Chapter 2: Chapter 1

NOAH

Noah couldn’t fathom how he’d managed to endure this for so many years. Nowadays, wearing a tie felt like a cruel form of punishment. It was as if a noose was tightening around his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He wondered how he’d managed to breathe all those years when he wore the damn thing constantly. He yearned to rip it off, but he refrained.

Ever since he’d returned, he couldn’t turn down his father’s invitation to the party. Parties meant formal attire, and while his brother could get away with being casual due to his style, Noah was expected to dress formally, even though he no longer belonged to this world.

He knew he’d have to answer questions about his two-year absence, but he was ready for that. He had a response prepared.

He’d say he stepped aside to let his younger brother prove his worth. Ash would give him hell for that, but Noah didn’t care. He’d changed, but not that much.

He still felt the need to protect his reputation, and he’d do so regardless of his current standing in the world. Yes, he’d failed. But his social circle didn’t need to know that, and his father didn’t need the gossip.

The divorce was embarrassing enough. Dorothy had been discreet, but that didn’t stop the chatter about how it all went down. Her belly had been growing, and she hadn’t been able to hide it effectively from prying eyes.

Those in the know would assume that if anything ended their marriage, it was his infidelity, not hers. He didn’t hold it against her, though. He hadn’t been a better husband than he’d been a businessman.

It’s a terrible thing to reach a point in life where you realize you’ve done everything wrong. He’d been unlucky in that regard. It could’ve been worse. The realization could’ve come much later in life when it would be too late to change course.

Still, his failure had hit him hard. For thirty-five years, he’d been chasing the wrong dreams. Now, he had no plans. In fact, he hadn’t had any plans for the past two years.

He’d just been traveling around, spending—or rather, wasting—his money wisely. No one was pressuring him to decide his future. He thought his father would after the first year, but he never did.

His father was insightful. He probably knew that Noah needed more time to figure things out. Noah had been working in the company before he even graduated high school. He started when he was fifteen.

Other kids got summer jobs in cafés and bars, but he was trailing behind his father like a loyal puppy instead. He watched his father’s every move, hung on his every word, and took mental notes on how to emulate his attitude when it was his turn to take over.

He knew he would. He was the firstborn and more than that, he was the chosen one. Now, he didn’t have anyone to emulate, nor did he want to. But he was at a loss about who to be now that he had the freedom to choose.

Whenever he became too troubled about it, he simply changed towns. He noticed that whenever he became too comfortable in one place, the nagging thoughts in his brain intensified. It was as if he was being tempted to settle down and start a new life there.

He knew that running was only a temporary solution and that soon he’d run out of places to see, but he couldn’t help it. “Now I am here,” he murmured to his reflection in the mirror as he buttoned his jacket. “I am here.”

He took a deep breath, left his room, and descended the stairs. He stayed at the mansion whenever he came back, since he’d sold the house he’d shared with Dorothy during their marriage. He could’ve stayed at a hotel, but his father didn’t mind having him around for a few days, and he liked his childhood room.

Plus, it was cheaper that way. Spending his money on fancy hotels wasn’t an investment, and he suspected that at some point, he’d have to use the money he’d set aside for something.

The first wave of guests was already assembling when he entered the room, and his father was there to greet them, as always.

He went to stand beside his father, aware of the impact their combined presence would have due to their resemblance. People always commented on it. He used to find it flattering and welcomed the compliment, but now it felt a little silly.

Not the observation, but his former reaction to it. He used to feel like he was growing ten inches taller whenever someone mentioned that he looked like a younger version of his dad. What a fool he’d been.

“Has Ash not shown up yet?” he asked, offering a courteous smile to an older couple.

His father shot back, “When has your brother ever been on time?” as he shook hands with a guest.

“I thought he’d turned into a businessman.”

“Maybe, but old habits are hard to break. He’s gotten better since he’s been with Maggie, though.”

“Do you think he’ll wear a tie?” Noah teased.

“I haven’t seen that miracle yet,” Tyler Ryder sighed. “But at least he’s stopped wearing jeans. That’s progress.”

Ten minutes later, his younger brother finally made an appearance, sans tie, and hand in hand with Maggie. She was dressed appropriately for the occasion. But what really caught his eye wasn’t their continued relationship. It was her noticeably pregnant belly.

The last time he’d seen her, she’d been slim. Asher laughed at his shocked expression. “Surprise!” he announced.

“When the hell did you two get married?” he blurted out, drawing the attention of a few nosy women and earning a scowl from his brother.

“Nice to see you too, Noah,” Maggie chuckled.

“They’re not married,” his father clarified, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“Then how did this happen?” He gestured toward Maggie’s belly.

“The usual way,” Asher replied with a smirk. “Need me to spell it out?”

“No!” Noah and his father exclaimed together.

Asher and Maggie burst into laughter.

“When are you two getting married?” he asked.

“We’re not,” his brother answered.

Noah looked to their father, who nodded sadly. “I’m afraid he’s not joking. They have no plans to marry.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I wasn’t okay with your divorce either, son. But you’re both adults. I can’t interfere in your lives, much as I’d like to knock some sense into you.”

