After catching my wife in bed with another man, I remarried novel Chapter 3

In that moment, my mind went completely blank. I don’t even remember how I got to the hospital.

Emily stayed by my side the entire time, helping to take care of my mom while I dealt with the

arrangements for my dad’s funeral.

Samantha didn’t show up until the third day of the memorial. And, of course, she brought Michael along.

Since we hadn’t officially announced the divorce, their arrival together raised quite a few eyebrows.

But our close friends knew the situation and chose to keep quiet. They probably realized that in Samantha’s eyes, I’d never really had a place.

I had already told my mom everything that happened between us, so when Samantha showed up, my mom didn’t even try to hide her disdain.

She kept her composure for my sake, though, and simply asked, "Who invited you here? We don’t want you here."

Samantha, clearly not expecting her "little game" to have such severe consequences, looked genuinely remorseful. She pulled out a card and tried to hand it to my mom.

"I’m sorry for everything. There’s 140,000 dollars on this card—think of it as compensation."

My mom didn’t even hesitate. She threw the card back at Samantha’s face.

Michael instinctively stepped forward to shield her and pushed my mom in the process.

Luckily, I caught her before she could fall. "What the hell are you doing?"

Michael, still putting on his pretentious act, said, "Sorry, I was just worried about Samantha’s safety."

Samantha, too, was quick to anger after being pushed around. "Mom, we’re still family. I’m trying to help, and you’re throwing it back in my face? And let’s be clear, this whole thing isn’t entirely my fault. If Ryan hadn’t stormed out, none of this would have happened."

Her words made everyone around uncomfortable, but no one dared say anything because of her status.

Slowly, the crowd started to disperse, giving us some space.

My mom, her face red with fury, slapped Samantha across the face. "Don’t call me 'Mom.' I’m not your mother anymore! Because of your little game, I lost my husband, and Ryan lost his father. And now, you have the nerve to bring your lover to the memorial? I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you!"

Samantha had probably never been slapped in her life. She raised her hand, ready to hit back, but Emily caught her wrist effortlessly.

"Hitting an elder? Really?" Emily’s voice was cool but firm.

It was only then that Samantha realized who Emily was—the girl who had given me the money. Her expression shifted, and she quickly redirected her rage.

"So, you’re the one who’s been leading Ryan astray, huh? He used to be so obedient, and now look at him—you’ve ruined him."

I’d grown numb to Samantha’s insults over the years, but with my mom and Emily standing there, I couldn’t let it slide this time.

I stepped forward, placing myself between them. "If you’ve got a problem, it’s with me. Leave them out of it."

Samantha glared at me with a sneer. "Look at you, acting all brave. Have you forgotten you have a wife,

Ryan? A family? Or does that not matter anymore?"

"Oh, I remember," I said, my voice cold. "Did you remember me when you were screwing Michael?"

The accusation hit her hard. For a moment, Samantha was speechless. But Michael, as smug as ever, chimed in with a smirk.

"You know, she did think about you. She even said your name... right at the best part."

That sick grin on his face was too much. Samantha’s face turned crimson with embarrassment, and she shot Michael a sharp look, clearly regretting bringing him.

I couldn’t listen to another word. My mom, who had been silent until then, suddenly lost all control. She lunged at them, furious, ready to hit the both of them.

But before she could reach them, she stopped, gasped for air, and collapsed, clutching her chest.

I yelled for help, panic rising in my chest, while Emily quickly called for an ambulance. Meanwhile, Samantha and Michael, not wanting to deal with the consequences, slunk out of the room.

That’s a way better deal than this mess."

I clenched my fists so hard, my knuckles turned white. "No, Samantha. Never again. Not in this lifetime.

Not in the next."

Finally, my words seemed to sting. Samantha’s face darkened, and her voice dripped with venom.

"I’ve given you more chances than you deserve, Ryan. Do you even remember who you are? You were a nobody before me—a poor boy I picked up out of the dirt. Maybe I spoiled you too much. Now you think

you can stand up to me?"

She leaned in, her eyes narrowing, her voice low and threatening. "If you keep this up, I won’t hesitate to watch you suffer. You want to play tough? I can play harder."

I met her gaze, fire burning in my chest. "I’d rather die than crawl back to you."

Samantha stared at me for a long moment, her eyes cold and calculating. "Fine. Remember what you said today. Don’t you ever regret it."

With that, she shot me one last look, turned sharply, and walked off with Michael trailing behind her.

The moment they were gone, I felt everything leave me—anger, tension, energy. I collapsed in front of my parents’ gravestone, my hands gripping the cold stone as hot tears began to fall.

Emily had been standing quietly nearby, but then she knelt beside me, her arms wrapping around my trembling shoulders. "Ryan, you’re not alone. You still have me," she whispered, her voice soft and steady.

I broke, burying my face in her shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don’t have anyone else, Emily. My parents are gone."

She gently lifted my chin, her eyes filled with strength and compassion. "Then let’s leave. Let’s get out of here and start somewhere new. We don’t need to stay in this place anymore."

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had hope—like I wasn’t completely alone. Emily wasn’t just someone who cared about me; she was the person I wanted to share my life with.

"Okay," I said softly, my voice raw. "Let’s go."