Chapter 3

3

A sudden, piercing car horn dragged me violently back to reality. A sports car cut sharply in front of me, forcing me to slam on the brakes.

I pulled over to the shoulder, my face pale, cold sweat dripping down my forehead as my heart pounded erratically against my ribs.

I clutched my chest, slumping over the steering wheel, and through the corner of my eye, I saw Chase stepping out of his luxury coupe in a tailored suit, holding a bouquet of red roses.

Seeing me drenched in sweat, he put on a faux-apologetic smile.

"Jesse, man, I am so sorry! I was just messing around. I did not realize you were such a nervous driver."

"I did not mean to cut you off. It is just that these roses were so stunning, I thought they suited Audrey perfectly, so I rushed over. You really need to work on your driving skills."

Audrey showed zero concern for my condition. Instead, she adjusted her coat, stepped out, and glared at me.

"You cannot even handle driving a car. Truly useless."

Chase handed the roses to my wife with a charming smile, and Audrey took them naturally, not sparing me a single glance.

I had no energy to argue with them. I gritted my teeth against the stabbing pain in my chest, reaching for the emergency medication in the glove compartment.

Chase scoffed softly.

"Jesse, why are you pulling this act again? First it was depression after your mom passed away, and now you have a heart condition? It is just a bouquet of flowers, no need to be so jealous."

My face turned completely ash-gray. I looked at Audrey, but her eyes were filled with disgust.

"Are you not embarrassed to throw a dramatic fit like your mother used to do?"

She turned away from me and spoke warmly to Chase.

"It is great that you came by today. My mother mentioned earlier that Leo has been begging to see you."

"If Jesse wants to play the victim, let him stay here. We will head over first."

Chase smiled, though he pretended to hesitate. "Audrey, is that really okay? Since Jesse feels so unwell, maybe you should stay with him. I do not mind driving ahead alone."

Audrey let out a cold chuckle and looked back at me.

"Look at Chase. You are nearly six years older than him, yet you do not possess half his maturity."

Without another word, she left me on the side of the road and climbed into Chase's sports car, speeding away.

This was the woman I had spent nearly a decade loving.

Every vulnerability I had ever shared with her had been forged into a blade, driven straight into my weakest spots.

I curled up in the driver's seat, my vision fading to black, on the verge of losing consciousness.

Fortunately, the pill bottle was within reach. I swallowed the medication, barely clawing my way back from the edge.

If it were not for Leo, I would have turned the car around right then and there.

Whatever happened between Audrey and me was our problem, but an innocent child should never suffer the consequences of adult failures. I refused to let my son grow up without a father's love.