Never Forgive: Love Cannot Be Unfaithful

All sorts of feelings well up in my heart at the full-month baby banquet.

I watched coldly as my ex-wife, Jennifer Garcia, whom I once cherished, knelt before me, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded for my help.

"Caleb Grayson, I beg you, for the sake of our past relationship, please help me. I don't want to go to jail!"

Her usually domineering parents were also wailing, their old faces contorted with regret, as if they had forgotten how they treated me in their home.

"I'm here kneeling for you, I'm so sorry. Can't you have a little compassion?" Jennifer's mother Linda's face flushed with anger as she saw me unmoved and made as if to kneel.

I stepped back coldly and said, "No, I will never forgive you."

1

"Mr. Grayson, as you instructed, we've cleared the entire hotel for today and are only accommodating your friends' reservations."

In the lobby of Badrutt's Palace Hotel, the manager, Finn Upton, along with his staff, bowed and scraped, looking nervous.

I glanced around. If it hadn't been for Ivan Grayson's insistence that I attend his son-Lucas's full-month banquet, I might have forgotten that I inherited this hotel from my grandfather Zachary.

"Okay, thank you for your help today," I said, patting his shoulder to ease his tension.

Actually, this so-called "friend" was Ivan, the biological son of my adoptive parents, and my nominal younger brother.

I arrived early and settled into a sofa in a corner of the lobby to rest my eyes. After a while, a commotion at the entrance caught my attention, and when I opened my eyes, I was stunned.

The woman holding a baby by Ivan's side was none other than my ex-wife, Jennifer.

My eyes widened in disbelief, and my heart raced as if it would leap from my chest.

It had only been seven months since our divorce, and Jennifer had already given birth to someone else's child just a month ago. How ironic.

Had I been cheated on?

I sat in the corner, unnoticed by Jennifer and Ivan.

I wanted to confront them, but my legs felt heavy, as if they were weighed down by lead.

"Darling, why do you insist on making me wear stockings on such a cold day?" It was deep winter, and Jennifer's slim, straight legs were clad in thin stockings as she cooed to the baby in her arms while complaining to Ivan.

"Come on, my baby has such stunning legs; I have to show them off!"

Ivan leered at Jennifer's legs and, in front of everyone, even reached out to give them a squeeze. The group of Ivan's friends, regulars at the party scene, exchanged knowing glances, their eyes glued to Jennifer's chest and legs.

As a man, I knew exactly what that look meant.

Watching Jennifer flirt openly with Ivan, my heart felt as if it had been twisted into a tight knot.

I had pursued her for three years, married her for six months, treating her like a goddess. Then, here she was, laughing and allowing Ivan, this playboy, to grope her.

Ivan teased the baby for a while before turning back to gaze at Jennifer, suddenly changing his demeanor. He eagerly pulled her toward the mother-baby room off to the side of the lobby.

I dragged my heavy feet, following them, and soon heard the sounds of flirtation filled with hormones coming from within.

That voice was all too familiar; it was the sweet tone Jennifer used when she was feeling affectionate.

"Tell me, between Caleb and me, who do you prefer?" Ivan panted, his voice thick with desire.

"Can you not bring up that loser right now? What does he even mean? As soon as I give him a little attention, he treats me like a goddess!"

Jennifer answered without hesitation.

Images flashed in my mind of our wedding night, "Honey, marrying you is the luckiest thing in my life. I will love and respect you forever." I had promised, treating her like a treasure.

But in the end, she was casually engaging in public indiscretions with another man.

A dull ache spread from my heart to my limbs.

"Are you nervous about seeing him later?" Ivan teased, prompting a burst of giggles from Jennifer.

Jennifer giggled and said, "Even if I told him I cheated on him, what would it matter? A beauty like me is not meant for a loser like him."

"Everyone says I married a good man, that he is a decent person who knows how to treat others, but what's the use? I want gemstones, dollars, and a big diamond ring! Not a junk ring that's worth almost nothing even if it's recycled!"

I recalled the day she accepted my proposal, the sky so blue, her joy as she wore the ring I had saved for so long, kissing the tiny diamond on it and saying, "Thank you, darling, I love it."

It was all a lie; she had never loved me. I sniffed, trying to hold back the tears.

Not wanting to hear any more of Jennifer's flirtations with another man, I quietly returned to my corner, my emotions swirling, unable to settle.

I don't know how long it was before the two of them finally emerged, their faces flushed.

"Come on, everyone, let's head into the private room! You all know how hard it is to book this hotel. If it weren't for my buddy who's the executive manager here, we'd have to wait until next year to eat!"

Ivan called out, oblivious to the predatory gazes of his friends lingering on Jennifer.

