Chapter 2

2 Around noon the next day, Roxanne's call came through.

"Corbin, where did you go? Why aren't you home?"

I checked the time and answered coldly.

"You only just noticed I am not home?"

Roxanne paused for a second before snapping at me impatiently.

"I told you already, I was worried Kyle would hurt himself. I was scared he would do something stupid."

"Nothing happened between us. I stayed up all night watching him, and he was screaming my name in his nightmares."

"Can you just give me some time? Stop making a fuss over nothing."

"Ha," I chuckled dryly.

On Valentine's Day, on our way to get married, my future wife spent the night in another man's apartment.

If word got out, people would laugh their heads off.

Yet Roxanne did not care about my feelings in the slightest.

To her, I had no right to show irritation or push back.

I hung up the phone and drove back to my father's house.

The moment I walked through the door, my dad sighed deeply.

"Seeing your post last night, I knew you did not get the license again."

"Tell me, son, when are you finally going to bring Roxanne back into this family?"

"If the family line ends with you, I will break your legs!"

I looked at my dad, feeling a wave of exhaustion.

"Dad, you should keep running the headquarters here yourself."

"I want to take over our overseas branch and focus on expanding new projects abroad."

My dad's eyes lit up with excitement.

"You mean you are taking Roxanne abroad with you?"

"That is good too. It will get you away from all the daily drama here."

"Son, I do not have many good years left in me. Wait any longer, and I will not even have the strength to hold my grandkids."

I knew his health was declining from working too hard when he was young.

His greatest wish was to see me settled down with a family.

Thinking of Roxanne, a wave of guilt washed over me.

"I am sorry, Dad. You have had to worry too much about me. Going abroad will help me sort things out."

"The domestic company barely needs heavy management now anyway. You just need to keep an eye on things."

My dad let out a soft sigh and shook his head quietly.

In truth, I had wanted to take over the overseas division long ago. I had reached my limit.

Every time I planned to leave, Roxanne stopped me.

After our third failed attempt at City Hall, I was packed and ready to go.

Every time after that, she used the promise of marriage to keep me tethered.

"Our family business is rooted here. If you leave, what about me?"

"You would not really leave me all alone in the country, would you?"

"Anyone can handle the overseas branch. You do not need to go that far away!"

Because of her pleading, I gave up one golden opportunity after another.

Expanding into the international market would have taken our company to the next level.

Yet for her, I gave it all up.