Not All That's Broken Can Be Fixed

Abigail Southall, my wife, has once again lost Ethan and Owen Lincoln, the two young men she keeps by her side. She is trying to coax them to return this time by offering a signed divorce agreement. I have witnessed this routine of running away and chasing countless times. I throw fits, cause scenes, and even try running away from home like those two, but every single time, all she does is hand me a check with a larger amount than before. She then flashes a mocking smile and asks, "Is that enough for you?" I calmly take the divorce agreement and sign my name on the line. Abigail, holding my hand in satisfaction, says, "It's just a divorce for show; I'll withdraw it before the cooling-off period ends. I'm glad you are finally being reasonable. I mean, women of my status all have a desire to conquer, especially when it comes to dealing with a pair of aloof young men. "I'll come back to you so that we can settle down and live a good life once I win them over." I offer no rebuttal and simply pick up the check from the floor, thinking that she has no idea that I'm not going to wait for her anymore. Chapter 1 Christian's POV It was then that the staff at the courthouse handed me the divorce application receipt, saying, "Your divorce registration has been processed, and it will become legally effective in one month." I accepted the receipt from the staff, only for Abigail Southall, my soon-to-be ex-wife, to snatch it away and snap a photo. She then stared at her phone with a dreamy grin, like a lovestruck teenager. In that instant, the staff behind the counter threw me a sympathetic look. In order to humor Abigail's boyfriends, Ethan and Owen Lincoln, I had played along with Abigail in countless fake divorce acts, to the point where the staff all recognized me. Abigail finally looked up at me with a tender expression after a long while, holding up a red velvet box. She then showed it to me and asked, "Do you think these look pretty, Christian? Do you think Ethan and Owen will like them?" There were two highly expensive rings inside. I nodded calmly and said, "They're beautiful." I unconsciously rubbed my ring finger, which bore nothing but a faint indentation from a ring. It was a week ago when Ethan and Owen threw a tantrum to force Abigail to propose to them—one hid in a fishing village and slit his wrists, while the other flew abroad and overdosed. They specifically demanded the exact same wedding rings Abigail and I had. Those were one-of-a-kind, custom rings she had made for me, the only pair in existence. Abigail took my ring off while I was asleep and claimed it was sent out for cleaning, but I knew she was lying. She had actually flushed both of our rings down the toilet, just to appease both Ethan and Owen. Abigail instinctively reached for my hand as we got into the car. I suddenly noticed that the interior decor I had designed had been changed to green. Abigail, noticing me staring at it blankly, quickly explained, "Those two are so childish—they've been obsessed with some cutesy animal life-sim game lately, insisting I repaint the car to match it. I'll change it back eventually, Christian." I merely hummed softly in agreement, thinking that it made sense that the car should get a makeover too since we were divorced now. I couldn't stop myself from sneezing between the overpowering scent of the new air freshener and the trunk full of fresh flowers. Abigail finally looked up from her phone and noticed the rash breaking out on my neck. She furrowed her brow and said, "I forgot you're allergic to pollen." She immediately instructed the chauffeur to take us to the hospital, only for her phone to ring while we were waiting at a traffic light. She answered the phone, and her face immediately fell. "Pull over this instant!" Abigail turned to me and said, "Ethan got a blister from some boiling water. He's usually so aloof and cares so much about his appearance, but right now he's actually crying and asking for me, so I need to go over there. You'll have to go to the hospital yourself, Christian." I was dropped off on the busy street and stood before the passing cars, disoriented. I finally came to my senses when my phone buzzed with a notification that my plane ticket had been successfully booked. I eventually took the cab to the hospital. Upon seeing that I was alone, the nurse was a bit taken aback. "Your wife didn't come with you this time?" I had an allergic constitution; usually, if I came into contact with even a little dust, Abigail would get paranoid and rush me to the hospital—so much so that she had even postponed a shareholders' meeting for my sake. I merely shook my head and replied with a smile, "She's currently busy." I had just gotten my antihistamine injection when a sudden commotion broke out at the nurses' station. "She's an absolute badass!" "Have you guys ever seen anyone bring their young boyfriend to the hospital with 99 roses? She was literally holding his hand with one hand and cradling the flowers with the other!" "It was just a minor superficial burn. If he had come in any later, it would've practically healed by itself." I looked through the window and caught sight of those fresh, vivid red roses, as well as the woman who had her head down, busy typing away on her phone. It was then that I received a message from Abigail. "How are you doing, Christian? Do