The Calm Before Ruin

My fiancée and I had been together for ten years. In everyone's eyes, we were the perfect couple. After she saved my life, with tears in my eyes, I made her a promise: "In this lifetime, I'll do 100 things for you." On the eve of our wedding, we decided to climb a snow-covered mountain. An unexpected avalanche struck, and we were stranded at a local farmhouse. Her first love, who was the expedition leader, was injured while trying to save her. In the confusion, he accidentally took an aphrodisiac rather than a painkiller. My fiancée, who had always seemed so traditional and reserved, did not hesitate. She began taking off her clothes, saying she needed to "help" him. Everyone waited for me to explode in rage. Instead, I calmly stepped aside. Three promises remained. Once they were fulfilled, Yvette Jenkins and I would owe each other nothing. However, then it would be time for me to return… and take over my mafia family. Chapter 1 Ethan Carter flung Yvette Jenkins's bra in my face before slamming the door shut behind him. The flimsy door did little to muffle Yvette's moans. The sting on my face lingered. A fellow hiker, with a sneer, gave me a once-over and quipped, "Never pegged Mr. White as the sharing type, giving away his fiancée's first time like that. "Maybe you'll let us have a go, too..." At those words, my pent-up rage exploded. I lunged and landed a solid punch on the mocker's face. Before I could unleash more of my fury, Yvette intervened. She grabbed my hand and rushed into the room, her eyes filled with worry for Ethan. "Ethan said you could have me first, just until it's done. After that, I'll go take care of his 'illness.' "That settles it, right? We're not breaking any promises this way." I could not help but snort in disbelief. Yvette stopped in her tracks, shot me a fierce look, her annoyance plain to see. "Jayden! Would I have even come up with this if you hadn't made such a big deal about the first night? "Ethan's too kind, considering your ego! You're clueless!" Ethan's voice was laced with feigned regret, but his eyes twinkled with triumph as he said, "Sorry, Jayden, I... I didn't want it this way, but there's no other option now... "I'm reacting to the meds, my apologies..." With that, he deliberately caressed Yvette's chin and leaned in for a kiss, right in front of me. They were like a spark to kindling, their passion igniting unabashedly as I stood there. Amid their breathy exchanges, I turned numbly and walked away. The crowd's gazes, some sympathetic, some scornful, followed me as I left. My fist was clenched so tight that my nails dug into the soft skin of my palm, but I did not even feel the pain that should have been shooting through me. It was not until half an hour later that Yvette emerged. She was wearing Ethan's bulky jacket, and her pale thighs were smeared with streaks of drying blood. I had steeled myself for that moment, but the sight of her, marked by another man, still sent a sharp pang through my chest. She towered over me, her voice raspy with emotion, "Jayden, Ethan's out of oxygen. He needs your tank now! "Ethan's still woozy from the drugs, and I need to help him out. You get it, don't you?" Suddenly, all eyes were on me, and the room erupted in snickers. Yvette's cheeks flamed with embarrassment, and she hung her head low. The ache in my heart twisted like a knife, churning with betrayal. I managed to croak out, "Yvette, does this count as one of the things I've done for you?" She massaged her temples, clearly annoyed and reluctant to acknowledge it. However, Ethan's labored breathing behind her seemed to throw her into a panic. "Yes, it counts," she blurted. A bitter smile touched my lips as I handed her the last of my oxygen. As she turned and rushed back to Ethan, I was hit by a wave of memories. There was a time when Yvette would always put me first. However, that was when I, the mafia heir with a heart defect, had to hide in her house to escape my enemies. She saved my life with a blood transfusion, and I vowed to repay her by doing 100 favors. Before Ethan came back into her life, she had only asked for two: to be her boyfriend, and to marry her. However, Ethan came into the picture, and the game changed. She started tossing her rules out the window for Ethan, wounding me without a second thought, shaming me. However, what she did not realize was that there were just two more 'favors' left, and we would be square. Chapter 2 By the time help showed up, my face was a mess of blue and purple from choking, my body twisted in agony. That was when Yvette finally saw me, her body smelling like Ethan's cologne, as she came over to hold me. "Jayden! What's wrong?! You..." The air was thick with a sickening smell of sweat and fear. My stomach churned, and I could not help but shove Yvette away. Her face went stiff, her brows knitting together as she stared at me. "Jayden! It was just one night, right? Why are you treating me like this? "Ethan told you to go first, but you chose not to! How can you be mad at me?" My heart clenched in pain, and I chuckled raspily. "Right. What right do I have to be mad at you?" I finished, feeling blood trickle from my nose. "I told you! I was just trying to help Ethan get better, you... "Jayden! Jayden!" Yvette's worried cries echoed as my world started spinning. Darkness hit, and I went down like a felled tree. … Slap! A smack snapped me back to reality. When I opened my eyes, Yvette, fuming, threw her phone at my face. "Jayden! Can't you let anything go?" I saw stars from the blow, fighting