“Did you think I married you out of love? Every moment with you makes me sick. Your mother killed my mother, and I am going to make you pay for it.”

Jaime hated me, so she kept pushing my limits.

I endured everything out of guilt and gave in every time. I crushed my dignity again and again.

I gained nothing in the end. I lost the only family I had left in this world.

I knew Jaime would not answer my calls. The divorce needed to be discussed face to face.

I sent the divorce agreement to Derek’s house because Jaime had to be there.

As expected, she called me as soon as the delivery was signed for. “What does this divorce agreement mean? Do you still want your mother’s drug?”

Jaime always used this to threaten me. She believed I would never divorce her as long as my mother needed the drug, and she believed she could do whatever she wanted.

I looked at the death certificate in my hand. My voice sounded hoarse. “No. I do not need it anymore.”

My emotionless reply surprised her, but she soon laughed in a sharp, mocking tone. “Joseph, did you fall off the cliff and break your head? Looks like you learned a few tricks these past few days. Have you decided to give up?”

A dull sadness spread through me, and I let out a small, self‑mocking laugh.

My mother was dead. She no longer needed Jaime’s drug, and Jaime could no longer threaten me.

Jaime noticed my silence and softened her tone. “It is only medication. I will give it to you. Wait for me to come home tonight.”

She hung up as if she were doing me a favor.

She did not return until midnight. The moment she walked in, I smelled strong alcohol and perfume on her.

She saw me sitting in the living room and did not greet me. She sat down a short distance away.

Jaime tilted her head back, and I saw her neck covered in marks from Derek. “I thought you would stay in the hospital forever. I did not expect you to be discharged so soon.”

Her tone stayed sarcastic. She glanced at my bandaged arm and tossed me a bag. “This month’s medication.”

I stared at the bag without speaking.

Jaime frowned at my lack of reaction. “What do you want?”

I threw the bag back. “I do not need it anymore. Take it. I will not need it again.”

Jaime paused and blinked her long eyelashes, surprised by my words. She knew I had risked my dignity and life to save my mother. She quickly recovered and scoffed. “Joseph, do not play games with me. I told you. Your mother killed my mother. You will suffer for the rest of your life.”

Her eyes were bloodshot, and the hatred in them was clear.

I sighed, feeling completely drained. “Since you hate me so much, let us get a divorce. That way you will not feel irritated every time you see me.”

I meant every word.

My mother was dead, and I had been diagnosed with late‑stage leukemia. Nothing held me back anymore. I would rather leave than continue this life with Jaime.

“Does your mother know this? She wanted us to live well and give her a grandson before she dies.” Jaime still did not take me seriously. Her gaze drifted to the closed bedroom door as she smiled.

“Your mother is in poor health. Are you not afraid she will die of anger if you threaten to divorce me?”

My mother had always treated Jaime like her own daughter. That was why she could not accept Jaime’s affair. She often told me to be kinder to Jaime because she felt guilty for failing to save Jaime’s mother.

My mother never contradicted Jaime, no matter how far she went.

I watched Jaime act so carefree. My hands lowered, then weakly clenched before falling open again. A sudden thought struck me. Everything I had done over the years had not been worth it.

Jaime noticed my blank expression and let out a cold laugh. She threw the divorce agreement I had sent her onto the table.

I had already signed it. The space for her signature remained blank.

“I’ll pretend I don’t know about the divorce. I’ll have someone prepare the medicine for the next few months. Don’t call me cruel.”

Jaime wanted to continue speaking when her phone rang.

Derek’s panicked voice came through at once. “Jaime, look at the trending topics. Our photos were…”

Jaime’s face darkened. She scrolled through her phone in a rush. She stood up at once and slapped me hard across the face.

Her eyes were wide and bloodshot. “Joseph, how did I not see how sneaky you were? You even posted these videos online to threaten me.”

The slap left me dizzy. When I regained my senses, I saw that the top trending video was made from the intimate photos Derek had sent to my phone.

I gritted my teeth and spoke in a low voice. “Ask Derek about this. It has nothing to do with me.”

Jaime never believed me. “Who else could it be? Did Derek release it? Joseph, when did you install a camera on my bed? Do you enjoy watching me with someone else?”