“Is that why you supported my photography exhibition?” Asher asked.

“Yes.”

“You had a photography exhibition? How much have I missed since I was last here?” He didn’t like being out of the loop, even if they weren’t exactly a close-knit family. He liked to be kept in the loop about family events, whether he could attend or not.

“You’ve missed a lot, brother. You’ve been gone over six months. But the exhibition isn’t until September, so you can still come if you want.”

“You wouldn’t have told me if you hadn’t seen me here, would you?” he scoffed.

“No, but Maggie would’ve sent you an invitation behind my back.”

“I would,” she confirmed. “And since you don’t have a permanent address, I’d email you. I assume you still use your cell phone.”

“I do, but when did you start liking me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t like you,” she said flatly. “But I don’t dislike you either, Noah. I have no reason not to want you there.”

“If you’re around, that is,” Ash added.

“Well, send the invitation when it’s time, and if I’m nearby, I might stop by.” He shrugged.

He made a mental note to be in the area in September, but making a commitment to attend would be out of character for him these days, and it would give his brother a reason to gloat.

But he would go because he wanted to. Now that the rivalry with his brother was over, he could finally appreciate Asher’s talents.

He’d seen some of his photography and had to admit that he was truly gifted. If their father hadn’t pushed, Asher could’ve had a successful career in photography.

But maybe it was for the best because photography wasn’t Asher’s only talent. Under different circumstances, he might’ve been jealous of Asher’s options, but strangely, he wasn’t—jealous.

He was cool. Really cool. And he even felt a sense of happiness watching his brother walk around, holding Maggie’s hand tenderly.

He could tell by the look on their faces that they were itching to escape the party, and for the first time, he felt the same way. But his smile faded when he saw Dorothy walk in.

Before he could ask his father about it, she spotted him and started walking over. They hadn’t spoken since their divorce was finalized, so they weren’t exactly on bad terms.

He didn’t harbor any resentment toward her, but he wasn’t exactly eager to mingle with her either. He was puzzled as to why his father had decided to invite her to this gathering tonight.

His father had never mentioned that he’d stayed in contact with his ex-wife. He wasn’t sure if he would have minded if he’d been informed, but her sudden appearance made him feel uneasy.

She seldom accompanied him to these types of events when they were still married. On the rare occasions he’d asked her to attend—mainly to uphold their public image—she’d always claimed to have a headache.

He knew she was lying, but he chose to let it slide.

“Hello, Noah,” she greeted him, a tentative smile on her face.

Her voice was always soft, and coupled with her quiet nature, she came across as rather timid. She didn’t seem like the type of woman who would have the courage to ask for a divorce, but life is full of surprises.

Right now, she seemed out of place, which made him wonder why she’d decided to attend the event—and alone at that. She could have brought her new husband along.

“Hello, Dorothy,” he replied tersely, preparing to leave. “Nice to see you, but I need to speak with someone else.”

“No, you don’t,” she called him out on his lie.

“Well…”

“Could you stay for a moment?” she asked, her voice pleading.

He frowned at her.

“I’m here by myself,” she explained, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

“Why’s that?” he asked, although he wasn’t genuinely interested.

He wanted to get away from her and this party. He decided to find an excuse to retreat to his room and stay there for the rest of the evening.

His father wouldn’t be able to confront or reprimand him in front of his guests. Not that he cared, but he preferred to avoid conflict.

“Kyle is at home with our son,” she said.

“And why are you here?” he asked, this time genuinely curious.

“Your father was kind enough to invite me.”

“That doesn’t really explain why you’re here. You could have declined, like all the times I asked you to accompany me to similar events.”

His tone was sharper than he intended, and his ex-wife picked up on it immediately. Not that his words left much room for misinterpretation.

But he couldn’t help himself.

“You’re not happy to see me here,” she stated.

“I can’t say I’m thrilled, Dorothy,” he admitted. “People are still talking about our divorce, and it’s been three years.”

“You shouldn’t care. I’m supposed to be the bad guy here because I left you for someone else.”

“True, but I hate being the pitiful, cheated-on husband. Your presence here will stir up the gossip again, and you know it.”

“No offense, but now you can understand how I felt all those years we were married, because you were hardly discreet with your affairs.”

Ouch.

That was a low blow, but he wasn’t going to let her gain the upper hand, even if she was right.

“At least I didn’t leave you for someone else,” he shot back. “And I didn’t father a child.”

“Which means you either aren’t brave enough or you’ve never been truly in love with anyone,” she observed.

“As a matter of fact…”

“Don’t bring up Vanessa, please,” she interrupted, scoffing. “You would have regretted it soon. She’s a gold digger, and you’re smart enough to know that. Otherwise, you would have kept her around. I’m not sure she would have stayed with someone who preferred to ditch everything just to see the world. As for the children you didn’t father, you did it for your own benefit, not mine, because you don’t like kids anyway.”

“You know, you weren’t this talkative when we were married,” he remarked.