off the pain in my chest as I looked up at Yvette. Her anger was written all over her face as she yelled, "Did you have someone post that stuff online? Do you have any idea that Ethan got fired because of you?!" I glanced at the phone screen. Yvette's phone was buzzing nonstop with scandalous headlines. [Snow Mountain Scandal: The Groom Betrayed Before His Eyes. True Love or a Beautiful Lie?] [Man Collapses on Snowy Slopes, His Fiancee Busy with Another Guy…] Gripping my arm tightly, Yvette yanked me up from the edge of the hospital bed. "Come on, we need to go to the wedding and apologize to Ethan! Tell everyone it's not like those gossip-mongers are spinning it!" I pulled away from her grasp, a bitter smile playing on my lips. "Why should I apologize? I'm not the one spreading rumors! "And what if it's actually true?" With a sharp 'crack,' Yvette's hand struck my cheek in a swift slap. Rubbing her tingling hand, she sneered, "That's enough! So what if Ethan was my first? We're not married yet. It's my choice who I share my life with! "And what about promises? Can you honestly say you've kept all of yours?" I stayed silent, just gazing at Yvette, then red with anger. Throughout our years together, I had kept every promise to her. How could she say such things? The sadness in my eyes hit her hard, and she came to her senses, wrapping her arms around me in a rushed apology. "Jayden, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant… "Please help Ethan. Do it for me. You don't want to see me torn apart by the crowd, right?" Yvette tried to continue, but I cut her off, the bitterness still lingering in my voice. "Fine, I'll do it." She had not expected me to agree so quickly. A smile of relief spread across her face as she stepped out, calling Ethan. She had not once asked about my injuries. It did not matter to me–not anymore. After this, I would only have one last thing to do for her. I made my way to the wedding venue, which was already swarming with reporters hungry for a scoop, blocking every entrance. As soon as I showed up, I was bombarded with flashes and questions. "Mr. White, is the gossip about your fiancee online true?" "Why didn't you intervene when your fiancée was in trouble? Did she really have an affair?" "How did you feel watching your fiancee with another man?" Their rapid-fire questions left me reeling. Yvette, who was supposed to be in the bridal suite, pushed her way through the crowd. Dressed in the million-dollar gown I had made for her, she took my hand, her face radiating happiness. "Everything online is a lie! Ethan and I are just friends. Nothing more could've happened! "My husband and I are two peas in a pod! If I had betrayed him, would we be getting married?" Yvette gave my hand a secret, sharp pinch. Her ability to lie so effortlessly made my heart ache with a mix of sadness and bitterness. 'If this is your wish, Yvette, I'll make it come true,' I thought to myself. I faced the press with a forced, awkward smile. "Yes. The rumors are false, and my wife and I are rock solid." The ceremony went off without a hitch, quelling any lingering suspicions. However, before we could even exchange rings, Yvette vanished. Amid the hushed murmurs of the guests, I dialed a number. "I've decided. It's time to start the succession ceremony." Chapter 3 I knocked back one bitter drink after another. I had planned every detail of that wedding for Yvette, hoping to create the most beautiful memories for her. Countless times, I had pictured Yvette in a bridal gown, gliding down the aisle. However, I never saw yesterday's heartbreak coming–when she shattered everything we had. My grip on the wine glass tightened as my phone buzzed frantically. "Jayden, Yvette has fallen into the backyard lake! You..." Ethan's voice sent me rushing outside. After all, Yvette had once saved my life. As I searched for her, Ethan's voice floated over, laced with a longing I had never heard before. "Yvette, I may not have the luck to be your husband in this life, but if there's a next one, promise you'll marry me first?" I turned toward him, and my heart froze. There was Ethan, cradling Yvette, his words a tender caress, "Yvette, I love you so much. Even more than Jayden." Tears welled in Yvette's eyes, her voice a broken whisper as she replied, "Ethan, I'm sorry. I should've waited for you." Ethan's eyes flicked to my hiding spot, his gaze a silent taunt. He kissed her forehead deliberately. "Yvette, can I slip this ring on your finger today? Even if I can't have you forever, I'll cherish this moment without regrets." Without a second thought, Yvette nodded, her hand in Ethan's, her sobs silent. "Yes! I will." She pulled out two rings, and my world narrowed to those bands: the wedding rings I had made for us across the seas. The rings were a masterpiece, a year in the making by the world's finest jewelers. Only two existed. Yvette knew their worth more than anyone, so why on earth was she giving one to Ethan? Instinct took over, and I lunged, ripping the ring from Ethan's finger. He collapsed, howling in pain. "Jayden, I know you're furious about Yvette's first night," he gasped. "Hit me, yell at me, but don't take it out on her, okay?" Before I could react, Yvette's high-heeled foot slammed into me. "Jayden! Direct your anger at me! I pushed him to take the first night and the ring! "And let's not forget, Ethan offered you my first night, and you turned it down!" I crashed against a rock, pain coiling me into a ball, breathing a mere luxury. Yvette towered over me, her voice dripping with