At that moment, I finally understood why Jennifer had been so adamant about divorcing me.

It turned out she was eager to hide her growing belly, wanting to kick me aside to have Ivan's child!

No wonder when I received a call from Ivan the other day, he had changed from his usual arrogant self to being polite and sincere.

"Caleb, even though we're not blood brothers, I've always considered you my real brother! I've convinced Mom and Dad to give you a lighter job at the company so you don't have to work so hard at your age."

Even though I had just finished my grandfather's funeral and was busy dealing with the assets he left me, Ivan's words still warmed my heart.

In recent years, the Grayson family's business has declined significantly. The business had seen better days, and I thought I could help arrange some orders for them as a welcome gift for my nephew.

But it turned out they only wanted to bring me back to humiliate me in person.

As I opened my eyes again, there was no longer a shred of love in my heart. All the beautiful memories I thought I had vanished with the ugly truth of this divorce.

I smirked and made a phone call, giving a few quiet orders before slowly making my way upstairs and pushing open the door to the private room.

"Hey, Caleb, you're here. Welcome!" Ivan was taken aback for a moment upon seeing me, but quickly recovered and greeted me enthusiastically.

Jennifer's face flickered with discomfort, and she looked me up and down, her disdain evident as she took in my unbranded sports outfit.

What she didn't know was that this sportswear was custom-made by a high-end Italian tailor, and the price of just one piece far exceeded what she and Ivan were wearing combined.

Jennifer cleared her throat, trying to act natural as she addressed me, "Caleb, please have a seat."

"I thought you might be busy working outside and wouldn't have time to come back, but Ivan insisted you join us to share in this joy."

At this time, Ivan leaned in with a grin, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and plopping me down beside Jennifer.

"Hey, Caleb, don't say I don't care about you. Look, I know you love kids, but given your circumstances, it's going to be a long time before you remarry. So come on, take a look at your nephew and get your fill!"

The baby was fast asleep, a glimmer of drool at the corner of his mouth, undeniably cute.

I calmly raised my eyes. "You've already had his child. When are you planning to have a wedding?"

My words struck a nerve with Jennifer. The Grayson family, after all, held some clout in this area, and she had married me first.

Even though the Grayson family had publicly cut ties with me, they would never allow their biological son to marry her.

Jennifer's face flushed and paled in quick succession, her gaze at me filled with venom. "So what? I did give birth to a legitimate child of the Grayson family! He will inherit his share of the family fortune. As his mother, I'm far more respectable than you, the adopted son who has been kicked out!"

"Is that really your excuse for cheating during our marriage?" I fixed my stare on her, a flicker of hope sparking within me. If she had been coerced back then, I would gladly welcome her back after bringing the Grayson family down.

"Well, saying things so plainly takes the fun out of it! Caleb, it was your own lack of ambition that led to such a mess, which got you kicked out of the Grayson family," one of Ivan's friends chimed in, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Jennifer is still young and beautiful. Do you really expect her to stay faithful to a loser like you? Besides, Ivan isn't an outsider. Even if they can't get married, he wouldn't mistreat you, would he?"

Their shameless laughter filled the room, making me feel nauseous.

I glared at Ivan. Others might not know, but he was well aware of the troubles that had befallen the Grayson Group. I was merely the scapegoat they pushed forward to take the blame for the quality issues that were truly his fault! He was the one who misappropriated investor funds, racking up a mountain of debt!

Having been raised by the Grayson family for years, I silently took the blame, but they still publicly severed ties with me.

Though I narrowly escaped prison, I lost everything and was blacklisted in the industry. No company dared to take me on again.

At that time, Jennifer pressured me to divorce her. Not wanting to drag her down, I signed the divorce agreement, leaving with nothing and moving far away.

I thought my life was ruined and over.

Little did I know, fate had other plans. While doing odd jobs, my maternal grandfather Zachary Carter found me, revealing that I was the sole heir of a mysterious billionaire in the country.

Back then, the Grayson family had adopted me, but there was a hidden secret behind it all!

"Let's not dwell on the past, Caleb. You've struggled these past six months, unable to get into a decent company. Very hard, right?" Ivan shamelessly continued to mock me.

"I told my parents I'd have you work as my driver. How about a monthly living allowance of 500 dollars? Just right for your bad reputation and indecent status!"

One of Ivan's friends exaggeratedly stood up, holding a bone from the plate in front of Ivan, and presented it to me.

"What can you do, Caleb? As the saying goes, the biological son eats meat, while the adopted son drinks water only. You, the expelled adopted son, can just settle for these bones."

"Besides, the bones from the Badrutt's Palace Hotel are something even the stray dogs outside can't get!"

"Hahaha!" Laughter erupted in the private room as I slowly stood up.