Chapter 2

However, Tyler did not share it with Josie. He turned away and drove straight to the embassy.

The application for permanent residency in Grundale was not difficult to fill out, especially for someone like Tyler who was from a wealthy family. The Fords had started moving their businesses overseas over the past few years.

Tyler's parents and older sister had moved out of the country, and he was the only one who stayed behind because of Josie. Now, he was leaving too.

"The process should take about a week," the embassy staff said with a smile.

Tyler nodded, put the receipt in his pocket, and left the embassy.

It was finally about to be over.

Josie, the woman he had courted for six years, the ice queen that he thought he could drag down from her pedestal, was never meant to be his.

Tyler had given up a lot for her. He became a vegetarian for her and even tried to cleanse himself mentally for her. He even changed his arrogant personality because of her. All he wanted was to get closer to Josie, but in the end of it all, he failed to even get near her deepest desires.

He looked at the receipt in his hand and smiled softly. Despite his decision, he still felt a little bitter about everything. "Let it go, Tyler Ford. Josie never had feelings for you, but there are plenty of people out there who will."

That night, he went clubbing with his buddies. He stopped frequenting bars and clubs since he married Josie, but today, he wore a black, sleeveless T-shirt and moved his body to the beat. His movements were carefree and confident, his smooth muscle lines visible beneath the lights.

The arrogant, wild look in his eyes finally made a return after years of absence.

"What's up with you today, Tyler?" His buddy, Ted Lambert, was surprised and pulled him aside. "Since you fell for the ice queen, you've been busy running circles around her. Didn't you stop coming to places like this?"

Tyler smiled and took a sip of his drink. His eyes looked slightly glazed when he replied. "Forget about her. Let's party the night away!"

He turned to enter the dance floor and let the music wash over him. It felt like his body had finally been released, and he was finally free to be as wild as he wanted to be.

Tyler swept a glance at the young models around him, and he smiled seductively as he gently grabbed one of them around the waist, igniting soft giggles around him.

"Are you crazy, Tyler?" Ted caught up to him and pulled his hand. "Aren't you worried Josie will get mad at you for touching so many models and pressing against their bodies when you dance?"

"She's not here."

"But…" Ted did not know what else to say, and he leaned into Tyler's ear. "Who told you she isn't here? I was trying to tell you that she's sitting in the booth behind, and she's been watching you for a long time!"

Tyler froze and looked up slowly. He saw her right away through the dim clubbing lights.

Josie was in a black fitted dress, which looked out of place in the noisy club. She was sitting in the corner booth, her slender fingers circling the edge of her glass while looking at Tyler darkly. Tyler had no idea how long she had been watching him, but that was when the music stopped.

He heard Josie's friend tease, "Look at Tyler. He's been dancing for quite a while, having his way with the women on the dance floor. If he were my husband, I would've flipped the tables here. How can you still watch so calmly?"

Josie remained stoic. She took a sip of tea and said coldly, "He knows what he's doing. He won't cross the line."

Her reply was like a poisoned needle that struck him right where it hurts. He knew what he was doing?

Was Josie so confident of his love for her that she was sure he would not cheat, or did she not really care?

It could be both.

"Tsk, tsk. I'm impressed by your confidence, but it does make me curious. What in this world can stir your emotions…"

Her friend did not finish the sentence because her voice rose suddenly to call out to Josie. "Hey, Josie, where are you going?"

Tyler looked up to see Josie suddenly standing up. She was staring at the other end of the dance floor, and in a rare moment, he could see jealousy in her eyes. He followed her eyes and looked in that direction.

It was Shane Sinclair. He was in a white leisure suit and standing at the edge of the dance floor, exchanging numbers with another woman.

Josie strode toward him and grabbed Shane's wrist. Her tone was chilling. "Who said you could come to a place like this? And who allowed you to give your number out to strangers?"

Shane was taken aback, and his eyes turned red from tearing up. "Why can't I be here? Why can't I give my number to another person? I thought you were ignoring me, Josie. What I do is none of your business!"

Her knuckles turned white, and she said in a growl, "Who told you I was ignoring you?"

"Well, you are!" Shane sounded like he was about to cry. "You've been avoiding me and refusing to see me! Josie, we used to be so close, but one day, everything just changed suddenly!"

Josie's red lips moved, and it sounded like she was trying to suppress her emotions. "That's because…"

Tyler stood nearby, feeling his chest tighten. He knew that Josie could not tell Shane the truth. How was she supposed to tell Shane that the reason she avoided him was that she was in love with him?

How could she say that seeing him made her lose control and that she loved him so much that she and her husband slept in separate rooms despite being married for two years, choosing instead to moan Shane's name while she pleasured herself when she missed him?

Tyler laughed at himself. He was about to leave when he heard Shane cry out, "Josie, let's just go back to how we were. I want my sister back. I want the sister who only had eyes for me!"

Josie replied in a low voice, "I'm married now. I can't revolve my life around you any longer."

"Can we go back to before if your husband disappears?" Shane suddenly looked up with a crazy look in his eyes.

Tyler was about to leave when Shane picked up a bottle and walked straight toward him. The bottle smashed hard on Tyler's head, and all he heard was the glass breaking. Something warm dripped from his forehead.

"Tyler!" Ted shouted.

He stumbled backward and saw Shane pick up a second bottle. "Just die already!"

Shane smashed the bottle on Tyler's head even harder the second time, and Tyler lost consciousness from the impact. He fell into a pool of blood, and all he could hear was screaming.