EX-WIFE, IT WAS YOUR LOSS NOT MINE

Jayden sat in the grand office, his hands resting on his knees, though he could feel the nervous pulse racing through his fingers. His suit was his best, pressed carefully the night before, and he had rehearsed his words over and over in his mind.

This was supposed to be the day he secured everything he had worked for—the recognition, the promotion, and the support to begin his own company. He had even carried with him a piece of personal news he had longed to share.

The silence stretched. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked steadily, each sound making his chest rise with anticipation.

Across the desk, Mr. Jordan kept his eyes on the papers before him, his expression unreadable. Jayden forced a small smile, willing himself to patience. He imagined telling Emily afterward, imagined her arms around him, and her smile lighting up as she told him she always believed in him.

At last, Mr. Jordan raised his head. His gaze was steady, cold, and it sent a chill through Jayden’s hopeful heart.

“You’ve been waiting for this conversation, haven’t you, Jayden?” he said, his tone too calm.

“Yes, sir,” Jayden replied, leaning forward slightly.

“I’ve given my best to this company for years. I’ve stayed loyal, worked hard and I believe I deserve the chance to move forward. I want to talk about the promotion, about getting support for the project I’ve been building, and…” his voice softened, hesitation slipping in, “there’s something personal I’ve been meaning to share too. Emily and I—”

Mr. Jordan lifted a hand, stopping him. “Enough. I did not call you here to discuss your hopes or your plans. I called you here to end what should never have begun.”

Jayden’s brows drew together. “Sir?”

Without another word, Mr. Jordan slid a stack of papers across the desk. The bold letters at the top made Jayden’s heart sink.

“Divorce.”

The word blurred before his eyes. He blinked hard, staring, unable to believe what he saw.

“This must be a mistake,” he said quickly, his voice unsteady. “I don’t understand.”

“It is no mistake,” Mr. Jordan said, his tone cutting like ice. “Emily will be taking over the company soon, and I need someone capable, someone with influence, to stand beside her. You are not that man.”

Jayden’s chest tightened, his fingers clutching the papers. “I have stood beside her all these years. I’ve done everything I could for this family, for this company. How can you dismiss me like this?”

Mr. Jordan leaned back, his expression coldly satisfied. "Did you ever wonder why your marriage to Emily was kept quiet? Why she never attended a single family event by your side? It wasn't an oversight, Jayden. It was a choice. A deliberate one."

The words cut deeper than any wound. Jayden stared at the older man, his mind reeling. "That isn’t true. Emily never said that. She has loved me for years. This is your doing."

Mr. Jordan's eyes narrowed. "It was Emily's wish, Jayden. Do you think I would go to such lengths without her consent? She agreed it was time. She understands her duty. The marriage has to end."

Jayden shook his head, his voice breaking. "You’re lying. She wouldn’t ask for this. Not after last night. Not after everything we said. She has been loyal to me since the beginning. She wouldn't betray me like this."

"Believe what you will," Mr. Jordan said flatly. "But this is her decision as much as mine. You cannot stop it. Sign the papers, resign from this company, and leave quietly. That is the best choice for you."

Jayden’s chest heaved. His voice rose, desperate.

“And what about our child? What about the life we’ve built? You cannot erase that with a few words on paper.”

Mr. Jordan’s reply was merciless. “The child will be cared for. He has everything he needs from this family. But you are not a reason enough for Emily to stay bound to you. Do not think for a moment that your presence is irreplaceable. You are nothing in this equation.”

Jayden’s hands trembled as he clutched the papers. His heart screamed at him not to believe it, and hold onto the woman he had trusted for so long.

He thought of Emily, of the nights they shared, the quiet moments where her hand found his, and the loyalty she had shown when everyone else doubted him.

She could be impatient, she could wound him with her words, but she had always remained by his side. He refused to let Mr. Jordan take that away with lies.

“I need to hear it from her,” Jayden said, his voice steadier now, filled with defiance. “If this is truly her wish, then she will tell me herself. Until then, I will not believe you.”

"Then go," Mr. Jordan said coldly, gesturing to the door. "But do not expect the answer to be any different.”

Jayden rose slowly, the divorce papers clutched in his hand. His legs wobbled, but his heart clung to Emily, to the belief that she would stand with him against her father.

Every step through the long hallway was a battle between fear and hope. He remembered her laughter, the way she had kissed him in defiance of her father’s cold disapproval. He remembered her face when she said she would stand by him no matter what.

There was no way she had agreed to this—not when they had spent the night together, tangled in each other’s arms, promising they would face everything together.

Her father had always hated him, always wanted to tear them apart. This was just another attempt to destroy their marriage, and Emily would never allow it.

Clinging to that hope, he reached her office. The door was slightly open, a soft light spilling into the hall. He stopped, his hand going to the doorframe, his chest tight with anticipation. He pushed the door and froze.

Emily’s lips were on another man’s. Her body pressed close, the kiss bold, and consuming. The papers slipped from his hand, fluttering to the floor.

The man jerked back, his eyes wide. Emily turned, her gaze meeting his for the first time, her eyes glistening, and her lips still warm with another’s.

The room spun. His heart hammered like a drum in a storm. Every promise, every quiet word, every loyalty he had believed in was shattered in a single, unbearable instant.