the wind.

In the past, whenever something like this happened, I'd deal with it right away to protect the Kane family's reputation.

This time, I just let it spread.

I gave my friend a single answer.

"I'm not handling it. Not now, not ever again."

Vanessa didn't come home until a week later. She clearly hadn't expected me to be so calm this time.

"You're being a lot more sensible this time. I thought you'd shamelessly beg me to come back again. You've been cheated on so many times. Why not think about divorcing me?"

Vanessa was always in a great mood whenever she saw me humiliated.

I didn't look up. My voice stayed flat.

"Do whatever you want. I won't stop you."

The smile at the corner of her mouth stiffened. My attitude had caught her completely off guard.

But she quickly recovered.

"Don't think I'll change my mind just because my parents are on your side! I told you, Lucas is the love of my life. I'm definitely going to—"