Each word stabbed into me like a knife.

I took a shaky breath. I wanted to defend myself, yet I stayed silent.

Jaime demanded that I apologize in front of reporters and the media to protect Derek’s reputation.

I closed my eyes and answered in a flat tone. “Okay. Set a time.”

My calmness left her with nowhere to release her anger.

She let out a cold snort and threw the bag of medication at the closed door of my mother’s bedroom. “What a buzzkill.”

She muttered under her breath, slammed the door, and drove away.

My cheek still burned as I smoothed the crumpled death certificate and placed it on the table. “Mom, I will take you back to our hometown to reunite with Dad. You wanted to leave for a long time. This can be your relief.”

I spoke softly while booking a flight home. My father’s ashes were buried there. I did not want my mother to be alone.

The next day, Jaime informed me to admit my mistake in front of the media.

I went to the company as agreed. As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the rustling of clothes and the playful sounds of Jaime and Derek in the cubicle.

I would have lost my temper in the past. I would have questioned her and demanded answers.

I stopped at the door and waited calmly for her to finish.

After a long wait, Jaime finally stepped out, straightening her clothes. Derek followed behind her. She paused when she saw me and tugged at her collar to hide the marks on her neck.

The reporters she had arranged were already present, and the broadcast was live.

Her expression returned to normal. She glanced at me and spoke in a cold voice. “Joseph, you need to understand your situation. Your mother’s life is still in my hands. If you do not want her to die, you had better admit your mistake properly in front of the media.”

Derek gave me a mocking smile and took Jaime’s hand. “Jaime, don’t be mad. It’s okay. Your reputation is what matters most…”

“I don’t care about that.” Jaime cut him off, and her words made my heart tighten.

I knew her better than anyone. She was vain and strong‑willed, yet all her boundaries disappeared when it came to Derek.

At the press conference, the journalists pointed their microphones and cameras at me.

I followed the script and calmly admitted to mistakes that were not mine.

A journalist suddenly asked, “Mr. Sheldon, we heard you were diagnosed with leukemia some time ago. You might not live for more than a month. Would you approve of Ms. Walter and Mr. Surrey being together after your death?”

My sickly expression appeared on the screen.

I was not surprised by the question. As Jaime’s husband, I often had paparazzi around me.

I did not deny anything. I simply smiled. “Yes, I will give them my blessing.”

I did not know which part angered her, but Jaime’s calm expression vanished. She stood up at once and ended the live broadcast.

She turned to me. “What leukemia? I didn’t arrange that question. Did you bribe those journalists?”

Before I could speak, Derek lowered his eyes and tugged at her sleeve. “Jaime, all the viral posts are attacking me. They call me a homewrecker who ruined your marriage, but I knew you first…”

Because of the live broadcast, many people online insulted Derek and called him a shameless homewrecker who lived off women.

Jaime’s face grew darker. She forgot the journalists’ questions and grabbed my still‑healing arm.

The wound reopened under her pull, and drops of blood fell to the floor.

“Joseph, how could you be so despicable? You know Derek is innocent, yet you bribed reporters and hired online trolls. Do you want to ruin his reputation?” Her grip tightened around my wrist with great force.

A sharp cracking sound followed.

Pain washed over me, and a faint taste of blood filled my mouth.

Derek pulled her away and acted generous. “Jaime, it’s alright. I believe Joseph wouldn’t do that.”

He then looked at me with lowered eyes, pretending to be pitiful. “I don’t know how I offended you. Joseph, your marriage to Jaime isn’t worth anything anymore. You can’t make her happy, so why are you stopping us?”

I stepped back. My right hand felt numb. My voice turned cold. “I will not stop you. Not now, and not ever.”

I turned and walked away.

Jaime shouted behind me. “Joseph, I’ll give you a chance. Kneel and apologize to Derek, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.”

I did not stop walking. Her voice grew sharper. “Joseph! Did you hear me?”

Ten years of love and pain slipped away in that moment.

I stood outside the company in the cold wind for a long time before picking up my phone. I called my lawyer. “Please give my medical records and my mother’s death certificate to Jaime. Tell her I repaid what I owed her with two lives.”