THE INSANE HUSBAND IS IRON WOLF COMMANDER

CHAPTER 5 -"The Ring of Power"

The Johnson family’s dining room buzzed with chatter as guests enjoyed their lavish dinner.

The clinking of glasses and soft laughter filled the air—until the front door opened, and Jack Sullivan walked in.

The room fell silent as everyone turned to see him.

Jack’s wife, Lisa, stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.

"Jack?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"You’re… you’re standing. And you …you ..look different."

Jack’s gaze softened as he looked at her.

"Yes,It’s me, Lisa. I’ve come back."

Lisa hurried to his side, gripping his arm as if to confirm he was real.

"How is this possible? You were… I mean, you were—"

"Mentally ill?" Jack said quietly, finishing her sentence.

"Not anymore. I remember everything now."

Before Lisa could respond, Mike Johnson’s grating voice cut through the moment.

"Well, well, look who thinks he’s a big man now," he sneered, rising from his chair.

"You came alive again from hospital, Jack?”

“Yes

 Come to mop the floors or sing us another lullaby?"

Laughter rippled through the room, and Jack’s jaw tightened.

"I’m here for what’s mine," he said firmly.

"The gold-and-jade ring I brought with me when I came to this house."

Mike’s smirk grew wider.

"Oh, that old thing? I thought you forgot about it. Relax, Jack, I’ve got it somewhere… but it’s not yours anymore. It’s mine now."

Jack took a step forward, his eyes locking onto Mike’s.

"It was never yours. Hand it over."

Mike chuckled, pulling the ring from his pocket and twirling it between his fingers.

"Oh, you mean this?" he said mockingly. "I don’t think so. But I’ll tell you what—I’ve got better use for it."

With a smug grin, Mike turned and walked over to Brian Howard, a wealthy businessman who was enjoying the Johnson family’s hospitality.

"Mr. Howard," Mike said with exaggerated politeness, "I’d like you to have this. A token of our appreciation for gracing us with your presence."

Brian, a tall man with an air of arrogance, took the ring, inspecting it lazily. "Hmm, not bad," he said, slipping it onto his finger.

"Fits perfectly. Thanks, Mike."

Jack’s voice cut through the room like steel.

"Give it back."

Brian looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"The ring," Jack said, his tone unyielding.

"It’s mine. Return it."

The room tensed as Brian leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips.

"And if I don’t? What are you going to do? Bark orders like a soldier? This isn’t a battlefield, boy."

The Johnson family erupted in nervous laughter, eager to defuse the tension. Lisa’s mother stepped forward, wringing her hands.

"Jack, please," she said. "Don’t embarrass us in front of our guest. Mr. Howard is an important man."

"Important or not," Jack said, his voice steady, "he’s wearing what doesn’t belong to him."

Brian chuckled, pulling out his wallet. "Fine, I’ll buy it. How much do you want for it? A hundred? Two hundred? That’s more than you’ve probably seen in your life."

More laughter echoed through the room, and Lisa’s cheeks flushed with shame. "Jack," she whispered, tugging at his sleeve. "Please, let it go. It’s just a ring."

"Just a ring?" Jack repeated, his voice calm but laced with an edge.

"It’s more than that. It’s a symbol of everything I’ve fought for, everything I’ve lost—and I won’t leave without it."

Brian’s expression darkened, his amusement giving way to annoyance.

He grabbed a glass from the table and slammed it onto the floor, shattering it.

"You think you can come in here and make demands?" he snarled.

"Do you know who I am? I could buy and sell your entire family!"

Lisa’s mother jumped between them, her face pale.

"Mr. Howard, please don’t be upset! Jack doesn’t know what he’s saying. He’s always been a bit… unstable."

"Unstable?" Brian scoffed.

"That’s putting it kindly. He’s a fool, and you’re lucky I haven’t walked out yet."

Jack stood his ground, unshaken by the insults.

"I’ll say it one last time," he said, his voice low and firm. "Give me the ring."

Mike snorted from the corner of the room.

"Oh, come on, Jack. You’ve always been a joke. Just leave before you embarrass yourself even more."

The rest of the family nodded in agreement, some whispering harsh remarks.

"Why are you making this such a big deal?"

"You’re ruining dinner!"

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re causing?"

Jack’s eyes never left Brian. "Trouble?" he said softly. "You haven’t seen trouble yet."

Brian stood, towering over Jack.

"What are you going to do? Fight me? You think you can scare me?"

A faint smirk crossed Jack’s lips.

"I don’t need to scare you. You’re already afraid."

Brian’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he masked it with anger.

"Afraid? Of you? Don’t make me laugh!"

Jack took a step closer, his presence commanding.

"You can laugh all you want. But know this—you’re standing in front of a man who’s already lost everything once. I have nothing left to lose, but you… you have everything to lose."

The room fell silent, the weight of Jack’s words pressing down on everyone.

Brian hesitated, glancing around the room, then at the ring on his finger.

Finally, with a sneer, he yanked it off and tossed it at Jack’s feet.

"Take it," he spat. "It’s not worth the trouble."

Jack bent down, picked up the ring, and slid it onto his finger.

He looked at Brian, then at the Johnson family. 

"Next time, think twice before you try to take something from me."