Late Love is Cheaper Than Weeds

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I was desperately, miserably in love with Selene.

Even though she kept a string of lovers on her leash, and had openly cheated on me with Hunterher family's former adopted heir.

I still couldnt bring myself to let her go.

I hit the gym religiously, pumped my body with endless fertility medications, all because I desperately wanted to have a child with her to secure our marriage.

Until today, when the doctor finally told me my fertility metrics had met the standards. Holding the lab report, I rushed to her office without wasting a single second.

"Selene, I"

My voice caught in my throat.

Selene was wrapping her arms around her newly hired male secretary, kissing him passionately. Hearing me enter, she cast a cold, irritated glance over her shoulder.

"Get the hell out!"

At that exact moment, a cold splash of reality hit me.

I could tolerate having a cheating wife.

But could our future child tolerate having a mother like this?

***

###

It was half an hour later when the office door finally clicked open.

Out stepped the new secretary.

He casually adjusted his rumpled shirt, throwing me a smug, disdainful smirk before sauntering down the hallway.

I had witnessed this kind of silent provocation hundreds, if not thousands of times.

In the beginning, it would break my heart and leave me in tears.

But now? I was entirely numb to it.

I pushed the door open and walked in.

Hearing my footsteps, Selene turned her head. The moment her eyes fell on me, her brow furrowed in habitual annoyance.

"What are you doing back here?"

"Didn't I tell you to stop coming to my office for no damn reason?"

I hesitated.

Quietly, I slipped the fertility lab report deep into my bag and spoke in a calm, flat voice:

"Selene, let's get a divorce."

The hand Selene used to hold her slim cigarette paused mid-air.

She let out a mocking laugh and looked at me.

"What? You can't take it anymore?"

"Lest you forget, you were the one who begged on your knees and signed that prenuptial agreement, giving up your dignity just to marry into my family."

As soon as the words left her mouth, her phone on the desk buzzed twice.

It was Hunter.

Selene glanced at the screen. She didn't even bother to dismiss me, answering the call right in front of me.

Her voice instantly turned sweet and dripping with affection:

"Hey, babe. Miss me already?"

"Of course I love you the most. You're my only baby."

"You're back in the country? Great, I'll see you in a bit."

A mans low, playful laughter drifted faintly from the receiver.

A few minutes later, Selene hung up and redirected her icy gaze back to me.

She tilted her chin toward a corner of her massive mahogany desk.

"The divorce papers are right there. I've already signed my part."

"If you want to sign it, go ahead."

"It's not like this is the first or second time you've thrown a tantrum about getting a divorce."

Selene stood up, grabbed her designer coat from the back of her chair, and walked toward the door.

She paused at the threshold, throwing a cold warning over her shoulder:

"Oh, and don't bother waiting up for me tonight. Stop playing the dutiful, pathetic husband waiting at the door."

"It annoys me, and it makes my mother nag at me every time she sees you like that."

With that, she opened the door and walked out without a single backward glance.

Faced with Selene's relentless humiliation and disdain, I probably should have collapsed onto the floor, sobbing my heart out.

But strangely,

My eyes were completely dry. I couldn't squeeze out a single tear.

I walked over to her desk, pulled out the divorce agreement, and flipped to the last page. Selene's elegant, sharp signature was already penned there.

"Heh."

I shook my head, letting out a self-deprecating chuckle.

I didn't even bother reading the clauses about property division or alimony. None of it mattered to me anymore.

I pulled a pen from the holder.

Stroke by stroke, I wrote down my name, Ashton, and took my copy of the agreement.

It was only when I walked out of the corporate building that I pulled two other papers from my pocket: the fertility approval sheet, and an early-stage stomach cancer diagnosis.

I had honestly wanted to leave a child behind for her.

***

###

When I returned to the estate, Victoria was waiting for me in the living room.

The moment she saw me, she hurried over.

"Ashton, you're back!"

