Chapter 3

"So, she'll be fine as long as she pays back the money?" Jacob asked.

I shook my head again.

Not wanting to let it go, he pressed on, "She's your wife, after all, Nathan. Shouldn't you help her? Otherwise, she could be facing over ten years in prison!"

This time, I let out a soft sigh. "I couldn't help even if I wanted to. You know our family's situation. Even if I sold both my kidneys, I still wouldn't be able to scrape together 30 million dollars. Unless you'd be willing to lend me some?"

That last question shut down all further questions.

…

I had planned on using the time while Courtney was detained to cut all ties with her, but she was released just three days later. She'd signed an agreement with Apex Technologies, promising to repay all the funds within two weeks.

I was in the middle of packing my things when she and Travis showed up at the front door with a large group of friends.

Travis strode in first, rudely kicking over the suitcase I'd just finished packing, and jabbed a finger in my face.

"Nathan, Court's suffered in that detention center. As her friends, we've been worried sick about her, so we came over to check on her. Yet you, her husband, not only show her no concern, but you're even trying to divorce her at a time like this? Aren't you afraid of getting run over by a car the second you step outside, you heartless bastard?" he yelled.

I looked at the raging man in front of me and replied calmly, "If she hadn't been trying to pay your gambling debts, she wouldn't have suffered at all."

The group of friends all exchanged glances at my words—clearly, none of them had known about this.

Courtney glared at me, her eyes full of contempt. "So that's why you refuse to help me? You want to get back at me?"

I let out a cold laugh. "Getting back at you? Not exactly. But I'm certainly not going to help you. After all, I'm not in the habit of supporting my wife's boy toy."

In my previous life, after I had bailed Courtney out of her financial hole, Travis had gloated right in my face.

"I heard you sold all your precious patents just to help pay off my gambling debts, Nathan. I really don't know how I could ever thank you—how about I take good care of your wife for you?"

I'd lost it at his words and lunged at him.

But Courtney, without even wanting to know what happened, slapped me across the face and didn't come home for half a month. In the end, I had to grovel and apologize to Travis before she'd even consider forgiving me.

Thinking of how pathetic I'd been in my previous life made me look down on myself.

Yet, even after I laid it all out so bluntly, Travis still managed to twist the truth. Without blinking, he said, "Bullshit! You were the one who said your new project was short on funds and asked Courtney to help you figure something out. That was why she took the risk of moving company funds around. Now that it's blown up, you're trying to keep your hands clean and dump all the blame on me!"

Courtney walked up to me and slapped me across the face. With her eyes red, she snapped, "Nathan, I willingly helped you! I never expected you to do anything for me in return, either. But how can you tarnish Travis' and my reputation just to clear yourself of responsibility?"

The looks on everyone's faces shifted when they heard this, and some of them even started speaking up for Courtney and Travis.

"Nathan, since this whole mess started because of you, you have a responsibility to help Court fix it."

"That's right, if Court really goes to prison, how will you be able to live with yourself for the rest of your life?"

I pressed my tongue against the side of my cheek where she'd slapped me. When I looked up, I met Courtney's faintly smug gaze.

Did she think this would pressure me into covering the funds? How naive of her.

I swept my eyes over everyone in the room.

"Don't worry. Even if Courtney rots in prison, I'll still eat and sleep just fine for the rest of my life. Also, our divorce hearing is scheduled for next week. Anyone interested is welcome to come watch."

With that, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without another backward glance.