Chapter 3Go Bankrupt for Your First Love

Five years together had worn my love for Timothy down to nothing.

After hanging up, I immediately booked a flight three days from now. Then I packed up all the existing project materials and sent them to Karina.

When I finished, I noticed the two wedding rings lying on the table.

Mine was old, but I had carefully protected it all these years. I was always wary of leaving even the slightest scratch on it.

The man's ring, however, was crooked and covered in visible scratches.

I suddenly recalled that Timothy had worn a red bracelet around his wrist ever since we got married.

He had told me it was a blessing for safety and good fortune, and he treasured it so much that he wouldn't even let me touch it.

Yet today, I saw an identical red bracelet around Karina’s wrist.

They had carried on their sweet affair behind my back for countless days and nights. Not even an ocean between them had weakened their love.

I had only ever been the third wheel in their relationship.

I picked up both rings and tossed them forcefully into the trash.

That was when Timothy sent me a message.

[Karina invited the investors to dinner with us tonight. Since you can't drink anyway, don't come and ruin the mood.]

I closed the chat and began to pack my luggage with my head lowered.

To be honest, I could drink.

It was just that whenever I accompanied Timothy to business dinners in the past, I always drank juice instead of alcohol. The investors would merely click their tongues in disapproval.

That's because I was the one whose support and connections they needed.

But in Timothy's eyes, he always assumed I was too self-righteous and didn't know how to adapt.

Suddenly, the work group chat was filled with messages.

I opened it and saw that someone had secretly photographed Timothy and Karina outside an adults-only hotel.

[I heard a long time ago that Timothy was already married, and his wife works in our field too. No wonder Karina got promoted the moment she returned. Turns out they're married!]

[They really are a perfect match. This newlywed couple sure knows how to have fun. And here I was, shipping Mr. Jackson and Ms. Everton!]

I switched off my phone. I then put my luggage in the corner of the closet and made an appointment with a lawyer to prepare the divorce agreement.

As luck would have it, the lawyer was one of my college classmates. We got so caught up in our conversation that it was late at night by the time he drove me home.

I reminded him to be careful on the way home. The moment I turned around, I saw Timothy standing not far away. His expression was dark.

"Stacey, you actually went behind my back and hooked up with another man?"

I was somewhat surprised that he had come home tonight.

I had assumed he would spend the entire night at the hotel with Karina.

But I had no intention of standing in the cold wind arguing with him. I coldly looked away and continued walking toward the house.

Timothy caught up and grabbed me by the arm.

"What, you're just going to pretend you can't hear me? I abandoned all the investors and came home to comfort you, and this is how you treat me?

"Stacey, don't forget what you promised my dad!"

I stopped in my tracks.

Before Timothy's father passed away, he had expressed regret over not witnessing our wedding in person. I had knelt beside his hospital bed, held his hand, and promised him that I would take care of Timothy for the rest of my life.

I’d practically sworn on my life that my feelings would never change, but I wasn't the one who had changed.

Or perhaps his heart had never truly belonged to me in the first place.

He had forgotten my birthday. He had forgotten the promise we made to never betray each other. Now he had the nerve to accuse me of being unfaithful.

I stared at the fresh hickey on his neck just beneath his shirt collar. The hand in my pocket slowly curled into a fist.

"Believe whatever you want."

Timothy's frowned. The next moment, he reached out for my hand, his voice softening.

“Stacey, what’s gotten into you?”

The moment he saw my empty ring finger, his expression froze.

"Where's your ring?"

I pulled away with a snort.

"Timothy, you told me you lost your ring. Did you really lose it?"