Chapter 1

On the day I found out my wife was cheating on me, I was getting ready to give her a necklace I had personally designed.

When I confronted her, she looked completely unbothered.

"I just took in a young college boy, what's so hard to accept? It's not like I want to divorce you."

Just took in a college boy?

In that moment, I realized I no longer recognized the woman I had been married to for five years.

When I asked for a divorce, she called me crazy.

So, I turned around and walked away, never looking back.

1

"I say, Lynda, where did you find such a handsome young college boy?"

"Seriously, you're making all us guys jealous."

"Old classmate, this boy toy you're keeping... not bad, huh?"

The VIP room door was slightly ajar, and every mocking word drifted clearly into my ears.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Thinking I had misheard, I leaned forward to peek inside.

The people talking were indeed my wife Lynda's college friends.

I had known Lynda for eight years and had been married to her for five. I knew almost everyone in her social circle.

Except for one person.

The young boy sitting right beside her was someone I had never seen before.

Hearing her friends tease her, Lynda simply chuckled and looked down at the kid.

Sensing her gaze, the young man tilted his head up to meet her eyes.

Even though Lynda was in her thirties, she took great care of herself. Sitting beside him, she still looked like his peer.

Still, there was no denying that the boy looked remarkably young.

"Kiss me," Lynda ordered with easy authority.

The boy leaned in instantly and kissed her lips.

Blood rushed straight to my head. I wanted nothing more than to storm inside, slap Lynda across the face, and demand to know why.

Yet in the end, I did nothing of the sort.

I turned around and walked away, acting as if I had never set foot in that place.

Back home, I stared at the exquisite necklace resting in my palm and fell into deep thought.

I had thought she would love it.

That was why I had quietly slipped over to the restaurant where she was dining.

Tonight was her college reunion. She had asked if I wanted to come, and I told her no.

In truth, I had only wanted to drop by quietly to give her a surprise.

I knew this was the dream piece she had always wanted, a custom design money couldn't buy.

Unfortunately, reality slapped me hard across the face.

The sting not only hurt, but it also unearthed memories I had long buried.

Back then, the only reason I met Lynda was because of my deadbeat father.

My parents had seemed devoted to each other their entire lives. I always thought their marriage was the gold standard.

Yet after I left for college, the cracks began to show.

At first, I assumed they were just an old married couple who had grown out of expressing affection.

It was not until the summer break of my freshman year, when I came home unannounced, that I stumbled upon their dirty secret.

My dad had stepped out on the marriage long ago, and my mom had known all along.

For my sake, they had kept up a mutual facade. Now that I was in college, they were gearing up for a divorce.

My dad claimed my mom had contributed nothing to the household and refused to give her a single dime of his assets.

My mom argued that she had spent decades taking care of us, sacrificing everything. Since my dad was the cheating party at fault, asking for half was entirely fair.

Their arguments were ferocious.

"You think you're so innocent?" my dad sneered, pointing a finger at my mom in utter disgust. "Don't think I don't know you've been keeping a young side piece of your own!"

"I only learned from the best!" my mom shouted back. "Your mistress is already pregnant, you think I'm blind?"

They fought viciously, never noticing that I was standing right there.

Watching the two people who once loved each other tear at each other's throats, my entire worldview collapsed.

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out the front door.