Austin's POV
It was one thing for Chris to think the worst of me, but I never expected Jane to feel the same way.
It was truly laughable. When did I, the proud eldest son of the Hastings family, ever need to rely on the title of 'husband of the CEO of Reynolds Group' to hold power over others?
I regretted losing the confident, self-assured version of myself for love. And just like that, the last shred of attachment to this marriage was entirely shattered.
"Jane, hurry up and sign the divorce agreement," I said coldly. "Or don’t make me take legal action."
I grabbed my suitcase without a second thought and walked out, leaving the house behind without even looking back.
When I walked inside, I saw my parents excitedly talking about the aurora borealis on the travel channel. As soon as they noticed me, they quickly turned off the TV.
Traveling the world had always been their dream, but their only son?
He'd become a love-struck fool, focusing all his energy on a woman instead of stepping up and taking the reins of the family business.
I walked over, grabbed the remote from the drawer, and turned the TV back on. Then, I took out my phone and booked two tickets to Finland.
I expected them to be excited, but instead, they exchanged worried glances.
I knew I couldn’t hide it any longer.
"Jane...and I... we’re getting a divorce," I said flatly.
The living room went silent, the tension thick in the air.
After what felt like an eternity, both of them stood up and walked over, taking my hands gently.
"Whatever decision you make, we’ll support you," my dad said, his voice steady but laced with concern. "As long as you’re happy. Your mother and I will always be your rock."
My throat clenched, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. The grievances I had bottled up for so long erupted alongside my tears.
When I married Jane, my parents had actually been against it. They couldn’t stand how persistent I was, but in the end, they gave in.
I squeezed my dad’s hand tightly, then grabbed my mom’s, and the three of us held on to each other.
Smiling through the tears, I said, "Don’t worry, I’m okay."
But even then, they didn’t seem reassured. They insisted I change my flight to a week later so we could spend more time together.
At their insistence, I scheduled a family portrait session, something we had always looked forward to each year.
After I married Jane, I’d invited her multiple times to join us for the photo, but each time, she’d made up some excuse about her busy work schedule.
...
The next morning, my parents and I arrived early at the photography studio, only to see an unexpected figure: Jane.
She was with Chris.
He held her hand, eyes practically sparkling with satisfaction. "Jane, thank you for canceling such an important meeting just to take pictures with me."
Jane smiled and playfully scratched his nose. "Silly, you’re the closest person to me. If I don’t pamper you, who will, Chris?"
A bitter taste rose in my throat. The truth was that Jane's lack of time wasn't the issue; I just didn't deserve it anymore.
Right then, my mom asked, "Austin, who are you looking at?"
"Oh, no one. I just mistook someone for someone else," I lied, quickly turning my body to block my mom’s view.
I pulled her back toward the seating area, pretending nothing had happened.
Inside the studio, I stood between my parents, holding my dad’s hand with one and linking my mom’s arm with the other.
For a moment, I just stood there with them, smiling like I didn’t have a care in the world. The camera clicked, capturing the scene as if it were a rare snapshot of something I’d been missing for a long time.
Right at that moment, it felt as though I had been reborn. I had reconnected with the people who were the most important in my life.
But just as my dad went to the bathroom, my mom suddenly winced in pain, clutching her stomach.
"Mom? What’s wrong? Is it your stomach?" I rushed over to her, panic creeping into my voice.
I guided her to the nearby resting room while simultaneously calling the family doctor and emergency services.
As I anxiously waited, Chris showed up in the waiting room.
"So, this is why you're okay with divorcing Jane, huh?" he sneered. "Looks like you’ve latched onto some rich old lady."
Chris examined my mom from head to toe, a malevolent gleam in his eyes.
"Your new woman might have aged well and has some taste, but let’s be honest, Austin. She can’t compare to Jane."
