Rising from the Quiet Storm

I took a quick look at the red wine Alfred was holding.

That was the same wine I had offhandedly said tasted good, and my wife had immediately flown in ten thousand bottles back home.

I had gotten so sick of it that I could not even finish them, so I offloaded it under the pretense of a fancy dinner.

I frowned and was about to decline.

However, Alfred's hand suddenly let go, and the red wine splashed all over my suit.

He looked shocked as he apologized, but his eyes were challenging me.

"Oops. Sorry, Nelson. I got a little shaky there. Your suit's a mess now, but it's probably not worth much, right? Just tell me how much it costs and I'll make it right."

Before he could even finish, a young man chimed in.

"Are you kidding? That's no bargain bin suit. Look at the cut, the jewels on the coat. That's a one-of-a-kind piece from the head designer, Mr. Chapman. It's worth a fortune!"

I raised an eyebrow.

Alfred's face went rigid just as he was about to snap at the guy.

However, the guy just smiled warmly at him.

"Alfred, what a surprise to see you here. It's Wade, man, it's been ages. I heard the Smith Group invited you to their big contest!

"You'll be all the rage after this. A big congratulations to you! I hear Ms. Smith herself will be there, and her mysterious hubby's on the judging panel.

"They're all big shots, you know. If you snag that award, you'll get to team up with the Smith Group, and then you're off to the races! Alfred, just don't forget your old pal when you're rolling in dough."

Alfred's expression softened a bit, and he shot me a challenging grin.

"Absolutely, I'm headed straight for the stars. However, the security at this contest is a joke, they let any Tom, Dick, or Harry in, and it's kind of a buzzkill."

Wade, clueless but ever the gossip, could not resist asking.

"I heard Ms. Porter's been on the hunt for her ex and her kid for a full three years and hasn't even thought about tying the knot again. So, any updates?"

The words were not loud, but they rang clear as a bell in my ears.

It turned out that Jennifer had been searching for me for a solid three years.

What I did not see coming was that she had not gone and married Alfred.

After all, three years ago, she had told me straight up, "If I could have a do-over, I'd pick Alfred over you in a heartbeat!"

Alfred's smug look froze over, and he forced a couple of awkward chuckles before swiftly changing the subject.

Once Wade had left, Alfred gave me a weird, mocking look.

"You took off without a peep three years ago. I bet you're out of the loop about Jen's net worth.

"Her business made it into the global top five hundred. She's a big deal now, even mixing with the likes of Ms. Smith, the billionaire. You're probably kicking yourself, huh?"

I eyed the stain on my coat and said, "And?"

"Nelson, cut the act, will you? If life's got you down, just say it. It's not like I'll judge."

Jennifer must have thought I was playing it cool, because she could not help but slip me a check.

"I'll give you a million dollars. Whatever happened three years ago is water under the bridge. Take the money, come home with our daughter, and be a real husband to me."

Jennifer always had that air of superiority around me.

She kept me cooped up at home, dictating my every move.

However, those days were gone. I was no longer the man who once quit his job for love, playing the dutiful househusband.

I snatched the check from her hand, and with Alfred glaring jealously, I ripped it to shreds and tossed it into the trash.

"I can handle my own life, thank you. We've been divorced for three years now. Your money? Keep it for Alfred to blow through."

Jennifer's face twisted in displeasure. "Nelson, do you really have to be like this?"

Alfred breathed a sigh of relief and sneered, "Nelson, still too proud, huh? Too broke to land a rich lady, but too stubborn to take Jen's cash. I don't know who you think you're fooling."

Their smug expressions were laughable.

Just then, my phone rang.

Pulling it out, I noticed Jennifer's expression mellow at the sight of it.

"You kept the phone charm."

I gave the charm a puzzled look before it hit me. It was the matching one Jennifer and I had picked out together once upon a time.