Six years ago, my wife, Suzanne Adkins and I went on a trip overseas to Italy.

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway, something to refresh our relationship. But things went horribly wrong. We were kidnapped by a group of mafias who wanted ransom.

Those mafias told us that only one of us could be released if our family paid the ransom. Our money could only save one person. Without hesitation, I told them to let Suzanne go. I stayed behind so she could return home safely.

After that, I thought she would come back for me. I thought she would find a way to bring me home. To my shock, she never did.

Instead, someone else saved me.

It was a powerful woman named Talia Barbaro who owned Hera Group, which was a large Italian company. She was the one who paid the ransom and rescued me. In return, I had to work for her.

Nevertheless, I worked diligently. I became her assistant, then her right-hand man. For six long years, I helped her with her business, traveled with her and took care of everything she needed. She was strict, but she was fair. She gave me food, shelter and even respect.

Finally, after six years, I finished my work. Everything Talia needed was settled. She let me go and wished me luck as I returned to the United States.

But nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I came back.

Suzanne had become a successful businesswoman. She was a rich and powerful businesswoman who was also known for her beauty. However, I was heartbroken to find out that she had two children and a man by her side who looked like the perfect husband.

But that man wasn’t me.

The truth was, Suzanne had moved on. She had built a new life while I was still overseas, struggling to survive. It really broke me.

In anger and disbelief, I asked her, “Suzanne, why didn’t you wait for me? Why didn’t you try to save me? You had the money. You could’ve brought me back!”

She stared at me coldly and said, “Alexander, why should I save you?”

Her words hit me like a slap in the face.

“Six years have already passed,” she continued.

She then coldly said, “You were probably already dead. And even if you weren’t, why would I save someone like you? You’re useless to me.”

I laughed, but there was no joy in it. Actually, it was the kind of laugh that hid pain. Besides, we were married at one point.

However, the realization quickly came over me.

So, this was how she saw me? A useless man who wasn’t even worth saving? I gave up everything for her, but this is what I got in return.

At that moment, I felt nothing but hate for Suzanne. Yet, she then said something that made me even angrier. It was madness.

——

“Alexander, we’re still legally married,” she said.

“And my company is about to go public. If people find out I got divorced now, it will affect everything. I could lose a lot of money.”

Suzanne didn’t care about me. Instead, she only cared about her business, her image and her money. What a disgusting woman!

How could I ever fall in love with someone like her?

I looked at her and said calmly, “Suzanne, let’s get divorced.”

When Suzzane heard my intention, she said nothing. Instead, she turned around and signaled to some people nearby. Before I could react, several men grabbed me and dragged me away. They locked me in a room.

“Stay here and calm down,” Suzanne said coldly.

“As long as you behave, you’re still my husband. My children will take care of you in the future. But if you don’t listen, I can always send you overseas again.”

Then, she left without another word.

I was trapped. Two bodyguards stood outside the door. I couldn’t leave. I had nothing.

Fortunately, Suzanne made one mistake. That mistake was the fact that she didn’t take my phone. She might think that someone like me wouldn’t have a working phone. Or, rather, she didn’t care enough to check.

What she didn’t know was that I didn’t come back alone.

I picked up my phone and called Talia.

“Talia, I need your help,” I said quietly.

My voice was shaking as I said it. I didn’t realize I was crying until I felt the tears on my face. After all, I would never expect this to happen.

“I told you,” Talia replied, her voice strong but kind.

“A woman who would leave you behind like that would never stay with you forever.”

“I’ll be there in three days. Stay in the Wilkins family’s mansion. Don’t worry, I’ll come get you, Alexander.”

Her words calmed me.

What Suzanne didn’t know was that the day she left me in Italy, it was Talia who showed up. She didn’t let me become an organ donor like the kidnappers planned. Instead, she saved me and gave me a new life. Not only that, she trained me well.

In fact, over the years, Talia gave me a lot of money. She said it was her way of thanking me for my loyalty. Now, I had more money than even Suzanne. It was that I just didn’t show it.

Sadly, I no longer worked for Talia. Our business was done, so I came back hoping to find peace. But now I knew I would not find peace here. Not while Suzanne still controlled everything.

Now, I had to make sure that Suzanne would have to pay for what she did.

Since Talia said she wouldn’t arrive for another three days, I had no choice but to stay at the Wilkins family’s mansion. I didn’t want to be here, but I had nowhere else to go.

I thought I would be left alone for those few days. But to my surprise, Suzanne came into my room that very night. She walked in calmly, sat across from me and looked me in the eyes. There was no guilt in her expression. Only coldness remained.

“Alexander,” she called my name in a quiet but firm voice.

After that, she continued to speak, “If you behave and don’t cause any trouble, I promise I’ll divorce you after my company goes public.”

I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

“But at that time,” she said as she kept looking at me in the eyes.

She then spoke, “You’ll have to sign an agreement. I’ll give you one million dollars. After that, you’ll take the money and disappear from my life. Forever.”

Suzanne paused and stared at me like I was a stranger.

“I’m with Gregory Wilkins now. We have children. All of my assets belong to me and the kids I have with him. That’s how it should be.”

Her words felt like a knife to my chest.

I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a bitter, empty laugh. So, this was the woman I had once loved so deeply. The woman I had sacrificed everything for.

Six years ago, I had sold all my assets in the U.S. so that Suzanne could escape. I stayed behind, willing to face an unknown fate because I thought she would keep her promise to come back for me. I remembered clearly how she hugged me tightly before leaving.

