The Husband Who Regretted Too Late

Chapter 2

Selena understood perfectly. This was all Austin's payback for her cruel abandonment years ago.

In university, they had been the campus's golden couple. She was the photography department's darling, and he was the medical school's heartthrob. They had sworn to grow old together, to fill a home with children. But on the eve of their engagement, Selena chose wealth over love and walked away without looking back.

The rain had been relentless that day. Austin knelt in the downpour, tears mixing with rainwater as he begged desperately. He promised he would soon become an attending physician. He said he would scrape together a down payment for an apartment. Clutching her hands with red-rimmed eyes, he pleaded for her to stay.

Selena remained ice cold. She wrenched his fingers loose one by one before stepping into a rich man's car right before his eyes. Even when she heard he had tumbled down a flight of stairs and shattered several ribs, she never visited.

Still, he had called her with bloodied fingers, his voice breaking as he begged her to come to the hospital. All he got was a single venomous word. "Get lost."

From that moment, the aspiring doctor died. He was replaced by a ruthless pharmaceutical magnate.

Five years passed. At her lowest point, he had leveraged his wealth to trap her into becoming Mrs. Nash. Now she was his personal punching bag.

What he never knew was that her leaving was not from a lack of love. It was because she loved him too much.

Her mother had late-stage Alzheimer's, just like her grandmother before her. The disease ran in the family.

He only saw her chasing money. He never realized that every cent went to her mother's staggering medical bills. And how could she forget? Her mother, lost to dementia, had once come at her with a carving knife, her face twisted in unrecognizable rage. That day, she had vowed to stay far away from Austin.

The bedroom door creaked open. Shirtless, Austin froze at the sight of her tear-streaked face.

"Selena," he growled, his jaw tight. "Last chance. Pick me or the money?"

She met his burning gaze head-on.

"The money. Ask me a thousand times, and it will always be the money."

His eyes burned with fury. "Fine," he spat before slamming the door with a deafening bang.

The moment the door shut, Selena collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut. She muttered hoarsely, "The money. It is always the money."

Hot tears splashed onto her bloodied palms.

She had long since lost the right to stand beside him. Why drag him down? These final two weeks would be their last goodbye.

Austin had taken a shine to Amanda Vane, some college girl. After their encounter, he did the unthinkable. He brought her to their home.

The girl grinned with shameless brightness, straight at Selena. "Mrs. Nash, Mr. Nash calls me Amanda. You can too."

Gritting her teeth against the bile rising in her throat, Selena forced a smile and turned to leave. Only Austin blocked her path.

"Amanda needs sanitary pads. Go buy some."

"I have some right here—"

"Just go. Why do you always have to argue?" Before she could finish, Austin cut her off with a scowl. Then, as if remembering something, he hurled a card at her from the entryway. "Keep the change. Call it your bonus. Lucky you, right?"

The sharp edge of the bank card cut into her cheek. As she crouched to pick it up, Selena's eyes welled up. By the time she straightened, she had forced a bright smile.

"So generous, Mr. Nash. I'll go."

With that, she slipped out, leaving Amanda wide-eyed and speechless. When Selena returned, the pair had already vanished into the bedroom.

A single knock, and the door swung open instantly.

Her eyes locked onto Austin's collarbone, dotted with fresh hickies. She knew she should not stare, but her gaze clung to him like it had a will of its own. His chest bore raw, crimson scratches. A roadmap of their passion.

Selena's breath hitched. The warmth in her chest turned to ice.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and handed over the sanitary pads. But Amanda, sprawled on the bed, cooed in a sickly sweet voice.

"Austin, my arms are so sore from taking care of you earlier."

Austin chuckled, tousling her hair with fake tenderness. "Alright, I'll have someone help you," he murmured. Then his glare fixed on Selena. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Get to it."