Chapter 1 She Never Read It

Poker chips clattered across the table. A second later, the entire table came crashing down.

Melissa demanded, "Josh, what the hell is with that attitude?"

The other guys exchanged awkward looks. None of them wanted to get caught in the middle of whatever this was. So, they'd cleared out within seconds.

Melissa kicked a few chips scattered across the floor aside, her face tight with irritation. "Are you done playing games? You've been acting like this for a week. Your mother doesn't have time for this crap!"

I stayed where I was, but a sharp pain lanced through my chest at the mention of my mom.

When my mother first fell ill, Melissa's private medical center was the only hospital that could provide the specialized treatment she needed. By then, I'd already burned through every dollar I had. So, I swallowed my pride and accepted Melissa's terms like a dog begging for scraps.

Melissa treated Nathan like he was the love of her life. They made out right in front of me, and I pretended not to see it for the money.

I allowed her to humiliate me over and over because there was money waiting at the end of the tunnel—money that I desperately needed to keep my mom alive.

…

One day, Melissa told me Nathan would be staying in our master bedroom for an entire week.

When my mother found out, she couldn't bear knowing I was humiliating myself again and again just to pay for her treatment. So, she took her own life.

Nathan stayed in my house for three days and three nights. During that time, I spent every single second grieving over my mother's cold corpse.

Even now, I could still see her face when I closed my eyes. The cards were the only thing that kept that nightmarish image from creeping back into my head.

Melissa must've noticed my bloodshot eyes because her expression finally softened. "I'm glad you're finally starting to see sense. The Mills family needs a husband who knows when to be gracious and look the other way.

"As long as you have the Mills name behind you, you can have anything you want."

She glanced at the housekeeper. A moment later, a luxury watch was placed in front of me. It was the kind most men could spend years on a waiting list for and still never get their hands on.

My drawers were already full of them.

What no one knew was that every single one was an apology gift, compensation for Melissa sleeping with Nathan. Truth be told, wearing one didn't feel like showing off. It felt like I was walking around with a billboard announcing that I was a cuckold husband.

In the past, I would've grabbed the box without a second thought, sold the watch, and used every cent I got out of it to keep Mom alive.

But now, the one kin I wanted to save was gone.

I calmly pushed the box back toward Melissa and slid a document across the table. "Sign this."

She didn't even bother to read it, just as I thought she wouldn't. She picked up the pen and scrawled her signature across the bottom.

"You could've just asked me if you wanted something more expensive. You didn't have to go through all this song and dance." She tossed the pen aside. "You're only making yourself look even more desperate for money."

Right then, Nathan came out of the bedroom with his suitcase.

As soon as Melissa saw him, she went straight to his side and slipped an arm around his waist. "I'll drive you."

They walked away wrapped around each other, disappearing through the massive house as if I wasn't even there.

…

I looked down at the document in my hands. She had just signed a divorce agreement without even reading it.

I almost started cackling.

My eyes burned with tears, but all I could think about was how easily she'd signed her name at the bottom. Part of me wanted to believe that she wouldn't have if she'd bothered to read even a single line. That part was dying away.

I wiped the last tear from my face and pulled out my phone. I stared at the screen for a long time; the string of numbers I hadn't dialed in years blurred together before I finally pressed "Call".

When the call connected, I said quietly, "I'll see you at the airport the day after tomorrow."