you feel any better now?" Chapter 2 I looked down again and noticed that Abigail had already pocketed her phone and was walking away with Ethan. They walked hand-in-hand with interlocked fingers, the rings on their fingers looking unexpectedly well-suited and eye-catching. I then looked at my phone and accepted the two friend requests on my social media. Their profile pictures matched perfectly with the one Abigail had recently switched to; before that, her profile picture had always been a photo of me. Those brash young men weren't polite at all. "You've already divorced Abigail, so you need to pack up, clean the place, and be out by the end of the day." They had no idea that, because she felt guilty, Abigail had allocated 80% of the assets to me in the divorce agreement—including the villa we were living in. I casually highlighted the clause in the agreement and sent it to them, asking, "You should have seen the divorce agreement, right?" There was no reply from them after that. … I didn't have much to take with me, so one suitcase was enough to pack nearly everything. I had just gone downstairs when I noticed Abigail curled up on the couch, though I didn't know when she had returned. I walked straight over to pour a glass of water, grabbed her stomach medication, and walked over to her. Abigail suddenly lunged up and slapped me hard across the face. "You've gone too far, Christian! Who said you could forward our divorce agreement to them? I've explained this to you countless times—they're just temporary entertainment! They won't be able to threaten your position in my heart! "I'll obviously return to our marriage once I've had my fun. What exactly are you throwing a tantrum over? You ought to know that people in our social circle all have a few male companions on the side—even your mother…" I glared fixedly at her as my eyes turned bloodshot. Abigail's voice softened as she stepped forward to hold me close, saying, "I've only ever committed to you ever since we got married, Christian. How can you doubt my love for you? "You should be obedient for now. You can rest assured that after this time, I'll spend the rest of my life staying faithful to you and only you, Christian." I suddenly recalled how years ago Abigail, the notoriously flirtatious heiress of Bellvoria, had spent three whole years pursuing me. She told me that I'd be the only one for her in this life, and she promised to protect my family and me with her very life. I believed her back then, but hearing it now did absolutely nothing to me. I couldn't help but wonder when all that trust had eroded into nothing. It started when Ethan and Owen went missing for the first time. Abigail actually logged into my account in the company group chat to make a public declaration of love to coax them to return, making me the butt of the joke among everyone we knew. I was cornered by reporters the following day, left completely helpless and alone under the flashing cameras. It happened again during our anniversary when she abandoned me to go on a risky, high-altitude stunt for her lovers, leaving me completely on my own to face her family's accusations that I didn't care about my wife's safety. It was the 101 calls for help that she hung up on while she was out having fun at the amusement park with Ethan and Owen. Just because I shared the same blood type as Ethan and Owen, Abigail had forced me to donate blood against my will, which triggered severe anemia and ruined our chances of trying for a pregnancy—only for her to turn around and blame me for being incompetent. It happened the day before she handed me the divorce agreement. She had pulled all the medical experts away for Ethan and Owen, leaving no one to care for Dad. He was all the family I had, and he died because there was no one there to save him. … I was trembling all over, the water still drenching my clothes, while Abigail was still embracing me, my senses filled with a perfume she had never previously used. I turned my head away and caught sight of a string of numbers tattooed near her collarbone—it was the number for Ethan and Owen's birthday, which happened to be the day Dad died. I recalled Dad's final words on his deathbed and quietly backed out of her embrace. Abigail simply slipped a check for 12 million dollars into my hand and said, "Ethan and Owen had taken a liking to this villa, so you should move out for the time being, Christian." "Alright," I murmured as I took the check from her. I then handed her the stomach medication. Abigail's expression warmed up as she reached out to take my hand. "C-Christian—" Just then, a series of sharp, agonizing yelps echoed from outside—it was my dog, Sparky. I rushed out in a frantic blur and saw Ethan and Owen repeatedly kicking Sparky, who was lying helplessly on the ground, barely clinging to life. I shoved the two of them away with all my might, my tears completely spilling over. "Sparky! Sparky!" Sparky was on the verge of death, yet he still made an effort to wag his tail when he saw me. Ethan and Owen just stood there watching indifferently. "It turns out it's your dog, huh? We figured it was just a stray that snuck into our place. Why haven't you packed up yet? Didn't Abigail tell you?" I rose to my feet and slapped Ethan hard across the face, but in the next instant, a slap came down on my face. Chapter 3 Upon noticing Abigail, Owen instantly started