disdain. "You could stomach losing the first night, but a mere ring breaks you? "I could buy you thousands more. I've got the money!" Money? I was set to take over the mafia. Wealth, power, status–I had it all. No one had ever flaunted their wealth to me. Without my undisclosed support, her company would be nothing. I had planned to come clean on our wedding night, but she blindsided me with this 'gift' before the ceremony. Ethan, feigning regret, clung to Yvette. "Jayden, it was me. I was deluded," he said. "I'll disappear. I won't interfere with your wedding." Yvette shot me another withering look as she snatched the ring and slid it back onto Ethan's finger. "Forget about him! He's only this bold because I've been too nice!" I glanced over their joined hands with a cool detachment and declared, "Fine, Yvette. Do you want this? You got it." With that, I fought through the stabbing pain in my lower back, pushed myself to my feet, and made my way to the wedding venue's back exit. Yvette's voice, full of haughty triumph, stopped me. "Jayden! The wedding's not done! Where do you think you're going?" I did not look back, my stride firm and unwavering. "There's no wedding left, Yvette. We're square." Chapter 4 "Letting you have Ethan is the last thing I'll do for you. "Once we've signed those divorce papers at the courthouse, we're done. For good." Yvette froze, but she quickly composed herself, massaging her temples and scoffing, "Cut the drama, Jayden. You're the one who wanted to marry me, remember? "Ethan's only asking for one little thing. You've got me. Isn't it enough to grant him this?" Her voice softened, as if she were talking down to a child, "Come on, no more tantrums. I'll get you a bigger, shinier ring, okay?" I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to face Yvette. "You've had your 100 chances, Yvette." For a second, she looked lost, her face a mask of confusion. "What 100 chances?" My fingers clenched involuntarily, and a bitter laugh escaped me. All this time, I had put up with Yvette's hurts, clinging to a promise. A promise she did not even remember. I brushed away a tear, steadied my shaky voice, and said, "This is where it ends, Yvette. We're through. "Here's to you and Ethan. May you have a lifetime of love and happiness." After those words, I could not bear to stay a moment longer, enduring Yvette's scorn. Ethan barely held back a smirk, pretending to be worried as he said, "Yvette, do you think he found out, and that's why he's doing all this?" At his words, Yvette's face twisted, and she hurried after me, her skirt in hand. Her voice rose sharply, "Jayden! You knew I was pregnant all along, didn't you? "So you said yes to marrying me just to make a scene, to let everyone know I'm carrying someone else's baby, right?" It hit me like a bolt of lightning, shattering the fog in my mind. Pregnant? Yvette had just lost her virginity to Ethan yesterday. How could she be pregnant already? An icy realization washed over me, and a heart-wrenching thought took hold. Yvette had been with Ethan long before. They had been sneaking around behind my back! I was the fool, spun in their deceitful game. 'Hah. I get it now. I see how it is. I was blind all this time,' I seethed inwardly. I whipped out my phone and dialed my people. "Yeah, get over here, now!" Ethan looked at me, startled. "He's not calling the press, is he? Yvette just managed to get rid of them!" Before I knew it, Yvette slapped my phone out of my hand. Her nails raked my face, drawing blood that welled up instantly. My heart clenched in wave after wave of pain. I held my chest, the pain excruciating. Yvette, as if blind to it, pointed at my nose and yelled furiously, "Jayden! It was just one night. Are you trying to destroy me?" Her words pounded on my nerves like a relentless hammer, and I inhaled sharply. "I don't want any part of your mess with Ethan! Let go of me!" My defiance sent Yvette over the edge. She clutched my collar in a vice grip and hauled me toward the water's edge. Before I knew it, my head was submerged, the lake's icy grip clawing at my nostrils, flooding my lungs, and stealing my breath. Yvette's hands were relentless, dunking me again and again. "You think you can just walk away? What about the baby I'm carrying? There are plenty of witnesses who saw you come into the room yesterday. "I don't care. That child is yours to own up to! "Jayden! Apologize! Admit you're wrong! Promise you won't leave me!" My lungs screamed for air, my throat burned with the taste of blood. With a violent cough, it spewed forth, disappearing into the murky depths. I clenched my jaw, refusing to give her the satisfaction. Yvette's eyes flicked to a small boat nearby, her expression contorted with rage as she squeezed my throat. "Looks like I've been too soft on you. You've forgotten your place." She dragged my limp body to the boat, snatched the rope from the stern, and bound my hands. "I'll release you when you come to your senses." Her high-heel slammed into my back with a vicious thud. Splash! I plunged into the depths. The water embraced me, crushing the last pockets of air from my lungs. I fought against the relentless tide, but it was no use–the water was unforgiving. "Think about what you've done while you take your little swim," she sneered. As darkness closed in, the love that once lit her eyes twisted into a savage grin. Just as her fingers reached for the boat's switch, a team of armed Soldati burst onto the scene. Their leader fired, the shot ringing out perilously close to Yvette's hand. "Freeze!"