Chapter 3

3

I was so furious I couldn't even speak.

In my current condition, I could barely stand on my own feet, let alone hit anyone.

How ridiculous.

The hallway began to spin, and the last bit of my energy completely vanished.

A searing pain flared up in my stomach, accompanied by an intense wave of nausea.

I tried to push myself up from the floor, but Kendra grabbed my collar and yanked me back down.

"Don't you dare move! You hit him and now you want to run? Apologize to Brody right now!"

She looked at me as if I were her worst enemy, ready to force my head to the ground.

I gasped for air, fighting through the dizziness, and told her to let go so I could rest.

Instead of letting go, she tossed me aside like a bag of garbage.

"You are a grown-ass man! Stop playing the fragile victim! Do you think you're some tragic drama queen?"

"I barely touched you and you collapse? Who are you trying to fool?"

The world around me faded into a dark blur, but her venomous words rang loud and clear.

"I didn't even touch him. Why the hell should I apologize?"

"Let go of me, or don't blame me for what happens next!"

Kendra's eyes flashed with rage, and she slapped me across the face again.

"What are you going to do to me? You want to hit a woman now?"

I swallowed the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and glared at her.

"I wouldn't dare. But the filthy games you two are playing will be all over town by tomorrow."

Her face turned bright red, and she lunged forward to scratch my face.

Before her nails could touch me, my stomach convulsed, and I threw up bile and blood all over her designer jacket.

Kendra froze, covered in vomit, but instead of screaming, she began patting my back awkwardly.

"Why do you have to push things this far? Come on, I'll take you to see a doctor."

I ignored her completely and stumbled into the nearby men's restroom to wash up.

Kendra marched right into the restroom behind me.

"Look, Cole, you're in your thirties now. You're not a teenager anymore, so stop making things ugly for both of us."

"I was wrong to push you earlier, but you shouldn't have touched Brody either."

"Let's just go see the doctor, okay?"

Her fake sweetness only made me sicker, and I shoved her away with whatever strength I had left.

"Get away from me."

I was completely done with her toxic games and exhausting mind traps.

Kendra stared at me in disbelief before her temper flared up again.

"Cole, don't push your luck! I'm already lowering myself to apologize, and you're still throwing a fit?"

"You act like an immature brat who can't even control his own temper!"

"Compared to Brody, you are an absolute embarrassment."

"If you hate me this much, let's just get a divorce!"

This was not the first time she had threatened me with divorce.

Every time she wanted to force me into submission, she pulled out this ultimate weapon.

In the past, I would immediately beg for her forgiveness and plead with her to stay.

This time, I looked straight into her eyes and nodded calmly.

"Fine. Let's get a divorce."

Kendra smirked, thinking she had won again.

"Good that you know your place… wait, Cole, what did you just say?"

Her voice shot up an octave, filled with raw shock.

I repeated myself, my voice steady and unwavering.

"I said fine. You want a divorce, and I agree."

She looked rattled, clearly feeling her control slipping away, until I pulled out the folded divorce settlement from my coat.

She stared at the papers in absolute disbelief.

"What is this? Are you trying to intimidate me? You think this cheap trick will scare me into begging you?"

I didn't waste a single breath arguing.

I borrowed a pen from a nearby nurse, signed my name firmly on the line, and shoved the papers into Kendra's hands.

She stared at my signature, her voice trembling.

"Cole, are you serious?"

"What do you actually want from me?"

Seeing the utter confusion on her face brought a sudden wave of sweet relief.

Walking away from a toxic marriage felt shockingly easy.

Brody stepped forward, playing the gentle white knight as he pulled out tissues to wipe the stains off Kendra's coat.

"Kendra, if he really wants to throw away your marriage, there is nothing you can do. You've tried your best, but it seems he never loved you as much as he claimed."

"In my opinion, he's just using your kindness to walk all over your boundaries."

Compared to the charming, attentive Brody, I looked like an unreasonable villain.

His little speech made him and Kendra look like star-crossed lovers while painting me as the bitter third wheel.

Kendra instantly regained her composure after hearing Brody's words.

"See that, Cole? That is what a real man looks like. Brody is mature, gentle, and generous, while you act like a petty child."

"If you want to drag this out, I will play along. But you are apologizing to Brody today, no matter what!"

The whole situation was laughable.

For years, I had begged her not to leave me while she constantly threw divorce in my face.

Now that I agreed, she was the one hesitating.

A violent wave of nausea hit me again, and I rushed to the sink to dry heave until my ribs ached.

By the time I walked out of the restroom, Kendra and Brody were already gone.

I dragged myself to the oncology clinic, where the specialist handed me my test results.

I had been diagnosed with early-stage leukemia.

Fortunately, because it was caught very early, the cure rate was extremely high with proper treatment.