All Chapters of My Wife’s Last Mistake: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The contact name read "My Owen." My breath caught. A dull ringing filled my ears, and for a moment, everything around me felt distant and unreal. Before I could stop myself, my thumb was already moving across the screen.I couldn't tell whether Adeline Hemsley was overly confident or simply trusted me that much.The phone wasn't password-protected.I opened the chat. The earliest message was from August three years ago.[Ms. Hemsley, I've updated the proposal. Just sent it to your email.]Back then, I was beside her through the hardest years of building the company from the ground up. She always told me she had clients to entertain and business dinners that ran late, so coming home after midnight became normal.Adeline said the company was at a critical stage, and that sometimes she had to sleep at the office.Last Valentine's Day, she sent me 100 dollars.[Thanks for everything, honey.]At that exact same time, she was texting someone else.Owen Wakefield sent a voice me

"I'm ready," I said, meeting Raymond's eyes. "The old me died the day I found out about Adeline and Owen."Raymond patted my shoulder. "Then I'll help you."After leaving the cafe, I drove to an electronics store on the west side of town. The owner, Miles Farrow, had been a year behind me in college and owed me a favor."Got what you asked for." He handed me a black velvet box. Inside was a rose-gold tie clip set with tiny diamonds."4K video, eight-hour battery life, and wireless transmission straight to your phone."Miles lowered his voice. "There's also this."He handed me a pen."Press the side to start recording. It's almost impossible to notice. On the day of the gala, I'll be nearby to help receive the signal remotely.""Thanks." I put everything away. "I'll send you the money.""Quentin." His expression turned complicated. "Be careful."I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not the one who should be worried."That night, Adeline came home at 2 a.m., reeking of alcohol. I h

"Quentin? Is that really you?" Eli stared at me in surprise. "What happened to you?""You mean how I ended up looking like this?" I finished for him with a faint smile. "Today, I want you to help me look like myself again."Three hours later, the man staring back at me from the mirror felt almost unfamiliar.My hair was neatly cut. My beard was gone. The sharp lines of my face had returned, and there was a focus in my eyes I hadn't seen in years.The black velvet suit fit perfectly, tailored just enough to emphasize my frame without looking forced."You were always this handsome." Eli's eyes turned red. "These past few years... You've been through a lot.""I haven't suffered." I held my own gaze in the mirror. "I've just been asleep for too long. It's time to wake up."At 6 p.m., the Grand Monarch Hotel was already buzzing with activity.Outside the Starlight Ballroom, employees gathered in formalwear, chatting and taking selfies."I heard the grand prize is a trip to Utonia f

My voice carried through the microphone, clear enough to reach every corner of the ballroom.A suffocating silence settled over the room. Hundreds of people sat frozen in place. It was so quiet that even breathing seemed to have stopped. Eyes darted back and forth between me, Adeline, and Owen; everyone was trying to understand what was happening.Owen was the first to react. The happiness on his face drained away, replaced by a sickly pallor. His lips trembled as he instinctively stepped back, only for Adeline to catch his wrist without thinking. Under the spotlight, the gesture was impossible to miss.Adeline finally found her voice."Quentin... What are you doing here?"Her words came out dry and shaky, thick with disbelief."Why wouldn't I be here?" I smiled and looked toward the employees below the stage. "I'm the majority owner. The company's been around for ten years, and I've never attended a single anniversary gala. This year, I decided I'd finally come see one for m

I laid everything out point by point, my voice calm and even, as if I were presenting a report that had nothing to do with me.With each detail, more color drained from Adeline's face.In the end, the ruling was nearly one-sided.The divorce was finalized. Cole was placed in my custody. The assets were divided 70-30, with the bigger chunk awarded to me. Adeline was ordered to pay substantial child support, along with compensation for emotional distress.As we stepped out of the courthouse, Adeline hurried after me."Quentin..." She stepped in front of me, blocking my path. There was desperation in her eyes I had never seen before. "I know I was wrong. Owen took my money and left. Can we start over?"I stopped and looked at her.I had loved that face for more than ten years. We had shared cheap meals that cost only a few bucks, squeezed into a damp basement apartment, and stayed up late celebrating our first customer like we had just won the lottery.And in the end, she had de