"You went to the hospital for your check-up today, right? Did the results come out? I noticed you haven't had much of an appetite lately. Are you feeling unwell?"

I lowered my gaze, forcing a calm lie:

"I'm fine, Victoria."

"The doctor said it's just some minor indigestion and stomach sensitivity. Nothing to worry about."

Victoria had always been incredibly kind to me.

Since I had already decided to divorce Selene, there was no need to make this gentle older woman worry about my health.

The anxiety on Victoria's face softened, and her tone remained warm:

"Oh... thank goodness. Your health is the most important thing. I'll have Maria brew some herbal tea to soothe your stomach. Drink it before bed, okay?"

"Thank you, Victoria."

Victoria seemed to have more to say, but the heavy front doors of the villa were suddenly pushed open.

Was Selene back?

Didn't she say she wasn't coming home tonight?

A pair of polished black leather shoes stepped into the foyer, followed by a smug, handsome face.

It was Hunter.

"Good evening, Victoria. Hey, Ashton."

"Selene brought me over for dinner. I hope you don't mind."

The smile on Victoria's face instantly froze. She whipped her head around, glaring at Selene with sheer fury.

No matter how wild Selene acted outside, Victoria could turn a blind eye as long as it wasn't brought into the open. But bringing her side-piece into our family home was a direct slap to my face.

"Selene, how dare you"

I quickly stepped forward, gently rubbing Victoria's back to soothe her.

"Victoria, please calm down. Remember what the doctor said about your high blood pressure. Anger is bad for your heart."

"It's just dinner."

Then, I turned around to face Selene and Hunter.

I offered them a polite, empty smile.

"I don't mind at all."

"Maria, please set two more plates. Dinner is ready. You two can wash up and join us."

Perhaps my reaction was too peaceful.

Selene raised an eyebrow in surprise, searching my face as if trying to figure out what kind of mind game I was playing.

At the dining table, Hunter was radiant. He constantly used his fork to pile Selene's favorite dishes onto her plate, his voice dripping with artificial sweetness:

"Selene, try this. You've been working so hard lately, you need to eat more."

Selene didn't reject his advances.

Instead, she smiled, picked up a piece of perfectly deboned fish, and held it to Hunter's lips.

"You should eat too, babe."

Hunter giggled, taking it from her fork.

As he chewed, his eyes darted toward me, flashing a triumphant, mocking look.

Victorias face turned completely pale. Unable to tolerate the disrespect any longer, she slammed her bowl onto the table with a loud *clack*.

"I'm done."

She got up and left the dining room in a hurry.

I didn't raise my head. I just kept chewing my food slowly and methodically.

The doctor had told me this morning that because it was early-stage stomach cancer, we had caught it just in time. But I had to eat properly to prepare my body, or I wouldn't even survive the surgery next week.

Selene found my dead-silent reaction incredibly boring.

Seeing that Victoria had left the table, she leaned into Hunter's chest and said loudly, deliberately aiming her words at me:

"Oh, by the way, Ashton. Don't sleep in the master bedroom tonight."

"Hunter and I are using it."

"Go sleep in the guest room on the third floor."

Hunter let out a soft, performative laugh, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist.

"Oh, Selene... don't say things like that in public. It's so embarrassing..."

Only then did I look up, my voice steady:

"Sure."

I stood up from my chair.

"I'm finished. Enjoy your dinner."

The master bedroom or the guest room made no difference to me. I wasn't picky about where I slept.

For a cancer patient, getting enough sleep was my only priority.

But my total indifference seemed to light a sudden, inexplicable fire in Selene's chest. She abruptly shoved Hunter away, stood up, and blocked my path in three large strides.

She grabbed my wrist with bruising force, her voice laced with sudden rage:

"Stop right there!"

"Ashton, who the hell do you think you're giving attitude to?"

***

###

Her sudden burst of anger caught me off guard.

What was Selene even mad about?

In the past, I had behaved like a hysterical madman. I had done everything to track down evidence of her affairs, checked her phone for endless flirty texts, and tried to block every man who came near her.

