Chapter 1

Alex adjusted his dark hair, feeling the scorching heat of the sun. He regretted not bringing his hat along. His gaze fell upon the vase on display, and a wave of disappointment washed over him. The price tag next to it exceeded his budget. He turned to the salesman, seeking clarification.

"Is this the vase you have here?" Alex inquired, his voice filled with hope. The salesman responded with a warm smile. "No, sir. We have more vases, and they are quite affordable," the man gestured towards his left. Alex breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed the price tags next to the other vases, which were within his budget.

"Thank you," Alex expressed his gratitude. The salesman nodded and handed him the packaged porcelain vase.

Suddenly, a voice called out Alex's name, causing him to turn around with a frown. Approaching him were some of his family members, whom he referred to as goons. "There you are," they exclaimed.

"Hey," Alex forced a smile, trying to maintain a pleasant demeanor. "What's up, guys?" he asked, although his tone hinted at his annoyance.

"Alex! Where have you been all these years?" one of them questioned. Alex's green eyes hardened, realizing that these individuals had never even noticed his absence. Now, all of a sudden, they appeared and acted concerned about his whereabouts.

"What do you want?" Alex responded coldly, causing the men to step back, taken aback by his tone.

"We want you to come back, Alex. All of us," the other man pleaded. Alex clenched his fist, struggling to control his anger and hatred.

"You want me to come back?" Alex exclaimed incredulously, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "No, I prefer my life now. I am tired of the chaos you guys create. Now, if you'll excuse me," Alex said dismissively as he brushed past them, leaving them in a state of surprise.

        

Alex was taken aback by how pitiful they sounded; they had actually kicked him out of the house because of his other brother. 

Being born into a wealthy family, Alex was considered the illegitimate child, and very few people even knew that the family had another son. They had cast him aside in favor of his older brother, Liam, who was adored by everyone, especially their grandfather, the head of the Styles Family.

Alex's grandfather held the most power and was highly respected. However, he treated Alex like a pest while showering Liam with love and affection.

Fortunately, Alex had crossed paths with Brielle's grandfather, who recognized his true worth. He took Alex in and arranged for his granddaughter to marry him. Alex vividly remembered the anger on Brielle's face when she confronted her grandfather about being married off to someone like him.

Now, Alex stood in front of the door, his hands tightly gripping the doorknob. In his other hand, he held a carefully wrapped porcelain vase. It was Brielle's grandmother's birthday, and Alex knew that the rest of the family would bring extravagant gifts. He looked at the vase, summoning his courage, and stepped inside.

As he entered, he noticed everyone seated, while Brielle's grandmother examined the gifts with a smile. Some family members still held their presents, indicating that they hadn't given them yet. All eyes turned to Alex, and he could feel the disapproving stares coming from every direction. His wife's brother, Brock, sneered at him, but Brielle looked surprised that he had even brought a gift. She approached him, her gaze fixed on him.

"You bought a gift for grandma?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, it doesn't cost much," he replied. Brielle scowled and glared at him.

"Doesn't it cost much, Alex? Listen to yourself. Everyone here has bought high-quality items. What's inside that box?" she questioned. Alex shrugged.

"This was all the money I had, Brielle, and it's a quality gift," he explained, opening the top of the box slightly. Brielle stared at it, her expression unreadable.

        

"Fine," she snapped and walked away. Alex was taken aback by her reaction. 

As he stood there, he heard a cold laughter behind him. Turning around, he saw Brock standing with a disdainful expression on his face. 

"What's that, Alex? A toy soldier?" Brock taunted, bursting into laughter. Alex clenched his fists, feeling the anger building up inside him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Brielle approaching. He dreaded what was about to happen. 

"You can't just bring anything you like, man. Where did you get this? Some random second-hand shop?" Brock continued to mock. Alex chose to remain silent, knowing that if he unleashed his anger, he would probably end up beating Brock to a pulp. 

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!" Brock yelled, causing everyone to turn their attention towards them. "How pathetic of you, Alex. You're not a real man. Buying such a pathetic little thing. Same goes for your wife," he added before storming off. Alex watched him leave, his rage simmering within him. 

Brielle came over and grabbed his hand, leading him to the balcony. 

"Oh, Alex, you're so cowardly. We were both insulted, and you just stood there and took it," she scolded him. Alex's green eyes stared at her sadly. In a fit of anger, Brielle slapped him hard across the face. 

"Shame on you, Alex. I regret the day I ever met you. You're nothing but a coward," she spat, pushing past him. Alex watched her walk away, his heart heavy with regret. Leaning against the glass, he watched the cars pass by as the evening wind tousled his shaggy dark hair. 

Looking down at the box containing the vase, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. It seemed like everyone hated and resented him. He couldn't shake off the memory of the men his family had sent to find him. Why were they suddenly looking for him after casting him out years ago? And now, they wanted him to come back.

Alex contemplated his options. Going back to his wealthy family would have been the obvious choice, but he couldn't bring himself to trust them anymore. If they could so easily forget about his existence, why should he continue to associate with them? Determined, Alex made up his mind. He wasn't going back. His priority now was to please his wife and change her perception of him. That was all that mattered to him, not his heartless family who had the audacity to cast aside their own flesh and blood for another son.

As Alex held the gift in his hands, he thought about Brielle's accusation of him being a coward. He knew deep down that he was not. In order to prove to Brielle that he was never a coward, he made the decision to go back.