Austin's POV

Jane carefully helped Chris steady himself before turning to me.

"Chris is my assistant now. I gave him the door code to make it easier for him to work. Are you seriously going to make a fuss over something so trivial?"

She shot me a look filled with disdain, her eyes practically daring me to challenge her.

"God, Austin! Your jealousy is honestly suffocating!" she snapped, the edge in her voice cutting through the room.

I stood there frozen, like I'd just been hit by a freight train.

She really said that I suffocate her?

Isn't it suffocating how, over the past two years, with her silent approval and indulgence, Chris has been present everywhere in our marriage?

He’s been all over it, invading every corner without boundaries.

From the first time he came over to drop off some papers, to the countless nights he shamelessly ate dinner and stayed over at our house. He wore my clothes without asking, used my razor, and countless other 'small things' that piled up.

What started as a two-person marriage turned into a three-person circus.

And I was the one left out.

I let out a deep sigh and looked her squarely in the eye. “Since this marriage has caused so much pain for both of us, why don’t we just sign the divorce papers and be done with it?”

She furrowed her brows, pushing the papers aside.

“Enough. Stop making a scene, Austin! Apologize to Chris, and we can consider this mess over. We can still be friends in the future,” she added, her tone now colder than before.

Hearing the word 'friends' again from Jane sent a surge of anger through me. It brought up all the painful memories I had buried.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

"I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than call someone who once bullied me a friend."

I’ll never apologize to him. Not now, not ever.

Back then, in my attempt to fit in with my classmates, I hid my family background. Little did I know that would make me an easy target for Chris.

On the first day of school, he threw my books and backpack into a filthy pond behind the school, then slashed my uniform pants with a knife. Later, under pressure from my family, the school forced Chris to apologize publicly and even expelled him.

It was Jane who persuaded me.

"Austin, it's better to resolve conflict than let it fester. He knows he was wrong. Just let it go."

Because I was so in love with Jane, I swallowed my pride, shook hands with Chris, and even let the school keep his enrollment.

Looking back now, I see it for what it was—her favoritism toward him started right then. But I was too blinded by love to see it.

Chris’s expression darkened, and tears began to well up in his eyes.

“I was wrong. I overstepped. I shouldn’t have tried to act like a friend based on our past as classmates. I forgot that now I’m just a lowly employee in your company. I deserve nothing. I’ll leave now.”

Jane’s eyes instantly filled with tears. She stepped in front of him, her protective instinct kicking in.

Then Jane snapped at me, "I made you the husband of Reynolds Group's CEO, not so you could go around acting like this!"

She turned and gently patted Chris’s trembling shoulder, her voice softening. “Chris, don’t put yourself down. I’ve never seen you as just another employee.”

Her gaze softened as she looked at him, glowing with a tenderness I had never seen directed at me before.

"You’ve always been the most special person to me."

I stood there, stunned, watching my legally wedded wife pour her heart out to another man. It didn’t make me fly off the handle like it would have before. Instead, it sent a cold chill through me.

Given that Chris had graduated from a low-tier foreign university, he was utterly unqualified to be the president's assistant. But it was Jane who fought through every objection and insisted on keeping him.

She not only gave him an obscene salary but also showered him with special treatment. The level of special treatment was so extreme that even I, her legitimate husband, had been pushed aside.

Chris calls her 'Ms. Reynolds' because of her position as the president of Reynolds Group, but when it comes to me, he uses my first name, claiming it's because we’re close.

But, the truth?

I see right through it. Chris doesn’t think I deserve the title of Jane’s husband.

Austin's POV

It was one thing for Chris to think the worst of me, but I never expected Jane to feel the same way.

It was truly laughable. When did I, the proud eldest son of the Hastings family, ever need to rely on the title of 'husband of the CEO of Reynolds Group' to hold power over others?

I regretted losing the confident, self-assured version of myself for love. And just like that, the last shred of attachment to this marriage was entirely shattered.

"Jane, hurry up and sign the divorce agreement," I said coldly. "Or don’t make me take legal action."

I grabbed my suitcase without a second thought and walked out, leaving the house behind without even looking back.

