Chapter 2

The drive home was a blur. The house I' d mortgaged everything for, the one we were supposed to grow old in, felt like a stranger's property. I expected it to be quiet, a place to pack in peace.

I was wrong.

Music pulsed from inside, bass vibrating through the soles of my shoes. I pushed the door open and walked into a full-blown party. Industry people, influencers I didn't recognize, all drinking our beer, celebrating our win.

And in the center of it all were Nicole and Wesley, laughing, champagne glasses in hand.

She saw me and her smile faltered for a second. She quickly excused herself and rushed over, her movements a little too frantic.

"Ryan, baby, you're home!" she said, trying to sound cheerful. "We're just celebrating! For us!"

"For us?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

"Don't be like that," she whispered, grabbing my arm. "Wesley is just a work husband. You know how this industry is. It's all a game, playing for the cameras."

I looked past her at Wesley, who was watching us with a proprietary smirk. He raised his glass to me in a mock toast.

The game. I was done playing.

I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a folded set of documents. I placed them on the counter, right next to a half-empty bottle of champagne.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice losing its edge.

"Divorce papers," I said, loud enough for a few people nearby to turn and look. "I had them drawn up a month ago. I just needed a reason to sign them. You gave me one tonight."

Her face went pale. The party-girl mask shattered, replaced by pure panic.

"You can't be serious," she stammered. She snatched the papers and tore them in half, then in half again. "This is a joke. You're just jealous."

Wesley swaggered over, putting a hand on her shoulder. "See, Nicole? He's trying to control you. Using divorce to threaten you because he can't handle your success."

I looked at the torn pieces of paper on the floor. It didn' t matter. They were just a copy.

"I'm not jealous, Wesley," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "I'm just done."

I turned my back on both of them and walked towards the stairs to pack my things. The music seemed to falter, the party's energy dying as I left the room.