Chapter 3

3

Clarissa didn't come home until well past midnight.

I figured she spent the night dealing with the PR nightmare I created.

To my surprise, I saw her in the living room the next morning.

She was sitting on the sofa, her brows furrowed with exhaustion.

When she saw me get up, she marched over to confront me.

"Do you have anything you want to say to me and Asher?"

I glanced at her casually and walked past her to the dining room.

"About what?" I asked indifferently.

Clarissa's face darkened instantly. I ignored her.

She pulled out her phone and showed me a screenshot of the comments from last night.

She threw the phone at me, and it hit the back of my hand with a sharp crack.

"Look at what you did!"

"Do you have any idea how much money and how many followers we lost because of that one comment?"

"Now everyone is asking if the rumors are true. If our career tanks, can you take responsibility for that?"

I winced at the pain in my hand, but she didn't care. She just kept screaming.

I looked at the phone. My comment was pinned right in the center of the screen.

Every single fan must have seen it.

I let out a short laugh and looked at her. "Clarissa, I've managed and promoted this account since day one. Have you ever paid me a single paycheck?"

I ignored her stunned expression and let out all the bitterness I'd kept inside.

In our second year of marriage, I quit my stable job because of one request from her.

I spent my nights and days editing their videos and managing their growth.

Only I knew how grueling that work was.

When the first big payment came in, I didn't see a cent of it.

I asked her about it, feeling hurt.

She just sweet-talked me. "We're a married couple. Why are we talking about money like strangers?"

"I'm keeping your salary in a savings account for our future."

I fell for it because I trusted her.

I even thought she was being sensible.

Now I realized that in her eyes, I was just a clown providing free labor.

Clarissa saw the coldness in my eyes and her anger turned into a stiff, awkward defense.

"Who said I never paid you? I've been keeping it safe for you!"

"Lukas Brooks, are you trying to quit? How dare you talk back to me like this?"

I stood up, tired of her voice.

She noticed my bare hand and froze for a second.

"Lukas, where is your wedding ring? Why aren't you wearing it?"

I was about to tell her I threw it away and that anyone could have my job.

But then, her phone rang.

She picked it up, and that familiar male voice leaked through the speaker.

"You must be exhausted after everything last night. That old man at your house probably can't even cook. I feel so bad for you."

"I made some soup before you left this morning. Why don't you come over and have a bowl, you little glutton?"

I watched Clarissa's lips curl into a quick, happy smile.

She grabbed her bag and started heading for the door.

"I've been craving your soup," she said into the phone. "I'll be there in ten minutes!"

I stood there, watching her back as she walked away from me again.

My heart was too numb to even feel the sting anymore.

Since she chose someone else again, I decided to let go.