Chapter 3

Asher's face flushed a deep red color, his breath growing increasingly labored as he fought hard to breathe despite Cody's hands around his throat.

Then, in an instant, a realization dawned on him. Struggling to get the words out, he gasped, "You're in love with Regina… You were the one who caused the car accident that killed Philip and Alicia…"

He recalled how Cody would often steal glances at Regina with a look that bordered on obsessiveness.

At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, assuming he'd simply misread the situation. However, it turned out the signs had been there all along.

Clutching at Cody's wrist in a desperate bid to break free, Asher spat, "I'm going to tell Regina everything, Cody Gleason! You can't kill me! You won't keep getting away with this!"

Cody's expression turned grotesque. He tightened his grip around Asher's neck, driven by a frenzied, murderous intent to kill Asher once and for all.

At this point, there was only one thought on his mind. He'd eliminate anyone who stood between him and Regina, and he would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve that.

Seeing Asher fighting back so fiercely against him, Cody snatched a fruit knife from the table, ready to plunge it into his chest. But just as the blade was about to pierce into Asher's heart, the sound of a Maybach's engine cutting drifted in from outside the study window.

Cody glanced toward the window and realized that Regina had returned.

Taking advantage of Cody's momentary distraction, Asher wrenched himself free and managed to seize the knife from him. He stood at a safe distance and leveled the blade at Cody, shakingly saying, "I told you that you can't kill me—"

But before he could even finish his sentence, he suddenly noticed that the knife was stained with blood—and that blood was now seeping steadily from a wound on Cody's chest.

Cody had a manic expression on his face, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he chuckled, saying, "Did you think I'd be out of options just because I couldn't kill you, Asher?

"Your parents killed Regina's parents, and now, you've wounded me like this. Did you really think things could ever go back to the way they were? How do you think Regina will treat you now? Hmm?"

He leaned in close to Asher's ear, whispering, "Don't you even dream of having her all to yourself, Asher. I'll personally make sure that you and her will never, ever get back together. I'll never let you grow old together. Never!"

Cody's tone sounded perfectly normal, yet every word sounded like it was spoken by the Devil himself.

The next second, Regina's anxious voice rang out from behind Asher, "What's going on here?"

She pushed Asher aside in a panic, her entire focus shifting to Cody.

"Cody! Why are you bleeding so much? It's okay. Don't be scared. I'll take you to the hospital right away. You'll be fine… I promise…"

Cody lay weakly in her arms, casting a provocative glance toward Asher without her seeing it. It was as if he was telling Asher there was no use even if he'd already found out about the truth.

"I'm fine, Regina… Please, don't blame Asher for this," he said weakly, coughing while feigning an understanding, forgiving demeanor. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have begged him not to divorce you. If I hadn't asked, he wouldn't have gotten so angry… And he wouldn't have tried to kill me.

"I just have one wish, Regina… Please bury me with Mom and Dad when I'm gone."

Then, he passed out.

In that moment, all of Regina's reason was consumed by a mixture of rage and guilt.

She assumed that Cody had only pleaded with Asher on her behalf because he knew she wasn't ready for a divorce, but as it turned out, Asher was simply playing the victim with her while revealing his true, vicious self to Cody.

She gathered the unconscious Cody into her arms at once. As she brushed past Asher, her gaze was so icy it was as if she wanted him dead.

"If Cody doesn't make it, neither will you."

Asher let the fruit knife slip from his hand as he watched her walk away. It clattered to the floor, and he sank even deeper into the depths of his despair.

This was the first time she'd ever spoken such harsh words to him. It was also the first time she'd refused to listen to his explanation.

He tried to wipe the blood from his palms, but no matter how hard he scrubbed, it wouldn't come off. It was much like the rift between them, which only grew deeper and more impossible to bridge with time.

He felt a crushing ache in his chest, but the stifling, heavy gloom remained trapped in his chest and just refused to dissipate.

Caught in a tangle of panic and helplessness, he sat frozen on the living room couch, his gaze fixed unblinkingly toward the doorway. He didn't know what to think or do anymore and just remained there in a heap like a broken string puppet.

Just as the metallic taste of blood began spreading through his mouth when he gritted his teeth a little too hard, the front door finally swung open again, letting in a sliver of light.

Regina appeared at the door, looking utterly exhausted and covered in blood, holding a divorce agreement in her hand.

"Cody survived. The doctors say his heart is injured, and he'll need someone to look after him for the rest of his life."

She placed the signed page before Asher and continued, "I didn't want to sign this, but I had no choice. I tried so many times to convince myself to keep loving you, but I just can't anymore."

Her eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at him, her voice choking with emotion.

"I'll admit I wanted to kill you yesterday, but the thought vanished almost as quickly as it came. I realized I'm not even capable of truly hating you anymore, Asher.

"I just wish we'd never met. Anything would be better than this endless, agonizing cycle of love and hate I feel toward you now.

"The divorce agreement will take effect in a month. Leave this city as soon as it's finalized."

Suddenly, she pulled him into her arms and embraced him. After a long moment, she whispered, "Go anywhere you like… as long as you never cross paths with me again. It would be for the best if we never saw each other again for the rest of our lives."

Then, she pulled away, her bloodshot eyes gradually hardening back into a cold, detached gaze.

Asher finally understood the depth of his own agony when he heard this. He knew that nothing could ever return to the way it once was even if he revealed the truth to her. In fact, it would only cause her even more pain if she knew.

So, he decided that he would shoulder all the blame this time. He was willing to sacrifice himself to free them both from this love-hate relationship they had with each other now.

He picked up the pen, ready to sign his name. Then, he caught sight of a clause in the divorce agreement.

Regina had allocated 80% percent of all her assets to him.

His fingers trembled as he gripped the pen even tighter.

She was always like this, planning everything out for him, even though their paths would no longer cross after this.

Asher swallowed the words he wanted to say and handed over the signed divorce agreement.

"I hope that you're truly liberated now, Regina… And I hope that I will never hurt you again from now on."