EX-WIFE, IT WAS YOUR LOSS NOT MINE

CHAPTER 5.

Jayden sat at the small desk in his motel room, his hands resting heavily on the papers spread before him.

The weight of the decision he was about to take pressed heavily on him as he prepared to place his house as collateral for a loan.

The thought of walking into a bank the next morning made his heart heavy, yet he told himself he had no other choice. Hiring a lawyer to get his company blueprint back would cost money, and he needed to be prepared if he wanted to fight till the end.

The shrill sound of his phone startled him. He glanced down and froze when he saw the name on the screen: Mr. Jordan.

His fingers hovered, reluctant to answer, but the weight of curiosity pressed him to accept.

“Jayden,” the older man’s voice came through smooth, almost gentle, though Jayden could hear the calculated control behind it.

“What do you want?” Jayden’s tone was cold, guarded.

“I want to make peace,” Mr. Jordan said slowly.

“We have both said and done things in anger, and I’ve had time to reflect. I don’t want this to end with courts and scandal. Let’s resolve this privately, like men. Tonight.”

Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “Why tonight? Why now?”

“Because I believe it’s the right time,” Mr. Jordan replied. “I know what you’ve threatened, and I know what it could mean for my family. Let’s meet at the Regency Hotel. There’s a lounge there, quiet and discreet. We can talk freely, and perhaps reach an understanding.”

Jayden leaned back in his chair, suspicion creeping through him, but there was a pull, a quiet hunger for hope that he couldn’t shake.

“And you expect me to trust you, after everything?”

“I expect you to give me the chance to make things right,” Mr. Jordan said, his tone calm, almost persuasive. “Come, Jayden. This doesn’t have to destroy us both.”

Jayden ended the call in silence, the screen going dark in his hand. He sat staring at the phone, his chest tight, his thoughts a storm.

Every instinct screamed that it was a trap, there was no way Mr Jordan would be ready to make peace that easily but the thought of avoiding a costly court battle and getting his company blueprint back without sacrificing his home outweighed his instinct.

He rose from his chair, straightened his jacket, and walked out, each step weighed with doubt yet driven by a single, fragile hope.

When he arrived at the Regency Hotel, the doorman greeted him politely and directed him to the lounge. Almost at once, a waiter appeared with a glass of wine in hand.

“Compliments of the house, sir,” he said warmly.

Jayden accepted, his eyes sweeping the room, searching every corner for Mr. Jordan.

There was no sign of Mr. Jordan—only a handful of guests tucked into corners, their voices low.

Jayden raised the glass for a cautious sip, then set it back down, his fingers drumming restlessly against the table.

The minutes dragged, silence thickening until it pressed against his chest. He reached for the glass again, hoping another sip might steady the unease curling inside him.

That was when it hit—sudden, crushing drowsiness. His head grew light, his eyelids heavy, his body sinking as though the air itself had turned against him.

He tried to shove his chair back, to rise, but his legs refused to move. The room tilted, blurred, spinning in dizzying waves until he could no longer fight it.

He reached for the edge of the table but slipped, his body collapsing forward.

*

When Jayden’s eyes opened again, he was greeted not by familiar walls but by a lavish, unfamiliar room.

His head pounded, his mouth parched, and every limb felt heavy, unresponsive. The air was thick with the trace of expensive perfume, laced with a sharp metallic tang that turned his stomach.

“Sir… sir!” a trembling voice called, urgently.

Jayden turned his head with effort and saw a young waiter standing near the bed, his face pale, and his eyes wide with horror.

The man stared for a moment, then turned and bolted from the room, leaving Jayden with his confusion.

“What… what is this?” Jayden whispered to himself, pushing himself up on unsteady arms.

It was then he felt it, the stickiness on his clothes.

He looked down, his breath catching as he saw the blood stains on his shirt and trousers.

His heart pounded as he lifted his trembling hand, the crimson smear staining his skin.

He forced himself to turn toward the bed, and the sight drove the air from his lungs. A woman lay there, lifeless, her body bare and cold, and her skin pale beneath the dim light.

Beside the bed on the floor rested a knife, its blade covered in the same dreadful red liquid.

Jayden staggered back, his chest tight, bile rising in his throat. “No… no, this isn’t real,” he gasped, his mind reeling.

He searched for memory, for any clue of how he came here, but all he found was a black void between the lounge and this waking nightmare.

The door burst open, the sound loud and final. Uniformed officers rushed in, their weapons drawn, and their voices hard and commanding.

“Hands up! Don’t move!”

Jayden raised his hands, his voice breaking as he screamed. “I’m innocent. I didn't do this, I didn't kill her.” But no one listened.

His words fell against the cold faces of the officers who were unmoved by his pleas.

Rough hands grabbed him, pushed him against the wall, bound his wrists, and immediately escorted him out to the waiting police van.

The ride to the police station was a blur, his heart heavy with despair. So many thoughts were running through his head as he tried to piece together what had just happened.

When they shoved him into an interrogation room, he tried to steady his breath, tried to cling to some sense of reason.

“You don’t understand,” Jayden said to the officer across the table, his voice raw. “I was to meet my ex-in-law, Mr. Jordan tonight. We arranged to meet at the hotel, and that’s the last thing I remember. He will confirm it. Call him, please.”

The officer stared at him, skeptical but curious.

He picked up the phone, dialed, and spoke in a low tone.

Jayden waited, hope stirring faintly in his chest. The silence stretched, then the officer’s face hardened. He hung up the phone and looked back at Jayden with cold finality.

“Mr. Jordan denies ever setting a meeting with you. He says you have no business together, not anymore.”

Jayden’s stomach dropped, his body trembling with fury and disbelief. “That’s a lie! Check my phone records, and you’ll see the call. You’ll see everything!”

But the officer only shook his head, his expression detached. “You can make those claims in court. For now, you’re under arrest.”

The cell door closed with a heavy thud, leaving Jayden in silence. He sank to the hard bench, his face in his hands, and his chest heaving.