Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Instead of booking them a hotel, I called a fleet of cabs and had them all driven straight to the suburban cemetery.

The moment the car doors swung open, Derek stomped out and slammed the door with a loud thud.

"Why the hell did you bring us here? I just got married! Don't bring bad luck onto my new family with this depressing place!"

I calmly pulled a cigarette from my pocket, lit it, and pointed toward the headstone ahead.

"Does that name look familiar to you?"

He had never visited the grave, so he naturally had no idea what I was talking about.

He barked in frustration, "Stop playing mind games with me! Take us to the hotel right now. Everyone is exhausted!"

Even at this very moment, his only concern was pleasing Chelsea's demanding family.

Our five years together, and my grieving family, were nothing more than dirt under his shoes.

I let out a cold, sharp laugh.

"You are tired? Did you ever stop to think about how my father felt? Did you wonder what he was thinking as he took his final breath while clutching my hand in that hospital room?"

Derek staggered backward, his face losing some of its color.

"What... what are you talking about?"

I stared straight at the cold granite headstone in the distance.

"He is lying right there. Are you too much of a coward to even face him?"

"Or do you know deep down that you have no right to stand in front of him?"

Derek froze for a few seconds before lunging forward and grabbing my sleeve violently.

"Just because I couldn't make it in time, you buried Dad without me? Do you have any conscience at all?!"

It was almost comical how the guilty party always managed to play the victim.

He had betrayed me in the most horrific way, yet he still had the nerve to point fingers at me.

I shoved him backward with all my strength, watching him stumble to the ground.

"Because of you? Who do you think you are? Your selfish actions shattered my father's heart long before he died!"

"All he wanted was to see you one last time, but where were you when I called? You were checking into a hotel room with Chelsea!"

Remembering that awful night, my eyes burned with unshed tears.

I wanted nothing more than to tear both of them apart.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Derek lowered his gaze, unable to meet my eyes.

Chelsea's father, however, crossed his arms and sneered loudly.

"It is not that big of a deal! You are just a driver, so know your place before you get fired!"

Chelsea chimed in, nodding eagerly beside her father.

"Exactly! Derek and I are legally married now. Do we need your permission for what we do?"

My expression turned colder with every passing second. This entire family was a pack of shameless leeches.

They had drained Derek dry, and now they wanted to leech off me, too.

I would never let that happen.

If I gave in now, I would never be able to face my father in the afterlife.

Seeing the icy resolve in my eyes, Derek realized I was truly done playing his games.

He quickly softened his tone, stepping forward to reach for my hands.

"Look, let's go home and talk behind closed doors, okay? Stop making a scene here. Just let me pay my respects to Dad."

I shook my head firmly.

"You can come up, but they stay right here."

I refused to let these disgusting people disturb my father's eternal peace.

Chelsea's father immediately scowled in outrage. "You little brat, how dare you―"

"I agree," Derek cut him off hastily. "Just take me up there now."

I turned around in silence, and Derek trailed behind me, muttering endless excuses.

"What were you thinking, holding the funeral without telling me? If people find out, they will laugh at me for missing it!"

"What did Dad say before he passed? I know I made a mistake, but you cannot treat me like an enemy."

No matter what he said, my only response was cold, unbroken silence.

Eventually, he lost his temper, grabbing my wrist to yank me to a halt.

"Why are you acting like this? You have become so bitter and selfish!"

I stopped, turning around to look at him with utter disappointment.

"I called you that night, Derek. But you were in the shower, and Chelsea answered your phone."

Derek's pupils dilated in absolute shock. He hurriedly yanked his phone from his pocket to check the call logs.

Staring at that single call record, his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

For the first time in five years, I saw genuine guilt flash across his features.

"I... we were just really exhausted that night, so I took a shower first... but I swear nothing happened between us!"

I raised a hand, cutting off his pathetic stammering.

"Whatever you did has nothing to do with me anymore. After today, we are complete strangers."

"I only brought you here to honor my father's final wish. Do not flatter yourself."

Derek looked down, his voice cracking with panic.

"You are just speaking out of anger... You would never actually leave me, right?"

I knelt before my father's grave, pressed my forehead against the cold stone, and stood back up with absolute clarity.

I made the most important decision of my entire life.

"Derek Holloway, we are officially over."