CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
1139 Words
The Royale Bar’s exclusive lounge was dim and luxurious, the kind of place where the lighting made every glass of liquor glow like molten gold. Smooth jazz hummed low in the background, almost drowned out by the faint clinking of ice in crystal tumblers.
Aziel sat slouched in the corner booth, tie loosened, blazer abandoned on the leather seat beside him. A half-empty bottle of aged whiskey stood guard between him and the silence.
Theo spotted him immediately. He walked over, frowning as soon as he saw the dark bruise spreading across Aziel’s cheekbone. “Hey, bro,” he said, sliding into the seat across from him. “Why the hell are you drinking like it’s the end of the world? And what the hell happened to your face?”
Aziel didn’t look up. Instead, he swirled the amber liquid in his glass, voice flat. “Grandfather hit me.”
Theo’s brows shot up. “What? He’s never laid a hand on you before. What did you do?”
Aziel gave a humorless chuckle, downing the drink before pouring another. “What didn’t I do? Iris wants a divorce. And maybe… maybe I should just set her free. I’m back with Flora anyway.”
Theo leaned back, eyes narrowing with worry. “Forget Flora for a second—bro, that bruise looks bad. You should get it treated. Don’t drown yourself in whiskey when your face is screaming you picked the wrong battle.”
Aziel smirked bitterly. “It’s nothing. A reminder, that’s all.”
Theo studied him, concern deepening. “Aziel… are you even hearing yourself? You’re falling apart. Divorce? Flora? Bruises from your grandfather?” He shook his head. “Tell me what really happened.”
Aziel leaned back, eyes unfocused. “While I was… with Flora,” he admitted slowly, “Imani was fighting for her life in the hospital. Seizure. And Iris was there. Alone. She called me, Theo. Over and over. And I didn’t answer.”
Theo’s jaw tightened. “Aziel…”
Aziel let out a hollow laugh. “She looked me in the eye today and told me she’s done. Do you know what that feels like?”
Theo leaned forward, voice low but firm. “Do you want the truth?”
Aziel’s gaze shifted sluggishly to him, heavy with both drink and shame. “Yeah. Tell me.”
“If you lose Iris for Flora—and you lose your daughter in the process—you’ll regret it for the rest of your life,” Theo said without hesitation. “Flora isn’t a woman you build a future with. Iris is. You need to stop running toward the thing that’s destroying you and start fighting for the thing that matters.”
Aziel’s lips twitched into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “You always were the sentimental one.”
“This isn’t sentiment,” Theo shot back. “It’s reality. Don’t divorce her. Try—really try—to love her. To fix this.”
Aziel stared into his glass for a long moment, as if the answer might rise from the swirling whiskey. Then he shook his head. “No. Just get the papers ready.”
Theo hesitated, reading the stubborn set of his jaw. He exhaled slowly, almost in defeat. “Fine. I’ll prepare them. But one day, Aziel… you’re going to wake up and realize you threw away the only thing that could have saved you.”
Aziel didn’t reply. He just poured another drink, the sound of the liquid filling the glass far louder than the music around them.
The Morning After
Aziel woke with a pounding headache, his tongue thick and dry, the bitter taste of last night’s whiskey still burning his lips. A groan rumbled from his chest as he dragged himself upright, the dim light slipping past half-drawn curtains stabbing into his aching head. His shirt reeked of liquor and regret.
On the nightstand, his phone buzzed. Theo.
Aziel rubbed at his temple, wincing as he answered. “Morning, bro.”
Theo’s voice came sharp, cutting through the fog in Aziel’s skull. “Don’t ‘morning’ me. We need to talk.”
Aziel grimaced, leaning back against the headboard. “My head’s splitting. Just—tell me you’ve got the papers ready.”
Silence. Then Theo let out a long sigh.
“Aziel… before we get to the papers, there’s something you should know.”
Aziel frowned, suddenly alert. “What now?”
“Grandpa is giving Iris thirty percent of his shares in Valen Corp.”
The words landed like ice water poured straight into his veins. Aziel froze, his mouth going dry. “W-what the hell are you talking about?”
Theo’s voice was steady, deliberate. “You heard me. Since Iris requested a divorce, Grandpa not only agreed—he’s backing her. He instructed me to draw up the divorce papers, and he’s transferring thirty percent of his Valen Corp shares to her making her the second largest owner after you. On top of that, he’s giving her a penthouse at Solis Tower when she moves out, and a car. She’ll leave this marriage not empty-handed, Aziel, but powerful.”
Aziel’s chest tightened, his pulse thundering in his ears. The whiskey haze lifted instantly under the weight of those words.
“I… I didn’t know. Grandpa… he’s always been on my side.”
“That’s the point,” Theo shot back, his tone sharp. “You don’t know. You’ve been too blinded by Flora to see. Iris stood by you when no one else did—and you crushed her. Now, even Grandpa sees it. He’s not protecting you anymore. He’s protecting her. Because you’ve done nothing but hurt her.”
Aziel pressed his palms hard against his face, his temples throbbing—not just from the alcohol, but from the shame clawing its way into his bones.
Theo’s voice softened, though it carried a quiet warning.
“Aziel… if you sign those papers, if you let Iris go now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. This isn’t about shares or penthouses. It’s about her. Don’t let guilt turn you into a coward. Fight for her—or lose her forever.”
The line went dead.
Aziel lowered the phone, staring at it as if it had betrayed him. His heart pounded unevenly, a mix of panic, anger, and something he hadn’t felt in years—fear.
The reality of losing Iris—not just as his wife, but as the woman who had carried his child, endured his neglect, and still tried until she broke—sank deep into his gut like a blade.
And this time , Aziel didn’t feel like Valen Corp’s heir.
He felt like a man about to lose everything that truly mattered.
- Writer
