Chapter 3

I eagerly replied, "Because I like you, Sasha."

I offered my heart to her on a silver plate.

She went silent for a while and frowned.

"You want to be my boyfriend, but I've only just started out on my career. We can only afford to date in secret. Won't you feel upset about it?

"You're a really good person, Arthur, but I really can't give you anything else…"

My love for her was pure and ardent, and I wasn't afraid of any hardships then. I said, "I don't mind. I'm willing to go through any hardship as long as I can be with you.

"I will help you with your dreams, Sasha. I'll also wait for you to slowly fall in love with me. Can't you just please give me a chance?"

The sunset that day was tinged red, and Sasha stood on tiptoe to gently kiss me on the cheek.

"Okay."

That was the story of how we began dating.

I secretly used my family's resources and networking to pave the way for her in the business industry. She quickly rose to fame with a successful business investment, becoming a hot, up-and-coming, rising star in the business world.

At first, even though her feelings for me didn't run deep, she was still respectful, caring, and understanding toward me. I also always stayed by her side throughout her career struggles.

I even protected her at business social engagements and parties where the other businesspeople would try to make her drink excessively by drinking all of the alcohol meant for her instead, causing me to throw up uncontrollably in the streets late at night.

Once, I suffered from a serious stomach hemorrhage and had to be rushed to the hospital.

That time, she held my hand and spoke in a tender voice tinged with heartache.

"Let's get married, Arthur. I will definitely achieve great success, and even if I can never fall in love with you, I promise that I will never hurt you."

Now, 12 years had passed. We began seeing each other at home less and less. Eventually, she had no more feelings left for me other than disgust.

She often spoke harshly to me, and her hurtful words would pierce into my heart like a sharp knife every single time.

Sasha's pregnancy report was the final nail in the coffin—the final knife that plunged straight through my heart, the very one that had loved her for years but was now riddled with holes.

I smiled with tears in my eyes and replied to her text message.

"Let's get a divorce, Sasha Ramirez."

…

Sasha still never responded to my text the next morning, and I highly suspected that she didn't even bother reading my messages after all.

Meanwhile, Gavin uploaded new photos onto his Instagram stories.

His hair was meticulously styled, revealing his sharp, chiseled jawline, and he wore a bespoke black suit. The emerald watch on his wrist gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

I knew that watch all too well. It was the only keepsake that my mother, Donna Bryant, had left for me after her passing. It was very precious and irreplaceable in my heart.

I felt my heart sinking as I ran over to the safe and opened it. As expected, the emerald watch was missing.

A chill instantly spread all throughout my body. Nobody else knew the combination to that safe aside from Sasha and me.

I grabbed my car keys and immediately sped toward the venue where the business event was being held tonight.

When I reached, I saw Sasha chatting happily with a group of business tycoons, completely unaware of my arrival.

Gavin, however, spotted me immediately.

He strode over to me and purposely waved the watch in front of my face.

"Oh? What brings you here looking like this, Arthur? This is really beneath you."

His words were full of contempt as he continued, "You only became her husband because you coincidentally got to know her just a few years earlier than I did. But now, you're nothing but an old man weathered away by time.

"How dare you show your tired old face in such a high-class event like this? You'd better get out of here, lest you become the laughingstock of the century!"

I was furious when I saw him treating Mom's belongings in such a clumsy, casual manner. Anger surged within me. I then raised my arm and punched him right in the face.

"Give me back my watch!"