Chapter 4

I ended up going to Julian's celebration party with Suri.

The second the three of us walked into the private party room, every head turned.

Surprise.

Amusement.

"Suri actually brought him?"

"Well, yeah. He's always making a scene over every guy around her. Of course he'd show up if it's Julian."

"I heard he even tried to kill himself because of Julian."

"Seriously. He should know his place. He's lucky Suri married him at all. Who is he to tell her who she can see? The other guys were one thing, but this is Julian. Does he really think he can compete?"

They weren't trying to be quiet.

Just quiet enough for me to hear.

I looked around.

They had to be friends of Suri's or Julian's.

Either way, they were all part of the same crowd.

I let out a quiet laugh.

No wonder twenty-seven-year-old me ended up trying to kill himself.

If I'd listened to people tear me down like this every day, I probably would've cracked too.

And I must've really loved Suri back then.

Otherwise, how could I have lived with this until I wanted to die?

By then, Suri and Julian were already seated.

I was the only one still standing.

"Isn't this awkward for him?"

"Why would he care? He'd probably grovel at Suri's feet just to stay married to her."

I shot the guy a cold look.

"She's not a queen. Why would I grovel?"

His face went stiff.

Guess he didn't expect me to fight back.

Suri frowned. "Enough. Both of you."

I'd just been mocked right in front of her, and instead of defending me, she acted like we were equally wrong.

I scoffed. "Clearly, I'm not welcome here."

I turned toward the door.

"So I'll get out of your way."

Then I walked out.

Behind me, the room exploded.

"Did I seriously just see that? He actually walked out on Suri?"

"Did Julian finally push him over the edge?"

"Give him thirty minutes. He'll come crawling back."

...

The voices only made me more annoyed.

I wandered over to the outdoor pool to clear my head.

A few minutes later, Julian came out alone.

"Connor, you've really surprised me today."

I glanced past him.

No one else.

A faint smile crossed my face.

"You know I can't stand you. Aren't you worried I'll shove you into the pool?"

Julian smiled back.

"I'm more worried you won't.

"Everyone knows Suri would save me."

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

Julian stepped closer.

"Want to make a bet?"

I frowned.

"If you two are really in love, why doesn't Suri just divorce me? Why drag me through all this just to live out your little love story?"

Julian's expression flickered.

"Because you refuse to let her go! You're so obsessed with Suri, you even tried to kill yourself. She only stays because she pities you."

A second later, his usual soft smile returned.

"So? Want to bet?"

The pool shimmered under the lights.

Clear water.

Way too deep.

I shook my head.

"No."

I couldn't swim.

Trying to kill myself once had already been stupid enough.

I wasn't about to do it again.

I'd just gotten to my feet when I caught the disappointment in Julian's eyes.

Then he shoved me from behind.

Splash!

Screams broke out around us.

I hit the water and sank fast.

Terror swallowed everything.

Water flooded my mouth.

My lungs burned.

I fought for the surface.

Then I saw someone familiar cutting through the water...

Away from me.

My wife.

Suri.

Julian and I had fallen in at the same time.

And she swam to him.

Pain stabbed through my chest.

Maybe it was the last piece of twenty-seven-year-old me still clinging to her.

I'd forgotten the past.

I didn't love her anymore.

But my body still remembered.

This time...

Those feelings drowned with me.

***

When I woke up, I was lying beside the pool.

Julian and I had both been pulled out.

Suri had saved him.

A stranger had saved me.

She was gorgeous, with a killer figure.

I lay there while she pressed both hands to my chest, trying to force the water from my lungs.

I suddenly coughed up a mouthful of water.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Suri walking over.

Julian was still playing helpless, watching her like the victim.

Only then did she seem to remember she had a husband.

She frowned.

"Are you okay?"

I ignored her and struggled to my feet.

The woman beside me reached out to help, but I gently brushed her hand away.

When Suri stopped in front of me, I raised my hand.

I wanted to slap her.

But hitting women wasn't my thing.

My hand hovered for a second before I shoved her aside instead.

The whole crowd went silent.

I could practically hear everyone holding their breath.

Suri Sinclair—the rich, untouchable golden girl of their circle—had probably never been treated like that in her life.

"Suri Sinclair."

I looked her straight in the eye.

"We're getting divorced."

After a long silence, my voice finally came out steady.

"I don't want anything from you. Consider that shove payment enough. We're even."