Glory Gone

Derek gave me a mocking smile and took Jaime’s hand. “Jaime, don’t be mad. It’s okay. Your reputation is what matters most…”

“I don’t care about that.” Jaime cut him off, and her words made my heart tighten.

I knew her better than anyone. She was vain and strong‑willed, yet all her boundaries disappeared when it came to Derek.

At the press conference, the journalists pointed their microphones and cameras at me.

I followed the script and calmly admitted to mistakes that were not mine.

A journalist suddenly asked, “Mr. Sheldon, we heard you were diagnosed with leukemia some time ago. You might not live for more than a month. Would you approve of Ms. Walter and Mr. Surrey being together after your death?”

My sickly expression appeared on the screen.

I was not surprised by the question. As Jaime’s husband, I often had paparazzi around me.

I did not deny anything. I simply smiled. “Yes, I will give them my blessing.”

I did not know which part angered her, but Jaime’s calm expression vanished. She stood up at once and ended the live broadcast.

She turned to me. “What leukemia? I didn’t arrange that question. Did you bribe those journalists?”

Before I could speak, Derek lowered his eyes and tugged at her sleeve. “Jaime, all the viral posts are attacking me. They call me a homewrecker who ruined your marriage, but I knew you first…”

Because of the live broadcast, many people online insulted Derek and called him a shameless homewrecker who lived off women.

Jaime’s face grew darker. She forgot the journalists’ questions and grabbed my still‑healing arm.

The wound reopened under her pull, and drops of blood fell to the floor.

“Joseph, how could you be so despicable? You know Derek is innocent, yet you bribed reporters and hired online trolls. Do you want to ruin his reputation?” Her grip tightened around my wrist with great force.

A sharp cracking sound followed.

Pain washed over me, and a faint taste of blood filled my mouth.

Derek pulled her away and acted generous. “Jaime, it’s alright. I believe Joseph wouldn’t do that.”

He then looked at me with lowered eyes, pretending to be pitiful. “I don’t know how I offended you. Joseph, your marriage to Jaime isn’t worth anything anymore. You can’t make her happy, so why are you stopping us?”

I stepped back. My right hand felt numb. My voice turned cold. “I will not stop you. Not now, and not ever.”

I turned and walked away.

Jaime shouted behind me. “Joseph, I’ll give you a chance. Kneel and apologize to Derek, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.”

I did not stop walking. Her voice grew sharper. “Joseph! Did you hear me?”

Ten years of love and pain slipped away in that moment.

I stood outside the company in the cold wind for a long time before picking up my phone. I called my lawyer. “Please give my medical records and my mother’s death certificate to Jaime. Tell her I repaid what I owed her with two lives.”