Chapter 2 What A Damn Bastard

Instead of saying another word, Ryland stepped away and answered the call. "What is it?"

As he listened, his face tightened, and a frown slowly formed. He reached for his jacket from the vanity, already moving as he spoke. "I'm heading out now."

After ending the call, he faced Corinne again, and his expression eased as though nothing had interrupted them. "Something urgent came up. Get some rest, and don't wait for me. I'll have someone bring you warm milk, and if it gets worse, go to the hospital. I'll send someone to stay with you."

Without lingering for even a second, he walked out.

This kind of scene had long stopped being new. Over the past three years, Corinne had lost count of how often it happened.

Again and again, he chose to leave her behind for Jessica. It made no difference what the situation was. Whether they had just been intimate or she had been so unwell that she lost consciousness in bed, his decision never changed.

A sharp, piercing ache settled deep in Corinne's chest.

Before, she had always forced herself to endure it. Now, with their marriage coming to an end, she refused to stay silent any longer. Grabbing a pillow, she flung it straight at him.

"What? The moment I'm not up to sex, you rush off to someone else? Then don't forget to use protection and try not to catch anything!" she shouted.

The pillow struck him directly. He paused at last and turned around, a faint trace of resigned tolerance softening his otherwise cold expression. "Be good. I'll come back later."

Without waiting for her response, Ryland moved faster as he made his way downstairs. Jessica's life had been destroyed because of him. That burden was his responsibility. He had sworn to keep that secret buried forever and to take care of her for the rest of his life, which meant certain things could only be handled by him personally.

And Corinne? She had never truly cared about him from the very beginning. She would not even make their marriage known.

For three years, she stayed gentle and compliant at his side, but it was only because the Nash family's business was on the verge of collapse and needed the Becker family's support to survive. She had never given him anything genuine. Even during their most intense moments together, she had only been acting like the ideal wife.

From his point of view, her reaction had nothing to do with Jessica's return. He dismissed it as nothing more than irritation from her cycle, paired with a few biting remarks thrown his way.

Before Corinne could even respond, the door was already closed. Not long after, the sound of an engine starting echoed from below.

Light from the headlights swept across the windows for a brief moment, then vanished as the car sped off, leaving behind a heavy silence that seemed to sneer at her state.

Tears slipped free before Corinne had the chance to hold them back. She clenched her jaw, wiped her face, and snapped, "Bastard."

Sleep came in fragments that night, never lasting long. When Corinne woke, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

Ryland still hadn't returned. She reached for her phone and checked the time. It was five-thirty.

As she moved to lock the screen, a notification suddenly appeared.

"It's been six years since we first crossed paths. I'm so grateful we stayed in each other's lives."

The post came from Jessica.

Curious, Corinne tapped it and saw it had been posted at two-thirty in the morning. Several carefully edited night photos filled the post, along with a shot of a man's back.

The figure was unmistakable. His frame was strong, his waist lean, and the custom shirt he wore had been something she personally chose. There was no need to guess who it was.

With a sharp breath, Corinne tossed the phone aside.

If he truly cared that much about his first love, then why had he shown up last night acting gentle and attentive toward her?

What a damn bastard.

She pushed herself out of bed, headed to the bathroom, and began getting ready.

With every passing second, she kept cursing Ryland under her breath.

Over the last few years, she had been working as a reporter at a television station. That day, she was scheduled to visit the area near a chemical plant to conduct a public opinion survey.

She had just chosen a light gray casual outfit and was bending down to look for matching shoes when a hand suddenly reached from behind and pulled her firmly against a solid chest.

Through the mirror, Ryland standing behind her appeared strikingly attractive. He had already changed, and the fresh scent of soap lingered on him. He looked completely refreshed, almost annoyingly so.

As she stared at him, he dipped his head, caught the black strap resting on her shoulder between his teeth, then released it so it snapped lightly back against her skin.

Warm breath brushed along her shoulder while he smiled with quiet satisfaction, like a fox that had just secured its catch.

"This won't do. It doesn't match your charm, your grace, or that deadly beauty of yours," he said.

Seeing how effortlessly he shifted between her and Jessica, as if juggling both meant nothing to him, Corinne finally lost control. She inhaled sharply, turned around in one swift motion, and struck him across the face.

The sharp sound echoed in the room. He took the slap without moving, and even Corinne paused, momentarily stunned by the force of her own hand.