Chapter 1

"Honey, Ethan's my best friend, and he's not doing well now. I really need to be there for him! I might not make it home tonight, so don't worry about waiting for me!" It was midnight. Zachary Lloyd was sitting in the hospital ward, staring at the WhatsApp message his wife, Wendy Jennings, had sent five hours earlier. A rush of bitterness came over him. They'd been married for five years, and today was supposed to be their anniversary. Wendy had asked Zachary to book a reservation at a restaurant and invite all their friends to celebrate. But after waiting two hours, she still hadn't shown up. Zachary kept calling her, but there was no answer. It wasn't until dinner was over and he had reluctantly said goodbye to their friends that Wendy finally messaged him. Zachary was furious. This was the fourth time this month Wendy had flaked on him, and it was always because of that guy, Ethan Chandler. The first time, Ethan had a work issue, and she went to help him out with a client. The second time, he'd broken up with his girlfriend, gotten into a bar fight while drunk, and ended up at the police station. Then, there was the third time he lost a game of truth or dare and called her for help. They even ended up sharing a drink. And now, it was because Ethan was sick! Wendy always seemed to prioritize Ethan over everything else. Zachary had never really gotten it before, but tonight, one of Wendy's close friends filled him in on Wendy's history with Ethan. They had been together during university and dated for four years before splitting up right after graduation. Ethan decided to go abroad to further his studies, and Wendy wasn't on board with that, so he ended things. He had been the one person Wendy just couldn't move on from ever since. About a month after they broke up, Zachary came into Wendy's life. He was smitten the moment he laid eyes on her. After three months of trying hard to win her over, he finally succeeded. Wendy had no idea that Zachary was far from ordinary. His mother, Lauren Delaney, was a big name in finance and had set up an arranged marriage for him when he was still a kid. However, Zachary chose Wendy instead, which led to a serious fallout with Lauren. After that, she cut him off completely and stopped supporting him financially. Still, Zachary never looked back. He had been genuinely happy in the five years they'd been married. He never complained even when Wendy's whims had him quitting his job to be her driver and stay-at-home husband. He didn't mind even with Wendy's father constantly looking down on him, mocking him, and making his life hard on purpose. Zachary was ready to give up anything and put up with whatever came his way as long as Wendy was happy. Their relationship was great at first, but everything changed a month ago when Ethan returned from abroad. When Wendy found out he was back, she rushed to the airport to meet him. That night, she drank way too much, and it was Zachary who drove her home. As soon as they got back, she shut herself in the room and cried for hours. That was the first and only time Zachary had seen Ethan since he came back. Ethan was charming and handsome. Wendy had told Zachary that Ethan was the heartthrob of their university and had tons of admirers. Zachary had just shrugged it off with a smile back then, thinking it was none of his concern. He had no idea that the guy he'd dismissed as irrelevant would soon become a big source of tension in their marriage just a month later. After dinner, Zachary got Ethan's contact info from a friend. He wanted to reach out to Wendy directly, but she had turned off her phone after that last message. So, he called Ethan instead. When Ethan picked up, he said that Wendy was in the shower and would be crashing at his place for the night, so there was nothing to worry about. That really set Zachary off. He yelled at Ethan on the phone, calling him a homewrecker. However, Ethan simply shot back, "The real third wheel is the one who isn't loved." Then, he hung up. Zachary was devastated. He'd been so desperate to find Wendy that he ended up crashing his car while looking for her. Luckily, he only came away with a few sprains and bruises, but it still landed him in the hospital, where he'd been kept under observation until now. The doctor gave him the green light to leave when his phone chimed. It was a message from Ethan on WhatsApp. Zachary opened it to see that Ethan had sent him three photos of Wendy. In the first shot, her eyes were hazy from the alcohol, and her expression was full of longing. The second one showed her lounging in a hotel bathrobe, raising a glass of wine for a toast. The third photo showed her lying in bed, eyes closed like asleep. Her bare shoulders peeked out from under the blanket. The photos hit Zachary like a punch to the gut. The pain was so overwhelming that he felt breathless. His vision blurred, and he nearly buckled under the weight of it all. He was typing a message with shaky hands when he saw that Ethan had deleted all three photos. When Zachary finally pressed send, he found that the message didn't go through. The emotions crashing over him in that moment were beyond words. Zachary left the hospital and realized it had started to rain. Instead of trying to hail a cab, he walked through the downpour, heading back to the home he'd shared with Wendy for the past five years. Then, he stepped onto the balcony, staring into the vast darkness as he lit one cigarette after another. Memories from his childhood and beyond