When I walked inside, I saw my parents excitedly talking about the aurora borealis on the travel channel. As soon as they noticed me, they quickly turned off the TV.

Traveling the world had always been their dream, but their only son?

He'd become a love-struck fool, focusing all his energy on a woman instead of stepping up and taking the reins of the family business.

I walked over, grabbed the remote from the drawer, and turned the TV back on. Then, I took out my phone and booked two tickets to Finland.

I expected them to be excited, but instead, they exchanged worried glances.

I knew I couldn’t hide it any longer.

"Jane...and I... we’re getting a divorce," I said flatly.

The living room went silent, the tension thick in the air.

After what felt like an eternity, both of them stood up and walked over, taking my hands gently.

"Whatever decision you make, we’ll support you," my dad said, his voice steady but laced with concern. "As long as you’re happy. Your mother and I will always be your rock."

My throat clenched, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. The grievances I had bottled up for so long erupted alongside my tears.

When I married Jane, my parents had actually been against it. They couldn’t stand how persistent I was, but in the end, they gave in.

I squeezed my dad’s hand tightly, then grabbed my mom’s, and the three of us held on to each other.

Smiling through the tears, I said, "Don’t worry, I’m okay."

But even then, they didn’t seem reassured. They insisted I change my flight to a week later so we could spend more time together.

At their insistence, I scheduled a family portrait session, something we had always looked forward to each year.

After I married Jane, I’d invited her multiple times to join us for the photo, but each time, she’d made up some excuse about her busy work schedule.

...

The next morning, my parents and I arrived early at the photography studio, only to see an unexpected figure: Jane.

She was with Chris.

He held her hand, eyes practically sparkling with satisfaction. "Jane, thank you for canceling such an important meeting just to take pictures with me."

Jane smiled and playfully scratched his nose. "Silly, you’re the closest person to me. If I don’t pamper you, who will, Chris?"

A bitter taste rose in my throat. The truth was that Jane's lack of time wasn't the issue; I just didn't deserve it anymore.

Right then, my mom asked, "Austin, who are you looking at?"

"Oh, no one. I just mistook someone for someone else," I lied, quickly turning my body to block my mom’s view.

I pulled her back toward the seating area, pretending nothing had happened.

Inside the studio, I stood between my parents, holding my dad’s hand with one and linking my mom’s arm with the other.

For a moment, I just stood there with them, smiling like I didn’t have a care in the world. The camera clicked, capturing the scene as if it were a rare snapshot of something I’d been missing for a long time.

Right at that moment, it felt as though I had been reborn. I had reconnected with the people who were the most important in my life.

But just as my dad went to the bathroom, my mom suddenly winced in pain, clutching her stomach.

"Mom? What’s wrong? Is it your stomach?" I rushed over to her, panic creeping into my voice.

I guided her to the nearby resting room while simultaneously calling the family doctor and emergency services.

As I anxiously waited, Chris showed up in the waiting room.

"So, this is why you're okay with divorcing Jane, huh?" he sneered. "Looks like you’ve latched onto some rich old lady."

Chris examined my mom from head to toe, a malevolent gleam in his eyes.

"Your new woman might have aged well and has some taste, but let’s be honest, Austin. She can’t compare to Jane."

Austin's POV

“Tsk tsk, you’ll really stoop to anything for money, huh? Even that?” Chris mocked, his voice oozing with disdain.

My mom saw right through him instantly. She knew exactly what he was—the third wheel, the one standing between Jane and me.

She tried to get up, probably wanting to defend me, but the pain in her body flared up and she collapsed back onto the sofa. Watching her struggle made my blood boil.

Without thinking, I stormed over and punched Chris hard across the face.

"Watch your filthy mouth, Sawyer! She is my mother!" I barked at him, my voice low and deadly.

Chris's initial shock widened his eyes, but this quickly gave way to mocking amusement.

"If you had such a distinguished family background, how come I was able to bully you back then?" he sneered. "A simple apology from me was all it took to end it. Austin, let’s face it. Without Jane, you're nothing!"

