Rise Of The Discarded Husband

Chapter 4: Trouble At Cemetery

Outside, the cold wind slapped Drake's hair back and forth and he clenched his teeth. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, but he forced it down and reached out for his ringing phone instead. “Silas, I was about to call–”

“Yes, young master, I wanted to let you know that the transfer of shares to your wife's company is almost complete,” Silas said. “In two days, once she rings the Nasdaq bell, you can gift the documents to her as planned,”

The words tore through Drake like a blade got stuck in his chest and his grip around the phone tightened. “That won't be necessary,” He said, his voice bitter.

Silas hesitated. “Sir?”

“I asked her for a divorce today,” He responded. “After I get the signed divorce papers from her in three days, then our marriage is over. As for the shares transfer, you can handle it however you want,”

There was a pause before Silas’s excited voice reached out to him. “I'm glad you could finally leave that unhealthy marriage,” After four years of watching his boss being tied down in the name of marriage and playing laundry boy, it gladdened his heart that he was walking out.

Drake lowered a brow. “I don't understand, what did you just say?”

“Um…I'm sorry, young master. That was a mistake,” He stuttered, shuddering at his boss's strict tone. “Noted! I'll get into the assignment right away!”

Drake ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He turned around for one last look at the place he once called home. A place he thought he could be loved.

Few minutes later, he walked into the cemetery with a bouquet of white lilies in his hands. When he reached his mother's grave, he sank to his knees, his hands trembling as they brushed over the letter of her name on the gold tomb.

“I'm so sorry, mum,” He whispered with a broken sigh. “I trusted the wrong person, hid my identity and did silly things for love. I…I thought I was following my heart, but it was only me being stupid,”

“Please forgive me, mum…” He continued as his shoulders shook. “I want to start again, and this time, I promise I won't make silly mistakes again…”

As he bent to kiss his mother's tomb, a shriek cry suddenly pierced through the air and he raised his head up in alarm. Not too far from where he was, he could see a woman struggling and crying for help. She was cornered –surrounded by three burly men with blades who kept taunting her —teasing her like she was a mere lab rat.

“H.E.L.P! Somebody help me! Help please!” The woman repeatedly screamed as tears ran down her face.

“Shut up, bitch, you're too loud!” One of the men snarled as he yanked her hair.

“Oh sweetie, don't be scared,” Another man chuckled sinisterly, dragging his blade lightly down her face. “Even if you scream your lungs out, no one’s coming to save you. Be obedient, and you’ll suffer less.”

Seeing the helpless woman beg for her life made Drake's blood boil in rage and he stormed towards them. One of the men had already pulled down his pants, about to climb on the woman while the others laughed, urging him to finish fast, so they could take their turns.

“Three men against one woman?” Drake's sharp voice cut through the air, cold and furious. “You should be ashamed of yourselves,”

The laughing stopped and all three men turned around at once, irritation creasing their faces. Who had the audacity to interrupt them?

One of them scoffed hard. “Is this a joke?”

Their eyes lingered on Drake for a moment before they burst into mocking laughter. Who wouldn't laugh? Drake stood tall, but his frame was thin. He looked starved —almost sick.

Just one blow would send him into a coma.

“Run along, lad…this isn't the place for you to be,” One of them sneered. “Don't try to meddle in our affairs or I might put holes in your fucking brain,”

“Step away from the lady, apologize and leave, and I'll pretend this never happened,” Drake said with a calm but stern tone, like the man hadn't just spoken.

“And who are you speaking to like that? Who the hell are you?!” The leader of the men hissed, spitting on the floor as he advanced towards Drake, brandishing a shiny dagger. “It seems you want to join the useless person you came to visit in the underworld,”

Drake let out a small smirk. “Remember I gave you a chance,” He said and stepped forward, swiftly kicking the dagger from the leader's hand.

“You son of a bitch!” The second man charged forward with a speed that stole the breath from Drake's lungs. He raised his hand to deliver a crushing blow when Drake expertly lifted him, slamming him squarely into the other two.

They tumbled against each other, like a crashing car.

Arrggghh!!

“Get him!” The leader snarled as the others closed in, but Drake was fast, beating all of them within a split second. He watched as they sprawled on the floor, writhing in agony as blood spilled from their wounds. They had messed with the wrong person.

“Next time think before you pick on someone weaker,” Drake said and advanced towards them, but they shifted back in fear, each muttering apologies that sounded like music in his ears. It was disgusting that they were begging for their lives after treating another person less than a ragdoll.

“We'll leave…please, forgive us…” The third man stuttered as he staggered to his feet. He let out a tiny curse and fled in panic, the others limping behind him.

Drake turned to the woman who was still on the floor, oblivious of her environment. In alarm, he rushed to her side and that was when he saw it —her pale skin and slightly blue lips. The flush on her face had deepened and her breathing was laboured.

Those bastards, they had drugged her!

With the way her skin had paled, he knew he had less than 12 hours to relieve the drug's effects or she would collapse and die.

“Shit…” He muttered, scooping her from the floor.

Just then, the woman's eyelids fluttered and her fingers clutched weakly at his sleeve. “Pl…please help me…” She whispered.

“Yes, stay with me, okay?” Drake said, but her breathing heaved and she fainted in his arms.