chapter 9

When the truth was dragged out into the open like that, Samuel's face kept shifting between red and pale, as if he couldn't decide whether to be furious or ashamed.

He lowered his head and muttered, almost to himself, "If this man dies… would you finally choose to be with me?"

Then he pulled a small knife from inside his coat and lunged toward Isaias.

"Samuel, don't be stupid!" I shouted.

Isaias reacted before I could move. He kicked Samuel's wrist aside, knocking the blade to the pavement.

"If you kill him," I warned, voice trembling with anger, "I will never speak to you again for the rest of my life."

Samuel seemed stunned. His legs gave out, and he fell back onto the ground.

"Hayley, you won't be happy with him! He's the richest man's son. That family—no way they'd accept a woman who can't have kids.

"They're obsessed with tradition. In that family, not producing an heir is the worst thing you can do. They'll look down on you forever!

"You'll only be happy with me! This time, I'll give you everything I have."

Before I could speak, Isaias cut him off with a sharp laugh.

"Seriously? You're still pushing that outdated nonsense?

"What my father does has nothing to do with me. And by the way, choosing not to have kids actually extends a woman's life.

"So save the manipulation."

Then Isaias pulled a folded contract from his bag and tossed it toward Samuel.

"Do me a favor and take this to the richest man. If he keeps pushing me, I'll sign it and cut ties for good."

I grabbed Isaias by the sleeve, my voice softening. "Isaias… he's the wealthiest man in the whole country. His fortune is… massive. Are you sure you'd walk away from all of that?"

Isaias shrugged like it meant nothing.

"Old-money families always come with drama. The richer they are, the messier it gets.

"I want a quiet life, Hayley. I don't want to go back to a world filled with power games."

Then he smiled warmly, tapped the tip of my nose with his finger.

"And now that I have you—someone who actually shares my no-kids lifestyle. I have zero reason to go back."

Samuel watched that affectionate little moment, and something in him broke.

He had lost his treasure for good.

He took a step forward, lips trembling, wanting to say more, but our wary eyes shut him down.

"Baby, I get it. Leaving you is the best choice. But I regret it…"

There was a time when I had looked at him the same way I now looked at Isaias.

But he didn't know when to stop, thought keeping a side piece would never be found out, and smashed everything with his own hands.

He watched us walk off together, a headache splitting his skull, and he passed out right there in the street.

After that, his assistant took him away.

I never saw him again in person, but he wouldn't stop emailing me or sending flowers.

He kept writing on his own, "Baby, I know you won't forgive me… but please leave a spot for me in your life. Do whatever you want with me. I'll take anything.

"And… you and Isaias haven't legally married yet. So I still have a chance, right?"

He even mailed me his black card. I sent it straight back.

I only opened his first letter. After that, every envelope went directly into the trash without a second glance.

Over a year, he sent me more than four hundred letters.

I finally snapped and married Isaias before the year was even up.

I printed one of our wedding photos and mailed it to Samuel. Only then did he stop.

He vanished from my life completely.

Later, I heard pieces of his story from other people.

At first, he threw himself into work, always talking about expanding the company into Caden so he could win back his ex-wife with dignity.

But then he received our wedding photo. They said he fell apart.

Right in the middle of the office, in front of everyone, he broke down sobbing, screaming, shaking so hard his whole body curled in on itself.

After that, he stopped caring about everything. He locked himself in his room every day, drinking himself sick.

The company was on the brink of bankruptcy. He didn't care.

His assistant went to check on him and got a scare.

He was clutching our wedding photo, staring without blinking.

While staring, he kept whispering, "Mine… she was mine. Baby, I was wrong. Please come back…

"Baby, I messed up…"

On the anniversary of our wedding, he jumped from the top floor of his building.

He still had our marriage certificate crushed in his fist.

I froze when I heard all this. Isaias thought I was heartbroken and pulled me into his arms.

"He made his own bed," he murmured gently. "If you're sad… you can cry in front of me. I promise I won't get jealous."

His dramatic softness made me laugh. I reached up and scratched his chin.

"When did you start talking like that?

"No way I'm crying over that man."

Isaias pretended to pout, and something warm fluttered in my chest. I leaned in and kissed him.

Honestly, a man's tears were always a woman's adrenaline.

Our happy life had just begun.

Time slips away so easily. The real treasure is the person standing in front of you.