Chapter 1

My manager, Matteo Webster, was surprised when he received my application.

"Tyler, you worked so hard to come here before. Why are you thinking about going back to Myrthia now?"

I forced a bitter smile and looked down. "My parents are there. It's better if I go back."

Just then, my wife, Nyra Sinclair, pushed the door open and walked in. She frowned as soon as she heard that. "Who's going back?"

I didn't answer her. I chatted with Matteo for a bit before hanging up.

When I turned around, Nyra was staring at me. "Who did you say is going back?"

I replied vaguely, "A coworker's applying to transfer back to Myrthia."

Nyra smirked, clearly mocking me. "I thought you were the one applying to go back. But then again, you worked so hard to be with me. There's no way you'd leave now."

As she said that, she reached out and wrapped her arm around my waist. "Honey, once Jacob gets his green card, we should have a baby."

Nyra always played this carrot-and-stick game. But this time, I wasn't buying it.

I pushed her away and said coldly, "We'll talk about that later."

Nyra froze for a moment, then softened her voice. "You're not arguing with me this time? That's kinda weird. I thought we'd be at each other's throats over this."

Hearing her choice of words, I couldn't help but feel a sharp wave of irony.

A husband and wife, tearing into each other over some outsider.

I chuckled. "I'm tired of arguing."

At my words, Nyra started grumbling about how I used to pick fights with her over her first love, Jacob Griffin.

She claimed I was inconsiderate and that every time I fought with her, I left her heartbroken.

She was always like that—pushing every boundary. If I gave her an inch, she'd take a mile.

For years, I had been the one giving in.

Nyra said she wanted to move abroad, so I left my parents and asked the company for a transfer.

She said she wasn't ready for kids, so I stood up to my parents and took the heat, telling them it was my choice not to have them.

But in the end, all my efforts didn't matter as much as one word from Jacob.

I stood up and looked at her. "I won't argue with you anymore."

Nyra met my gaze with a smug smile. "That's good to hear. Jacob and I are just friends. Don't get jealous. If—"

I cut her off, finishing her sentence. "If I ever had anything with him, I wouldn't be married to you."

I had heard that line too many times before.

Nyra nodded, satisfied. "As long as you get that."

I said calmly, "I should have a long time ago."

I should've known that in her heart, I didn't even compare to a finger on Jacob's hand.

Just then, a childish voice came from outside the door. "Mom… Mom, come play house with me. Dad's so dumb!"