When Darren heard the news, he immediately rolled up his sleeves and charged toward the door.
I hurried to grab his arm.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to ask those bastards what you ever did to deserve this!”
“In their eyes,” I said quietly, “the fact that they offered to let me stay and I still chose to leave—that alone makes me the one in the wrong. So why bother asking?”
I had expected Angela to refuse the divorce, or that she would at least make me leave everything I’d earned at the company behind.
But I hadn’t expected her to freeze even my own salary.
Darren cursed under his breath, then tugged at my sleeve.
“Come on. You’re coming to my place. I don’t believe you can’t survive without her family's company to support you.”
I stopped walking. “I can’t drag you into this.”
“I’m not afraid of being dragged down! You’re coming with me.”
Seeing the look in his eyes, I didn’t argue further.
But just as I feared, the next morning someone banged on the door.
Two public officers stood outside, badges in hand.
“Mr. Smith, you have been accused of embezzlement. Please come with us to assist in the investigation.”
---
Darren’s eyes reddened as he looked at me.
“Just you wait. I’ll go find those bastards and make them pay!”
He was already storming toward the door when I stopped him.
“It’s fine. You know I didn’t do anything. Just get me a coat—it looks like it’s snowing again.”
He rushed to grab a thick jacket.
I put it on and smiled at him. “I can handle this. Don’t do anything reckless.”
“Fine, but come back soon. My mom told me to bring you home this year for a handsome meal.”
“All right.”
I followed the officers out.
Just as I reached the door, Darren shouted after me, “Callum!”
I turned around. He forced a small smile.
“Remember, we're bros. No matter what happens, you can always count on me.”
“I know.”
I managed a faint smile before turning away—then couldn’t hold it any longer.
The ache in my chest swelled until it almost spilled over.
Darren had been my college classmate, a local. Ever since he learned I was alone, he’d brought me home every holiday.
He always said, “My mom likes you more than she likes me. She insists you come over every year.”
Of course, I knew why. He just couldn’t stand seeing me spend those nights by myself.
He looked rough on the outside, but no one had a kinder heart.
But his family had treated me too well—I couldn’t drag them into this mess.
When I arrived at the detention center, Angela was already there.
“Did you really think you could escape my grasp?” she sneered. “It only took a single day before you came crawling back to me.”
“Angela, you already have Ben. Why won’t you let me go?”
“As long as you never mention divorce again,” she said coldly, “I can have you released today.”
“Don’t make me hate you…” I trailed off quietly.
Even when I discovered her betrayal, I hadn’t hated her. I had waited, hoping she might change.
But now, her obsession terrified me.
“I won’t let you go. Not unless I die,” said with a chilling calm.
It was the first time her expression truly frightened me.
A few days later, another visitor came—Greta.
When she saw the state I was in, she gave a cold, mocking laugh.
“So, you finally learned your place. Angela and Ben will be getting married soon. But before that, we need to settle what you owe my family.”
I almost laughed.
Ten years of servitude, and I still ended up with nothing.
And now, somehow, I owed them.
My life these past ten years felt like a cruel joke.
“Well then,” I said quietly, “why don’t you tell me—what exactly do I owe you?”