Back then, she despised me for it. She called me a psycho, a controlling freak.

Now that I was finally giving her the freedom she wanted, why was she still angry?

I felt incredibly exhausted. I took a deep breath, gently but firmly prying her fingers off my wrist.

"I'm not giving you attitude, Selene. I'm just tired and want to rest."

I took two steps, then paused as something crossed my mind. I turned back.

"By the way, I've signed the divorce papers. My signed copy is in my bag, and yours is back on your desk. If you have time tomorrow morning, let's go to the attorney's office to file the paperwork. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes."

"I haven't told Victoria about this yet. Her health is fragile, and I don't want to shock her. You should find a gentler way to tell her later."

Selene let out a harsh, bitter laugh, her words dripping with sarcasm:

"You're calling her 'Victoria' already? How ungrateful."

"Ashton, if my mother hadn't literally threatened to starve herself to death, a guy like you would have never even crossed my path, let alone married into the corporate dynasty."

My fingernails dug into my palms, turning my fingertips white.

But I didn't want to argue. I just kept my head down, remaining silent.

My silence made Selene feel like she was punching a wall of soft cotton. Her irritation flared even higher.

She pushed her plate away and stood up abruptly.

"Fine! You're in such a rush to leave? Let's go tomorrow!"

The next morning, the silence in the back of the town car was suffocating.

Suddenly, Selene turned her head, a cruel, mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Too bad Hunter was still asleep and couldn't join us. Otherwise, once we file these papers, I could have proposed to him right outside. He's been with me for years; it's time I gave him a legal title."

I knew she was trying to get a rise out of me, so I didn't take the bait.

Instead, I turned to look at her.

"Since we're legally parting ways today, can you tell me the truth?"

"Selene, why have you hated me so passionately all these years?"

***

###

The air in the car instantly froze.

Selenes throat bobbed, as if she were desperately suppressing a wave of fury.

After a long pause, she whipped her head around and glared at me with pure venom.

"Because you deserved it!"

"Honestly, when I first met you, I actually liked you. But then you just *had* to play the desperate, pathetic puppy who wanted to marry into my family. You made my mother use her own life to force me into this marriage!"

"I am so sick of it! I am sick of my mother controlling every single aspect of my life! I wanted freedom! I told you that back then, and you said you didn't care as long as you could be with me. Well, this is what you get. You brought this entirely on yourself!"

Selene screamed the words in one breath.

Then, she slumped back against the leather seat, panting heavily.

I listened to her, quiet and still.

I wasn't shocked, just incredibly amused by the sheer absurdity of it all.

Looking at her flushed, angry face, I offered a sincere apology:

"I'm sorry, Selene. For wasting these past few years of your life."

"Now that we are divorced, I promise I will never bother you again."

Selene didn't reply, her brow furrowing even tighter.

By the time the filing was complete and we returned to the estate, Selene remained dead silent.

I had no desire to irritate her further, so I retreated directly to the third-floor guest room to pack my things.

At dinner, the four of us sat together again: Victoria, Selene, Hunter, and myself.

This time, Selene and Hunter weren't acting overly touchy.

But as the chandelier light caught Hunter's wrist, my eyes snagged on a familiar glint of green.

That was...

That was my mother's heirloom emerald bracelet!

Shock and panic seized me. I stood up so fast my chair screeched, and I lunged across the table to grab Hunter's wrist.

"Give it back!"

"That's my mother's bracelet! Who gave you permission to go into the master bedroom and ransack my jewelry box?"

Hunter shrieked in pain as I gripped his wrist.

But a split second later, a flash of smug satisfaction crossed his eyes. He instantly whimpered, tears pooling in his eyes.

"What do you mean, your bracelet? Ashton, what are you talking about? I bought this myself a few days ago! I was planning on gifting it to Selene!"

"Selene, he's hurting me! Make him let go!"

Selene stood up almost the exact second I grabbed Hunter.

