When Love Runs Out

“Jayden, I know you hate me, but Coco cares about you. That’s why she’s angry with you.

“You’ve gone too far today. That’s your wedding ring. How could you have just thrown it away like that?

“Think about it. She’s a young woman who’s had to run an entire company all these years. With all that pressure, it’s only natural she’d snap at you sometimes. Why can’t you just try to understand her?”

If my friends hadn’t told me the truth last night, I might actually have believed him.

For seven years, she’d abandoned everything and run off to hide in the mountains, while every single company project had been handled and pushed forward by me alone.

What did any of it have to do with her?

Before I could snap back, Gerald suddenly took my hand.

“It’s my fault, Jayden.

“I’m willing to apologize to you. Let’s bury the hatchet from now on. Together we can help Coco shoulder the pressure and make the company bigger, stronger!”

One second, he gave a cold chuckle, and the next, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, wailing in pain.

Claudia froze, then hurried forward to help him up before turning and slapping me hard across the face.

“Jayden, Gerald has already made a concession. Why did you push him? Don’t you know he just had the surgery?

“Do you want to kill him again?!”

Seeing her indignant expression struck me speechless.

It seemed Claudia had indeed drunk too much to have gotten such a bad judgment.

No matter how frail Gerald looked, he couldn’t possibly collapse like a piece of paper from a simple push, could he?

“I didn’t push him. He fell on his own.”

“So you’re saying Gerald would risk his life just to frame you?”

Before Claudia could finish her tirade, Gerald put on an understanding act and grabbed her arm.

“Coco, don’t misunderstand. Jayden isn’t that kind of person.

“Whether it was seven years ago or just now, it was just my old low blood sugar acting up again.

“Please don’t argue with Jayden because of me.”

Watching his pretense nearly made me throw up all the alcohol I’d drunk the night before.

I might not remember the past seven years, but I was no fool.

Once bitten, twice shy, after all.

I raised my hand and slapped Gerald across the face, and he was stunned into stillness right where he stood.

Before Claudia could accuse me, I casually spread my hands.

“See? I couldn’t even knock him over with that much force. How could I possibly have pushed him over without you noticing?”

Claudie sobered up considerably, standing there pretty stunned.

“You’ve completely lost your mind!

“Regardless, you shouldn’t lay a hand on someone unwell!

“Didn’t you suspect something between Gerald and me? Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll move out right now and live with him!”

As she turned to leave, I suddenly grabbed her arm.

“Wait!”

Claudia stopped in her tracks, crossed her arms, and studied my expression with a smirk.

“What, having second thoughts?

“Weren’t you the one who insisted on kicking me out and divorcing me?

“I’ll admit, I’ve had my faults these past seven years. But if you apologize to Gerald, I can pretend these past few days never happened and move back from the mountains.

“After all, we’ve been married for seven years. Didn’t you want a child with me before? As long as you behave, I can give you—”

Her sentence was cut short as I frowned in disgust. I tossed the fake marriage license onto the table.

“We’re not even husband and wife. What child are you talking about?

“Also, you’ve got it wrong again.

“I’m not trying to keep you. You’ve just been freeloading in my house for seven years. Pay the rent, then get out!”