Chapter 1All Out of Love

My wife, Ally Martin, is a CEO who's convinced that every man who married her only wanted her money. Any expense of mine over a hundred dollars has to go through her for approval first.

I loved her enough to become the man standing quietly behind her empire.

But the day I got into a car accident, she turned down my three-thousand-dollar surgery request.

"Do you have any idea how many people live on three thousand dollars a month? I don't make money so you can leech off me!"

The surgery came too late. My hand was left permanently disabled.

I'd only just come off the operating table when her childhood friend, freshly back from abroad, posted on Instagram. The photo showed off a watch worth five million dollars.

The caption read: [Guess some girls never really grow up. She's still willing to give me the best of everything, just like when we were kids.]

He'd tagged Ally.

I didn't blow up the way I used to.

Instead, I liked the post and left a comment of my own: [Good for you two. Spend the rest of your lives like this.]

* * *

"Robby, what did you mean by that comment you left for Zack? Everyone was having a great time. Because of one thing you said, he's still beating himself up over it!

"He just got back from abroad. What's wrong with me giving him a gift? We grew up together. Can't you stop jumping to conclusions and acting so..."

Ally Martin never got the word "jealous" out. I cut her off first.

"Is that right? Sorry. It won't happen again."

Silence fell on the other end.

Every time we fought over Zack Malone, I used to push for an explanation, demanding Ally prove herself to me. No matter how badly it always ended, no matter how much I was the one left hurting worse, the next time it happened I still couldn't help wanting the same thing from her.

This was the first time I hadn't argued back at all. I just let her accusation stand.

She had no idea the accident had already gotten me rethinking what we even were to each other.

I hung up before she could say anything else.

I'd just deleted the comment when Ally called again. Her tone was much softer this time.

"I wasn't trying to blame you. It's just... never mind. Where are you?"

"The hospital."

"Okay. You probably don't have cash for a cab, right? I'll come get you."

The hospital hallway had no lights on and no heat, and outside it was snowing on New Year's Eve. The cold crept into everything.

I tightened my grip on the phone with my hand, red from the chill, and felt a bitter little laugh rise up in me.

"Aren't you even curious why I'm at the hospital?"

Zack's voice came through the line instead.

"Ally, is Robby still mad at me? I never thought he'd take it this hard... I don't know what to do. Can you stay with me?"

My voice went cold.

"Ally."

She'd just told me she was coming to get me.

There was a brief pause on the other end.

"I'll send the driver for you."

Then the line went dead.

I listened to the hollow beeping, closed my phone, lowered my head, and let out a long breath.

No surprise there. In the end, I was still the one left behind. Same as it always was.

For some reason, though, not a single tear came. I wasn't even sad. Just a little sorry for myself.

I stood outside the hospital, the cold wind cutting straight through the one long coat I owned, needling through me in the dark.

A cab driver hurrying home slowed down and rolled his window down.

"Heading home? I'll take you for free so you can make it for New Year's dinner!"

I gave him a small smile.

"Thanks. Someone's already coming."

Cab after cab passed by. Ally's driver never showed.

She'd probably forgotten about me again.

I didn't blow up her phone the way I used to, demanding she come get me that instant. Instead, I raised a hand and flagged down a passing cab.