Chapter 1The Second Goodbye is Forever

Three years into my fake death, my wife and daughter showed up at my door. To get rid of them, I grabbed a knife and threatened to end my life.

Then my seven-year-old daughter put her hand on my father's ventilator. Claire Harrison stood beside her, her voice trembling as she delivered her ultimatum.

"Wesley, either you see your father suffocate to death, or you come back and be my husband again. Your choice."

I was shaking with rage, but I put down the knife and remarried her.

Walking back into that familiar villa, I became the Harrison family's model "devoted husband and father."

When my foster brother needed her company because he was feeling down, I cleared out and booked myself a hotel. I ended up with a perforated ulcer, went into surgery, and never once called her.

When my daughter got picky and said she only wanted her uncle's cooking, I went straight to Dylan's place and brought him back to live with us.

Even on my birthday, when Dylan suddenly started crying and said, "I'm so jealous of you, Wesley. You've got such a wonderful wife and kid. Me? I've never even gotten a decent birthday present," I didn't hesitate—I slid the onyx bead bracelet off my wrist and pressed it into his hand.

The deep black beads gleamed against his pale skin. But Claire's eyes went red. She grabbed my wrist, her voice sharp as a blade. "Wesley, that was the love token I prayed for you—step by step on my knees—all the way across the Mojave."

* * *

The air went dead.

Dylan quickly grabbed the bracelet and made a show of pulling it off. "I'm so sorry, Claire—I had no idea this was your love token. I'll give it right back to Wesley."

Beside him, little Maya's face tightened. She pointed an accusing finger at me. "Dad knew exactly how precious it was, and he shoved it at Uncle Dylan on purpose—just to embarrass him. Dad, you're a total jerk!"

Claire stared at me, her eyes fixed and heavy with exhaustion. "Wesley. How much longer are you going to keep this up? I brought you back here because I wanted us to actually make this work."

All I felt was bitter absurdity.

Back then, if Dylan wanted something and I took even a second too long to hand it over, I'd pay for it. Now I was being obedient—and she still wasn't happy.

I turned, picked up the limited-edition watch Claire had just given me, and held it out to Dylan. "Is the bracelet not enough for you? Here. Take this too."

Claire's face went ashen. She shot up and swept the birthday cake off the table with one arm.

Cream splattered across my shirt. The porcelain plate shattered on the floor.

"Wesley, do you have to be this sarcastic and calculated? Just to hurt me?"

"I'm not."

Claire shut her eyes and forced herself to breathe. "I know you're still angry that I put Dylan in the ambulance first. But he was hemorrhaging—he almost didn't make it. And I've spent all these years searching for a heart donor that matches you, because I never wanted that kind of tragedy to happen again. Wesley, please. Stop sulking. Just try with me. Okay?"

I gave her a hollow nod.

Maya shot up from her chair, fuming. "Mom already apologized! Why are you still so cold? No wonder nobody in this family likes you except Grandpa."

That landed like a blow straight to my heart.

I let out a cold laugh. "Good. Because aside from your Grandpa, I don't like a single one of you either."

Claire went rigid. Her eyes turned icy to the core. "Fine. Since you don't care about anything and don't like anyone, here's the new arrangement—starting today, Dylan and I will sleep in the master bedroom. You can move down to the servant's quarters."

I didn't argue. I just turned and walked calmly upstairs.

Behind me, Maya clapped her little hands and cheered. "Yes! Now I get to sleep with Mom and Uncle Dylan every single night!"