Now, I realized that I hadn't been a good son.

The real estate agent said I needed Ruby's signature to sell the house.

I showed them proof that my parents paid for it all, but the agent said, "That's good for the court, but you both need to sign if you want to do this the regular way."

I got it.

I couldn't just cut ties with Ruby yet. I had to make things clear with her before any of the court stuff.

After saying thanks to the agent, I grabbed a power of attorney form and went home.

I thought Ruby would be out until late, but there she was on the couch, looking stormy.

She glanced at me calmly when I walked in.

She got up, went to the bedroom, and slammed the door so loud it echoed.

That was her way of telling me to say sorry and sweet-talk her, just like after every other fight we had.

Even though I didn't want to, I looked at the agreement in my hand, sighed, and walked to the door.

I had made up with her so many times before, so what was one more?

Plus, saying sorry this time could get me the whole house back.

With that thought, I opened the bedroom door. Before I could even step inside, her eyebrow razor came flying at me. I dodged, but it still nicked my face, stinging my cheek.

Ruby froze for a second when she saw she had actually hurt me, her eyes seemingly filled with mixed feelings, but then she was back to normal.

I expected her to make me say sorry first, like always, or to ask me to send her some money to calm her down.

However, this time, she was seriously concerned.

"Liam," she said, "I know you're still upset about the wedding thing, but I told you yesterday, Wilson is young and reckless. He could have really gotten into trouble.

"I went to find him for you, too. If something had happened to him, would you really be okay for the rest of your life?"

I stifled a laugh. "Why not?"

Ruby was frustrated, like she was trying to shape iron into steel. "Ignoring that he's a person, he's also our colleague. We've worked together for years. How could you just watch him be put in danger?

"And he helped a lot with getting you out of jail. Without his help, would you have gotten out so quickly?"

I thought it was funny, like a fairy tale.

Why didn't she see that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been in jail at all?

My lawyer said that normally, I wouldn't have been locked up for more than three months. Whether Wilson was really helping or not, who knows?

I kept this to myself. Ruby wouldn't believe me anyway.

When I didn't say anything, Ruby thought she had convinced me and smiled.

"I swiped your card this time to do you a favor. Maybe you got locked up because you've been too tight with your money. Even the sky couldn't be seen anymore, so it made you spend big just once.

"Do you think I'm excited about your tiny gifts?" Ruby said that with a sneer, then she saw the papers in my hand. "What's that you've got?"

"I'm going to sell the house."

"Sell the house?" Ruby's eyebrow went up.

I was trying to think of a good excuse to convince her when Ruby giggled behind her hand. "Are you finally going to listen to me and sell this place for a bigger one?

"I've been telling you that this house has lots of issues. The new neighborhood next door is really nice, I've checked it out before..." Ruby kept talking.

I remembered that before I went to jail, Ruby had been pushing me to sell this house and buy one in the new development next door.

She said all kinds of things to make me agree, but I knew she just wanted to be close to Wilson, who was planning to buy a house there.

I didn't correct her. I just nodded. "You're right, I'll handle the paperwork tomorrow."

In the past, I always took care of the complicated paperwork, so Ruby didn't think twice about it, quickly signing the proxy agreement.

After she signed, I flipped to the last page of the divorce papers.

"Why does this look different from the other ones?" Ruby felt something was up and was about to check the front page.

Just then, her phone rang. She glanced at it and started smiling, losing all interest in the papers as she signed her name quickly.

"Okay, you can leave now. I've got stuff to do," Ruby said, waving me off.

She didn't have to tell me. I knew that call was from Wilson.

They talked on the phone for almost half an hour every night before bed.

I had no clue what Ruby was up to, but she was out all day for the next two days.

This time, I didn't bother checking on her like I used to, as she would just snap at me for being nosy.

Instead, I took care of my own stuff.

The following day, I dropped off the paperwork at the real estate agency.

I wanted to sell the house fast, so I priced it super low. Before I knew it, a buyer checked it out and bought it on the spot.

On day three, my lawyer said that the important evidence was fixed and the court was looking at the case.

Everything was locked in.

Now, I just had to wait for the trial to start and I would get back double for all the trouble I had been through.

When I got home to pack up, I found my stuff dumped by the stairs like garbage.

