The Love That Broke Me

Five days later, Jade tracked me down at the hospital. As always, she found my location as if she was on a mission.

"Mom says you're not answering her calls. What's your deal?" She blurted with a face full of impatience.

I wasn't in the mood to waste time, so I said, "It's just a few stitches on your foot. You think that gives you special privileges?"

Her eyes flashed with annoyance, but I cut straight to the point. "Let's finalize the divorce today."

Staring at me like I'd just slapped her, Jade froze. When she realized I wasn't joking, her red lips pressed into a tight line.

"We're going to my mom's for some soup today. We can talk about the divorce later." I decided to settle the details back at the old house.

When we arrived, I realized her mother had moved up her 60th birthday celebration. To my surprise, Henry was on the guest list.

Jade shot back at me, "Is this your doing? You know, Mom can't stand Henry. Why would you push him this far?"

I met her glare with disdain. "If you two wanted to keep your affair under wraps, you shouldn't have made your love so public."

"Besides," I added with a shrug, "his legs brought him here, not me. I didn't drag him in."

As soon as Mrs. Mckenzie, my mother-in-law, spotted me, she gently patted my shoulder, her eyes filled with concern. "Luke, you haven't been home in over two weeks. You've lost weight!"

Henry's face went pale at her words, and it was clear. Mrs. McKenzie had invited Henry here to humiliate him. But he still wasn't willing to back down.

He approached Jade humbly and said, "Jade, I just wanted to celebrate your mom's birthday. You're not mad at me for surprising you, are you?"

He then offered a pair of emerald bracelets to my mother-in-law. "Auntie, I came across these emerald bracelets and thought of you. Please, take them as a small token of my appreciation."

My mother-in-law's eyes lit up, though she hesitated and glanced at me. She couldn't hide her temptation. Jewelry was her weakness.

But I looked right through it.

These bracelets were supposed to be my gift for her birthday. Jade had secretly given them to Henry. It was the final straw. After a year of holding it all in, I couldn't stand it anymore.

All the guests froze in shock when I grabbed my phone and called the police. "Hello, 911? I'd like to report a theft. Someone stole my property worth $10 million."

The room went dead silent.