Back then, Jane always helped him out, but she never bothered to tell him the whole truth about me. She kept my family background a secret from him.

What she didn’t realize, though, was that her efforts to protect Chris’s pride—the pride of her first love—were exactly what caused his downfall.

Chris still didn’t get it. His eyes gleamed with pride as he spoke. “Lucky for you, you had the sense to leave early. That made room for Jane and me.”

“You—” He sneered, “you deserve to live like this with this old woman.”

But just as he laughed, his face twisted with sudden horror.

He screamed, “Ah! What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Chris, you brought this on yourself!” I shouted, my anger flaring as I yanked him by the collar, dragging him toward the door.

Suddenly, a hand appeared between us, yanking Chris out of my grip.

"Austin, what the hell is wrong with you. You just never learn!" Jane screamed, panic and fury written across her face.

It was one thing for Jane to defend Chris, but I never expected that, when it came to the life and death of my family, she would still show such bias.

My whole body shook with rage as I pointed at Chris.

Shaking, I shouted at Jane, "Do you even know what your precious lover has done? He nearly killed my mom!”

Only then did Jane notice her—my mom, unconscious on the sofa. She looked around and saw the family doctor already performing emergency procedures. My father sat beside her, holding her hand and crying quietly.

For a split second, guilt flickered in Jane’s eyes, but before it could sink in, Chris seized the moment and shifted back to his pitiful, victimized act.

“Jane... Oh… I’m in so much pain. Please, help me,” he groaned, playing the part.

Any hesitation in Jane disappeared. She held the trembling man in her arms, soothing him, while glaring at me with anger.

“Your mom’s still alive, isn’t she? You really have to go this far with Chris? Look at what you’ve done to him! He’s terrified!"

"Heh," I couldn't help but let out a humorless laugh.

Yeah, my mom’s life was hanging by a thread, but her precious lover? He was so terrified of me that his face drained of color.

At that moment, something inside me shattered.

"Jane, open your damn eyes and see what it really means to cross the line!" I took a step forward, grabbed Chris by his hair, and slammed his head hard against the floor.

"That's for your filthy mouth. That's for your nastiness. That's for crossing my boundaries over and over. And that's for hurting my family!"

The sickening sound of Chris’s head hitting the floor echoed through the room. Blood began to pool across the gleaming white floor.

Jane rushed to pull me off him, but I didn’t budge an inch.

In the past, I had always tried to make Jane feel loved—despite my size and strength, I acted like a gentle giant around her. I’d do whatever she asked without question, bending to her will.

But not today.

This time, I stood my ground.

Jane glared at me, her eyes burning with fury. “Let go!”

"Dream on!" I snapped back, my voice cold and unyielding.

Still, she tried again to pull me away, but when that failed, she desperately grabbed a metal hairpin from her head and stabbed it into the back of my hand.

The sharp end sank deep into my flesh, sending a jolt of pain through me.

But I just gritted my teeth and held on, refusing to let go.

Jane ignored the pain I was in, gripping the hairpin tighter with each passing second.

“Austin, let go now, or there will be no turning back between us!” she snapped, her voice sharp, cutting through the tension in the room.

I couldn't help but laugh, the sound cold and bitter. 'Huh, Jane still thought I’d regret this? Still thought I'd come crawling back?'

Initially, I had wanted to part on good terms out of respect for the years we shared. But now? It’s about ending this once and for all. No turning back.

Suddenly, I heard my mom stir behind me. Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned toward me, spitting out a mouthful of blood with a sickening cough.

“Mom!” I shouted, my voice cracking with panic. My chest felt like it was freezing over. “Jane, you’ve really pushed me too far! If I don’t make you and this bastard pay for this, I swear I’ll never carry the Hastings name again!”

My teeth ground together, and my hands were trembling with rage.

Without a second thought, I grabbed Chris by the hair, yanking it hard. The sound of hair tearing from his scalp was unmistakable.

Chris screamed, looking at the clump of hair still in my hand, and collapsed. In the chaos, Jane was knocked to the ground, too.

I didn’t waste a second. I bolted toward the emergency room, pushing my mom’s stretcher as fast as I could.