My favorite mug with a picture of Ruby and me, once a treasure, was in pieces. The two of us, once inseparable, were tossed aside.

I barely glanced at it and went inside.

There were Ruby and Wilson, hand in hand, acting like lovebirds, chatting about the house.

"Ruby, you're giving me this house for my game room. What if Liam's not cool with it?" Wilson asked.

"Don't sweat it. I own half this place. If I say yes, that's all that matters," Ruby replied.

As I walked in, Ruby was gazing at Wilson all soft and sweet.

"Huh, Liam? What are you doing here?" Wilson spotted me first, gave a sly grin, and hugged Ruby even tighter. "Aren’t these work hours? Why are you here?"

I stayed quiet, just looking at Ruby, who seemed a bit freaked out.

She tried to push Wilson away, but it was like she knew it was too late, so she just gave up and gave me an icy stare: "Liam, who said you could leave work early?

"You don't follow the rules at all. I'm telling you, get back to the company now. I could just dock half a day's pay as a warning, or I could follow the company's rules and fine you three times as much!"

She made me laugh, but I knew she meant business.

She usually overlooked others coming in late or leaving early, but with me, she was strict and didn't let anything slide.

I had worked so hard to support her rise to that position, but she was using every trick in the book against me.

Wilson chuckled, "Ruby, take it easy. Liam's probably just not used to being out of jail yet. Give him a little more time to adjust."

His words cooled Ruby's temper.

Ruby's face relaxed a bit, and when she looked at me, her eyes showed she was really disappointed.

"Liam, try to be more like Wilson. He's young but he gets it. He's successful in everything because he's not stuck in his ways like you are, and you're not exactly young anymore.

"Okay, I'll let it go this time. Since you're here, there's something I want to talk to you about…”

"I've already sold the house."

I knew what Ruby was about to say.

I cut her off with a calm voice, "The contract's already signed. Plus, that house was fully paid for by my parents. It's none of your business, so you don't get to make decisions about it."

Ruby didn't expect me to be so straightforward and her brow furrowed.

"Liam, what's wrong with you? After all these years we've been married, are you really going to make a big deal over an old house?"

I set her straight, "An old house that's worth 300 thousand dollars?

"And what exactly have you done in all these years that makes you think I shouldn't care about that 300 thousand dollars?

"Was it getting me thrown in jail? Or was it cheating on me?" I kept pressing her.

Ruby was speechless, her cheeks red with anger. After a moment, she blurted out, "Liam, I can't believe you're such a mean and selfish person."

Wilson smirked, thinking he had won. He patted Ruby's back, trying to comfort her.

"Let it go, Ruby. Don't be upset over this. It'll just make me feel worse."

Then he turned to me and said, "Liam, this is my fault, not Ruby's. If you're going to be mad, be mad at me, not her.

"I know you don't want to see me, so I'll just go now."

He was about to pat my shoulder when I saw a sly look in his eyes.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand, shoved it against his chest, and fell to the ground with a grunt.

Before I could even understand what was happening, Ruby slapped me.

"Liam, are you out of your mind? Wilson was just trying to help, and you hit him?"

She helped Wilson up, glaring at me the whole time.

My face stung from the slap, and I was so angry I wanted to fight back. However, I then saw Wilson's smug look and realized that I had to stay calm.

I didn't know what they were up to, but I knew better than to fall for their tricks.

I didn't need to get in trouble over someone like him.

I held back my anger, but Ruby wasn't done. She rushed to the door, messed up her hair and clothes on purpose, flung the door open, and yelled, "Help, someone's being violent!"

Neighbors came running when they heard her. Ruby had already told everyone about my time in jail, so they all looked at me like I was the bad guy.

"I've called the cops," she said. "Let this guy go back to jail for a second time."

Someone waved their phone at me, as if they had something on me.

Right then, my lawyer showed up with two people dressed like cops.

"That was quick!"

The neighbors, thinking that those were the cops they had called, started making a fuss, wanting to stand up for Ruby.

Ruby was taken aback but didn't overthink it and walked over.

"Are you Ruby?"

Before she could get a word out, the officers cut in with a chilly tone.

"We're here about a tax case. We've got new, strong evidence that points to your employee, Wilson Charlton, being a tax cheater. And you, as the boss, broke the law by lying for him. We've got solid evidence. Please come with us to the station to help us with our investigation."