Chapter 4

That weekend, I didn't go home.

Brooke had sent me countless messages, from apologies to pleas to threats.

I didn't reply to a single one.

I stayed in my hotel room, organizing the information I'd gathered.

The detective's report, the lawyer's litigation plan, and some insights I'd discovered myself.

Brooke didn't know it, but I knew far more about her and Ryan than they could ever imagine.

For example, Ryan actually had another girlfriend, working in another city.

They'd been dating for three years, and her family was pressing them to get married.

But Ryan kept stalling, saying he was too busy with work.

It was all because of Brooke.

He was stringing two women along, enjoying Brooke's company while maintaining his relationship with his girlfriend.

A classic scumbag move.

Another example: Ryan had recently lost a lot of money on the stock market.

He'd secretly been taking cash advances on his credit cards to play the market and was now heavily in debt.

His monthly salary wasn't even enough to cover his credit card payments.

He'd been frequently asking Brooke for money, claiming it was for investment projects.

But Brooke didn't know that the money she gave him was just going to fill the holes in his stock market losses.

Also, Ryan actually had a terrible reputation at work.

He often shirked responsibility, blaming others when problems arose.

There were several times when projects went wrong, and I was the one who bailed him out.

Coworkers were polite to him on the surface, but secretly, they all looked down on him.

All this information, I'd observed and accumulated over the years.

Before, I considered him a friend, so I tolerated it.

Now, all of it became my weapon.

My phone rang. It was Brooke.

I hesitated for a moment, then answered.

"Alex, you finally answered!"

Her voice was choked with sobs.

"Where have you been these past few days? I've been so worried about you."

"Worried about me?"

I sneered.

"Worried I'd die and you wouldn't get your share of the assets?"

"Alex, how can you say that to me?"

"I genuinely care about you."

"I've been reflecting these past few days. I know I made a mistake."

"I'm willing to change. Can we please start over?"

Her acting was still so good.

If I hadn't seen those SnapChat messages, I might have actually fallen for it.

But now, I just felt sick to my stomach.

"Brooke, do you really think we still have a chance?"

"Of course, we do! We're married. What challenge can't we overcome?"

"I've already made things clear with Ryan. We won't see each other again."

"I'll delete his contacts, change jobs, move – whatever you ask."

"Just please forgive me."

She spoke tearfully, and if I hadn't seen the evidence with my own eyes, I really would have been moved.

But now, I just felt nauseated.

"Alright, I'll give you a chance."

I intentionally softened my tone.

"Really? Alex, I knew you loved me most!"

"But I have a condition."

"What condition? Tell me, I'll do anything."

"I want to see all your SnapChat messages with Ryan from the past year and a half."

The other end of the line went silent.

"And all your hotel receipts, date photos, everything."

"If you truly want to start over, there should be no secrets."

"Alex, this…"

"What? Can't do it?"

"It's not that I can't, it's just that I don't think it's necessary…"

"Then there's nothing more to discuss."

I was about to hang up.

"Wait!"

She quickly called out to me.

"I can show you, but you can't get angry when you see them."

"I won't get angry."

My voice was as calm as still water.

"I just want the truth."

"Okay, I'll come home tonight. We can talk things through properly."

I hung up the phone and sneered.

Brooke thought she could still manipulate my emotions.

She didn't know that I was completely over her.

Tonight, she would show me some "carefully selected" SnapChat messages.

Deleting the most vicious ones, keeping some that looked "harmless."

Then she'd cry and say she was just misled by Ryan, and now she realizes her mistake.

A classic cheater's playbook.

Too bad I'd already seen the full version.

At 8 PM, I returned home.

Brooke had cooked a table full of food, waiting for me.

All my favorite dishes, the aroma filling the air.

She was wearing loungewear, with light makeup, looking gentle and virtuous.

In the past, I would have been touched by such warmth.

Now, I just wanted to end this charade quickly.

"Alex, you're back."

She came forward, trying to hug me.

I sidestepped her.

"The documents?"

Her smile faltered slightly.

"Let's eat first. The food's getting cold."

"I'm not hungry. The documents?"

I sat directly on the sofa.

Brooke bit her lip, then pulled out her phone from her bag.

"Alex, let me just say, these messages might make you uncomfortable…"

"Hand it over."

I held out my hand.

She handed me the phone, her voice trembling:

"Don't get too upset when you read them. A lot of those were just said in anger…"

I took the phone and started scrolling through the messages.

As expected, they had been filtered.

All the vicious remarks were gone, leaving only phrases like "I'm so conflicted," or "I feel terrible about Alex."

It made it seem like she was truly suffering from guilt and remorse over the affair.

"That's all?"

I handed the phone back to her.

"Yes, that's all."

She watched my expression nervously.

"Alex, you see? Even though I made a mistake, you've always been in my heart…"

"Brooke."

I cut her off.

"Do you really think I'm that easy to fool?"

She froze.

"What do you mean?"

I pulled out my phone and displayed the SnapChat screenshots Mr. Davis had sent me.

"Look at this."

The moment she saw the screenshot, her face went instantly white.

It was the full, unedited SnapChat conversation between her and her best friend.

Including the line where she said being with me felt "like visiting a graveyard."

"Alex, this… where did this come from?"

"It doesn't matter."

I put my phone away.

"What matters is that you're still lying to me, even now."

"I gave you a chance to be honest, and you chose to continue deceiving me."

"Alex, I can explain…"

"No need to explain."

I stood up.

"Brooke, we're getting a divorce."

"Tomorrow, I'll have my lawyer draw up the agreement."

"I want the house, I want the car, and I want the savings."

"You'll leave with absolutely nothing."

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Alex, have you gone crazy?"

"Why should I leave with nothing?"

"Because you cheated, and because you used our marital assets to book hotel rooms with another man."

I pulled out the hotel receipts.

"These are all evidence, more than enough to make you lose in court."

Brooke stared at the records, her body beginning to tremble.

"Alex, we were married. You can't do this to me…"

"Married?"

I sneered.

"Do spouses betray each other? Do spouses deceive each other?"

"Brooke, you stopped treating me like a husband a long time ago."

"And now you're remembering we were married?"

She suddenly threw herself at my feet, clutching my legs.

"Alex, I was wrong, I was truly wrong!"

"Please give me another chance. I promise I'll change!"

"I'll cut off all contact with Ryan, I'll never see him again!"

Watching her tear-streaked face, my heart remained utterly unmoved.

How many times had she cried those same tears for Ryan?

"Brooke, do you know what 'too late' means?"

I crouched down, looking into her eyes.

"It means it's over."

"You missed your chance to be honest, and you missed your chance to apologize."

"Now, you don't even have a chance to beg for mercy."

I stood up, dusting off my pants.

"Think about it carefully. Either an amicable divorce agreement, or we'll see each other in court."

"I'll give you three days."

With that, I turned and walked out.

"Alex Greene!"

She screamed my name, utterly broken.

"You heartless man!"

"I gave you three years of my youth, and this is how you treat me?"

"You'll regret this! You definitely will!"

I walked out of the house without looking back.

Regret?

My only regret was not seeing her true colors sooner.