Hearing his whimper, she violently slapped my hand away without a shred of hesitation.

"Ashton! Have you lost your damn mind? Let go of him!"

"I knew you wouldn't let this divorce go smoothly! It's just a bracelet! If Hunter said he bought it, he bought it! Stop causing a scene over nothing!"

I stared at Selene, my voice turning sharp and hysterical:

"I'm causing a scene? Selene, open your eyes and look at it!"

"This was in the safety deposit box of my mother's estate! It's her last legacy!"

Selene glanced at the bracelet with irritation. It did look familiar. It probably was mine.

But just as she opened her mouth to tell Hunter to take it off and give it back,

Victoria slammed her hand on the table, standing up and pointing a shaking finger at Hunter.

"You thief! I've seen that bracelet before. It belongs to Ashton. Give it back to him right now!"

"You cheap, lying thief."

"Selene, let me tell you something. If you defend this parasite one more time, you will no longer have a mother!"

Victoria's threat instantly triggered Selenes deep-seated rebellion.

She stepped in front of Hunter, shielding him completely.

"I said it's Hunter's, so it's his."

"It's just a piece of jewelry. I'll buy Ashton a better one at the Sotheby's auction tomorrow. Stop using every little thing to make Hunter's life miserable!"

Lies!

That was the last physical memory I had of my late mother.

Even if she bought me ten thousand bracelets, none of them would be the one my mother wore.

Blinded by grief and panic, I threw myself forward, trying to wrench the bracelet from Hunter's wrist.

Selene pushed me back.

Then Victoria joined the fray, trying to pull Selene away from me.

In the chaotic scuffle, to keep me from reaching Hunter, Selene violently shoved me away

A massive force slammed into my shoulder.

I didn't expect her to use so much strength. My ankle twisted, and I lost my balance completely, falling backward like a chopped tree.

*CRACK!*

A sickening, dull thud echoed through the dining room.

The lower half of my back slammed violently against the sharp, carved corner of the heavy mahogany dining table.

In an instant, an agonizing, white-hot pain exploded from the point of impact, paralyzing my lungs and stripping away my ability to make a sound.

Taking advantage of my fall, Selene grabbed Hunter's hand and stormed out the door.

"Stop! Selene, you absolute monster!"

"Get back here! Someone stop them!"

Victoria screamed at the top of her lungs, calling for the security guards.

But Selene and Hunter had already vanished into the night.

Victoria turned around, intending to comfort me, but the words died in her throat.

Beside the dining table, I was slumped on the floor, surrounded by a rapidly expanding pool of dark red blood, my face as white as a sheet of paper.

"Ashton!"

Victoria nearly fainted from shock.

I was rushed to the ER, and the red "Surgery in Progress" light stayed on for an entire day and night.

Meanwhile, Selene knew she was in the wrong.

The next day, she took Hunter to an exclusive jewelry auction, intending to buy me an even more expensive emerald bracelet to replace the one she had let Hunter keep.

While she was sitting in the VIP suite, browsing the catalog,

The doors were suddenly kicked open.

It was Victoria.

Abandoning all her usual elegance and poise, she pushed past the bodyguards and stormed into the room.

She held a thick manila envelope in her trembling hand.

*SLAP!*

Victoria marched right up to Selene and delivered a thunderous slap across her face.

"Open it!" Victoria roared.

Nursing her stinging cheek, Selene looked at Victoria's devastated, tear-streaked face. For the first time, she felt a chill of panic.

Seeing her hesitate,

Victoria screamed again, "I said, open it!"

With trembling fingers, Selene pulled the documents out of the envelope.

Her eyes scanned the pages.

Her pupils shrunk to pinpricks, and a horrific, strangled gasp escaped her throat:

"No..."

The tears Victoria had been holding back finally streamed down her face.

She let out a broken, agonizing sob:

"Look at it, Selene! Ashton is dead! You killed him! You killed my boy with your own hands!"