rushed back—scenes filled with beauty, sweetness, innocence, the thrill of first love, happiness, heartache, and despair. "How did I get so weak and pathetic? I wasn't like this before! When did I start to lose myself? When did I become so afraid of losing it all? No way! This isn't who I am! I… can't keep living like this!" Something changed within Zachary, and a spark of hope flickered in his once dull eyes. He took a deep breath, went back to his room, grabbed a clean set of clothes, and rushed to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, Zachary returned to the living room and called a number he hadn't dialed in five years—Lauren's. When she answered, Zachary let out a dry laugh, his voice coming out hoarse. "Mom, you were right. I was such a fool. I really messed up. I'm sorry!" There was a long silence on the other end. After a few minutes, Lauren's gentle voice broke the silence. "If you need to cry, go ahead. I won't laugh at you." "Mom…" Zachary couldn't hold it in any longer. He tilted his head back, buried his face in his hands, and let it all out. He wept bitterly, his tears filled with despair. Lauren stayed quiet the whole time. It was only when Zachary's sobs started to fade that she finally said something. "Zachary, I've been aware of everything that's been going on with you for the last five years, including what's happened this past month and today. "You've been through a lot, but I'm not going to feel sorry for you or try to comfort you. This is all your own doing. "You're my son. I don't want to see you becoming someone who just lets others walk all over you without having the guts to stand up for yourself. "I won't accept your apology, but I'm giving you a chance to prove you can make things right. I started a subsidiary in Yelbric that's been quietly keeping Jennings Corporation afloat since you tied the knot. "The last five years have really set me back because I've been supporting the Jennings family. But I'm a businesswoman and won't throw money at things that don't pay off. "So here's the deal. I'm giving you one year to make up for everything I've lost, including your own dignity. I want them to deal with the fallout, whether it's Wendy or her family. "If you can make that happen, I'll accept you as my son. If not, don't even think about reaching out to me again." Lauren's voice was calm, but Zachary could sense the anger simmering beneath the surface. He took a deep breath and said slowly, "Mom, don't worry. I promise I won't let you down this time!" "Great. I'll have the head of Yelbric's subsidiary contact you soon. You're in charge of the whole subsidiary from now on." With that, Lauren hung up. That was just how she was—always quick and to the point. After crying his heart out and finally making things right with Lauren, Zachary felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The pressure of all those bottled-up feelings seemed to fade away. He looked out the window and noticed that dawn had quietly arrived. The night was behind him, and a new day was starting. All the humiliation and shame felt like distant memories now. Zachary felt like he was beginning a new chapter in his life. … At 7:20 a.m., Ethan helped Wendy back to her place. Their clothes were a mess as if they were still feeling the effects of last night's hangover. Wendy leaned on Ethan, rubbing her forehead over and over. She didn't notice Zachary on the couch, but Ethan spotted him immediately. Noticing Zachary watching him, Ethan instinctively pulled his arm away from Wendy's waist. He flashed Zachary a taunting smile. Then, he leaned close to Wendy's ear and whispered, "Wendy, look." Wendy furrowed her brow and shot Zachary a cold look. "You're up pretty early, huh?" There was no hint of guilt or apology in her tone. She held Zachary's gaze steady, and before he could respond, she said, "I've got a headache. Go make me a hangover remedy." Ethan hurriedly interjected, saying, "Wendy, make sure to rest up. I'm heading out now." With that, he turned and walked away. Wendy grabbed his wrist. "You had a lot to drink last night too. Why not stay and nurse your hangover a little before you go?" "I don't think that's a good idea," Ethan said, but he paused at the door. He glanced at Zachary, who was sitting quietly on the couch, and flashed him an awkward smile. "Your 'husband' doesn't look too happy. He might get the wrong idea if I stick around." Wendy turned to Zachary, her patience wearing thin, and her voice getting sharper. "Zachary, are you deaf or something? I asked you to whip up that hangover remedy. Didn't you catch that?" She frowned. Zachary's attitude was really getting to her. He used to hang on her every word, but today he was being a real pain and making her feel embarrassed. Ethan smirked a little, his eyes locked on Zachary, clearly interested to see how he'd react. Zachary glanced at them, his voice flat. "What's wrong with you? Are you disabled or something?" Wendy and Ethan were taken aback. They didn't see that coming from Zachary. Unsure if she had heard him correctly, Wendy asked, "W-What did you just say?" "Are you deaf?" Zachary snapped, grabbing a pack of cigarettes from the table. He pulled one out, lit it, took a long drag, and exhaled slowly. His voice was biting as he continued, "I asked if something's wrong with you! What gives you the right to ask me for a hangover remedy? Do you think you deserve it?" Even though he tried to stay calm, his voice shot up, revealing the anger brewing beneath the surface.