Chapter 3

It was laughable.

I wandered in the streets in a daze, letting the rain soak me through.

Suddenly, a sports car screeched to a stop right in front of me.

When I saw who it was inside, my heart stopped.

"Was giving up your inheritance just to avoid me worth it, Zane?"

The sight of my childhood friend, Yvonne Jensen, sent me into a momentary daze.

I let out a bitter smile. "You deserve better."

She opened the car door and motioned for me to get in.

"I know you're planning to get a divorce. Do you think I still have a chance?"

"Why?" I blurted out after a pause.

She smiled radiantly. "Because I love you. I'll wait as long as it takes."

I'd had too much to drink that night. When I woke up, Yvonne was already gone.

Memories of the night before left me conflicted.

My phone lit up with dozens of missed calls and messages from Wendy, dragging me back to reality.

I'd already decided on divorce. It was time to confront her.

When I got home, Wendy greeted me with fury. "Zane, where the hell were you last night?"

Untouched food and two sets of used dishes sat on the table.

I ignored her and headed straight to the bedroom to pack.

She followed after me and pointed at a pile of cut-up clothes.

"Leave if you want, but don't take a single thing from this house," she sneered.

Then, she held out her hand. "You haven't handed over your salary this month. Julian's buying a car, and he's still short about 100 grand on the down payment. You got your bonus, right? Hand it over."

I made 20 thousand a month. I kept two thousand for myself and handed the rest to her.

She spent all that money on Julian.

I swallowed my rage. "You'll never get another cent from me."

Just then, Julian staggered in, reeking of alcohol. He was clutching a bottle.

"You've got some nerve refusing to pay me," he slurred, pointing a finger at me. "I've been sleeping with your wife. You're nothing but a coward. I'll make you kneel and beg today."

That was when I noticed the watch on his wrist. It was the same watch that had gone missing from my collection.

Suddenly, it all clicked. Ever since Julian moved in, things had gone missing.

The trust I once had in Wendy had turned into bitter disappointment.

She noticed my stare and looked away nervously.

Then, she gently told Julian, "Don't go too far. Just teach him a lesson."

The next moment, the bottle crashed down on my head.

Everything went black as I fainted.

When I woke up, I was locked in an ice cellar. The cold cut straight through me, making my teeth chatter uncontrollably.

Wendy kicked me and looked down at me like I was nothing.

"Zane, I didn't want it to come to this, but you shouldn't have fought Julian over the family assets."

I frowned, confused.

She sneered, "Julian is your dad's illegitimate son. Why do you get to live in the light while he's stuck in the shadows?

"He had to take his mother's last name just to survive. You owe him!"

Everything suddenly made sense.

"So, you got close to me on purpose? You even faked that time you saved me?"

Her face twisted with disgust. "Of course. I even gave you those drugs you took a year ago."

I widened my eyes.

Rage and betrayal surged in my chest. I started coughing up blood.

So, that was why she faked sleepwalking and used self-harm as an excuse to avoid my touch.