“You hardly left room for conversation,” she retorted.

“Kyle is more open to conversation?”

“Yes, and he loves me too, which makes a big difference.”

“Then why did he let you come here alone?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“He didn’t want me to come here at all,” she sighed.

“You disobeyed your new husband who’s so communicative?” he mocked.

“He doesn’t boss me around, Noah.” She rolled her eyes.

“Like I did?”

“That’s correct, but that’s not what I was trying to say.”

He gestured for her to continue.

“We talk about stuff, but we don’t always see eye to eye.” She paused, her face crinkling into a frown before she continued.

“On this particular issue, we were at odds. Our life isn’t exactly the fairy tale we envisioned when we chose to be together.”

“Already hitting some bumps in the road?” he joked.

She shifted uneasily where she sat. “It’s not the kind of trouble you’re thinking. We’re still crazy about each other, so it’s not about us. My folks disowned me after I left you. And that’s not all—they’re sabotaging Kyle’s chances of landing a good job, and they’ve refused to see our son.”

“I was under the impression that Kyle had gone overseas and was doing well for himself.”

“He was, and when he came back, he had some great job offers. But my family did their best to tarnish his reputation, and they never miss a chance to broadcast that they’ve disowned me for being with Kyle. Everyone in our social circle knows they didn’t even show up to our wedding.”

“Why are they being so hostile? Our divorce was friendly.”

She let out a bitter laugh. “It was, but that didn’t matter to them. They felt I humiliated them by divorcing you, no matter how peacefully we handled it,” she said, her voice laced with bitterness.

“They didn’t care that you didn’t love me or that I didn’t love you, or even that you cheated on me. Our marriage was socially acceptable, and that was all that mattered. According to them, I should have stayed with you forever and had your kids.”

“Didn’t they realize I didn’t want kids since we were married for several years?”

“They blamed me for not changing your mind. They also blamed me for your infidelity. They believed if I had been a better wife, you wouldn’t have sought affection elsewhere.”

“I was just looking for a good fuck,” he said flatly. “We had zero chemistry in that department, and that wasn’t something either of us could fix.”

“I couldn’t tell them that. They never cared about my feelings or my needs. They knew I was in love with Kyle when I married you.”

“They knew?”

“Absolutely. They’ve been against it from the start. He wasn’t rich or powerful, and marrying him wouldn’t benefit them in any way.”

“Do you want me to talk to them?” he offered.

He wasn’t sure why he made the offer, but he meant it. What her parents were doing, while not unheard of, was cruel and senseless.

His own father would never act that way. He hadn’t opposed his marriage to Dorothy because Noah seemed determined. But when he announced his divorce, his father didn’t hold back his hope that next time—if there was a next time—he would choose someone he truly loved and respected.

In a way, Noah wasn’t much different from Dorothy’s parents back then. He had also married her considering her wealthy background and her family’s connections. He wouldn’t marry someone beneath him.

“Thanks, but I don’t give a damn about them anymore. I’ve stopped seeking their approval for how I live my life. But I won’t let them drive us out of the country.”

“Is that a possibility?”

“They’re doing their best to make it our only option. But we want to stay here. Kyle came back to be with me and build a life here. That’s why I reached out to your father.”

“I’m not following,” he admitted, confused.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but your father has been keeping tabs on me since our divorce.”

“I had no idea,” he replied, taken aback.

His father hadn’t really interacted with Dorothy while they were married. He didn’t seem to dislike her, but she was quiet and aloof, giving the impression that she didn’t have much to say to others.

“Well, he can confirm it,” she assured him. “Anyway, a few months ago, when things got even harder for us, I called your dad. Kyle was against it, but I did it anyway because I can’t just sit back and watch our lives fall apart.”

“You asked my dad to find your husband a job?”

“No. I would have, but Kyle wouldn’t let me. He says we don’t need handouts. So, I asked your dad if he could show his support in a different way.”

“And that would be?”

“Help us reintegrate into our social circle. My father is powerful, but yours is well-respected. If he didn’t have a problem hanging out with us, then…” Her voice trailed off.

“Kyle could start getting decent job offers again,” he finished for her.

She nodded in agreement.

“But doesn’t his absence defeat the purpose?” he asked.

“Your dad and I decided to take things slow. We don’t want to make it too obvious, and Kyle needs some persuading. He’s a man of great pride, you know.”

“I could try talking to him, if you’d like,” he offered.

He wasn’t sure where this sudden urge to assist came from, but he instantly regretted it. He breathed a sigh of relief when she declined his offer, stating it would just make things more uncomfortable for everyone involved.

***

After that, she walked away, putting on a brave face as she prepared to confront another kind of predator. Noah watched her retreating figure, filled with admiration.

Who would have thought she had it in her?

He felt a pang of guilt for underestimating her for so long, but what was done was done. Even if he had acknowledged her strengths earlier, the end result would have been the same. They were headed for divorce.

Maybe he wouldn’t have been such an ass to her, but their marriage was destined to fail from the get-go.