After that, Suzanne cried and told me to wait for her, no matter what. She promised she would raise the money to bring me home. But the truth was? She never tried. She never planned to.

Instead, Suzanne returned to the U.S. and quickly got together with Gregory. Their oldest child was already five years old by now. That meant she started her new life with him not long after she returned. She had completely erased me from her life.

It seemed that Suzanne had always seen me as someone weak and useless. I was someone not worth fighting for. The thought really hurt me.

But if it wasn’t for Suzanne, I would have never been in that situation to begin with. I never wanted to go on that trip. It was her idea. And when things went wrong, it was my house I sold to pay for her freedom.

And now she stood before me, offering a small piece of money like I was some beggar.

I looked at her and gave a cold smile.

“Suzanne, I know. I understand.”

It was just three more days. Talia had powerful connections here in the U.S. Once she arrived, everything would change. I just had to be patient.

“Good,” Suzanne said as she pulled out a paper from her bag.

“Sign this, then.”

I looked at the document. It was a divorce agreement. It said that I would receive one million dollars in exchange for giving up all rights to her or her property.

I didn’t hesitate. I took the pen and signed it.

“I’ve signed it. Now, can I leave?” I asked her, my voice calm but full of cold anger.

She narrowed her eyes as she answered, “Of course not. You’ll stay here until the company goes public. Once it’s done, then you can leave.”

After saying this, Suzanne turned around and left the room. I tried to follow her, but the two bodyguards at the door stepped in front of me and blocked the way. There was no chance I could get out.

I stood there for a moment, then sat back down with a sigh. Of course, she wouldn’t let me go. Not yet. I was just a piece in her game. A husband on paper. She needed me to keep quiet until her plans were safe.

I sat in the room alone, thinking about everything I had given up for Suzanne. My youth, my money and my freedom. And in return, I got betrayal.

By nightfall, I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten anything since the afternoon. My stomach growled loudly.

I opened the door and looked at the guards.

“I need to eat,” I said, trying to stay calm.

But they only looked at me without any emotion. One of them shook his head.

“You’re not allowed out,” he said coldly.

I felt my heart go colder than before. Suzanne had put me under house arrest and didn’t even care if I starved. Just as I was about to argue, the door opened again. A man walked in, holding a small basin of food. He smiled politely at me.

Behind him were two children.

They were Suzanne’s kids.

The older boy stared at me with wide eyes. Then, he pointed at me and said loudly, “Dad, is this the bad man who wants to take Mommy away? Is this Mommy’s secret lover?”

I froze. For a moment, I couldn’t speak. Then, I realized who the children were.

Suzanne’s children. Her children with Gregory. The older boy had called me a bad man. His mother’s secret lover. Even the children had been taught to hate me.

My hands clenched into fists and I looked away. This woman had not only betrayed me. She had turned me into a villain in the eyes of her new family.

But it was fine.

The clock was ticking.

In just three days, everything would change.

When I heard the older boy, I looked at him coldly and said, “I’m not your mother’s secret lover. Your father is.”

“You bad guy! Not only do you want to take my mommy away, now you’re saying my daddy is the secret lover!”

“I’ll beat you up!”

He actually rushed at me, throwing a thin little fist toward my chest. I caught his arm and gently pushed him away, but the boy fell to the ground and burst into loud, dramatic sobs.

Gregory’s face twisted with anger.

Without hesitation, he shouted at the bodyguards, “Hold him down!”

The two bodyguards grabbed me and forced me to the ground. Gregory stepped forward and slapped me twice hard. My face stung, but I glared at him with nothing but hatred.

“Alexander,” Gregory called my name in a mocking tone while he was smirking.

He continued, trying to hurt me, “Suzanne and I actually love each other.”

“You think she ever really loved you?”

He scoffed as he kept speaking, “You have no idea, do you? That kidnapping years ago? She planned it with the kidnappers.”

I froze.

“She knew you’d give up everything for her. She used it to trick you. She even took back half the ransom you paid!”

“She built her little empire with your money,” he added, sneering.

“And guess what? She was already pregnant with my child back then.”

My entire body went cold. I … never knew about this. So, all those promises... all those tears... everything was a lie?

Gregory leaned closer, his voice turning cruel as he said, “You probably caught some disease in that filthy place you came from. Honestly, you're probably still alive because you learned to live like a dog.”

“Men like you? You’re only worthy of crawling.”

He grabbed a metal bowl and dumped dry dog food into it right in front of me.

“You don’t deserve real food. You deserve this.”

Then, without warning, he slapped me again and shoved a handful of the dog food into my mouth. I tried to resist, to spit it out. But he gripped my jaw tightly, forcing me to swallow.

“Listen, Suzanne won’t be back for a few days,” Gregory said, brushing off his hands like I was dirt.

“You better stay right here, nice and obedient.”

“And this,” he kicked the bowl toward me.

As he directed the bowl to my face, he continued, “This is all you’re getting to eat.”

The older boy watched me from the corner, giggling when he saw what his father had done.

“He’s a puppy! A dirty puppy no one wants!”

He skipped over to me and stomped on my face with his small foot before laughing and running off.

Gregory stayed a moment longer, towering over me.

“What? Can’t handle it?” he asked mockingly.

He continued, “I’m sure you’re used to this by now. You survived all those years like a mutt, didn’t you?”

“Hell, they probably released you because you were too sick to keep.”

I didn’t respond. I just stared at him, burning with silent fury. He gave me one last smug smile, then turned and walked away.

Again, I had to be patient. Besides, I would ruin their lives forever. I just had to wait.