tearing up. "Christian slapped Ethan, Abigail." Abigail looked down at her own hand in disbelief, then turned a guilty gaze toward me. "I-I didn't mean to, Christian—" Ethan scoffed. "Is this really your idea of commitment while pursuing us, Ms. Southall? You're already divorced, yet you're still messing around with your ex. "If that's how it's going to be, then Ethan and I can't be with you. You ought to know that we come from a respectable family, and we refuse to be anyone's side pieces." He then looked toward me with a pointed glare as he continued, "I guess there are certain people who just keep overstaying their welcome after a divorce. Is this what passes for decency in your high society?" Abigail's expression instantly stiffened. "Christian, apologize to Ethan and Owen." It started snowing out of nowhere. I clutched Sparky close as his body slowly turned cold and rigid. I stubbornly looked her right in the face with my bloodshot eyes and said, "They're the ones who killed my dog." They had killed my companion of 15 years, completely destroying the final keepsake Dad left behind for me. Abigail looked distressed for a moment, but Owen quickly grabbed Ethan's arm and said, "That dog attacked Ethan first, Abigail!" I instantly felt a surge of anger rush through me, as Sparky had always been gentle and never would have attacked anyone unprovoked. Abigail immediately stepped forward to check Ethan's hand, asking, "Does it hurt?" Ethan stubbornly looked away. "What difference does it make if it hurts? It's not as if the person responsible is going to get punished." Abigail asked in a doting tone, "What do you want to do then, darling?" Ethan shot me a twisted, mocking look and said, "If your ex feels that much empathy for a dog, then he should just spend the night in the dog cage instead." Abigail didn't even hesitate for a moment before agreeing. "You can do whatever you like as long as it makes you happy, Ethan." Ethan finally smiled, his brilliant expression completely captivating Abigail. She stared at him for a long time, as if she couldn't bear to look away. She then turned to me with disgust and ordered the bodyguards. "What are you guys waiting for? Go carry out Ethan's request!" Upon hearing that, the bodyguards hesitated and faltered, seemingly holding something back. "I-It'll be minus ten degrees outside tonight, Ms. Southall. Mr. Fuller—" Ethan's expression hardened as he turned to leave. "How can I possibly trust that you'll treat Ethan and me well in the future when even your own people only have loyalty toward your ex-husband?" Abigail immediately followed after him and pulled him into her arms, gently comforting him. "We'll do exactly as you say, Ethan." She then glared at the bodyguards and snapped, "Get moving already!" I struggled violently, but I was still thrown into the dog cage. Owen picked Sparky up by the tail, turned around to smile flirtatiously at Abigail, and said, "Why don't we get rid of this dog and have some lamb stew to celebrate Ethan and me moving into our new place, Abigail, especially considering how cold the weather is getting?" I gripped the bars of the cage as I broke down, crying out. "Please don't do this, Abigail! Please don't do this to Sparky!" I kneeled in the cage, bowing repeatedly in desperation. Abigail, however, only stared infatuatedly at Ethan's face. She held his hand to her lips, blowing on it repeatedly to keep him warm. She didn't even look at me once as she put her arm around Ethan's waist, took Owen's hand, and led them into the villa. I called her name repeatedly, like the mournful cry of a vengeful spirit in the dead of night. I couldn't even remember when the cold finally made me lose consciousness, but when I came to, the aroma of lamb stew was wafting from the villa, and Sparky's corpse was nowhere to be found. I gripped Sparky's leash with all my might, my fingernails digging deeply into my palms. "I'll never ever forgive you, Abigail." I woke up the following day to find Abigail sitting by my bedside with bloodshot eyes. "You're finally awake, Christian! Do you feel unwell anywhere?" Abigail took my hand, looking deeply worried. I expressionlessly pulled my hand back, only for Abigail to instantly grab it back. "You were in the wrong about last night—it was just a dog, after all. You should apologize to Ethan in a bit. He isn't that petty, so he'll definitely forgive you." I had long since grown numb from the pain. I closed my eyes, wanting nothing to do with her, but she still wouldn't stop talking. I couldn't take it anymore, so I asked, "Where am I?" Abigail's expression carried a trace of embarrassment before replying, "Ethan has a fear of the dark, while Owen prefers rooms with plenty of sunlight. That's why they're staying in the master bedroom and guest room at the moment. You'll have to temporarily settle for the basement, Christian." Chapter 4 In the very next instant, Abigail's phone suddenly rang. She accidentally hit the speakerphone while fumbling to answer the call, and Owen's crisp voice came through. "Where are you, Abigail? You should hurry over since the wedding gown designer has arrived!" "I'm dealing with something right now. I'll be back soon," Abigail replied as a trace of panic flashed across her face while she gave me an embarrassed glance. She then quickly ended the call and said, "You should get some rest first, Christian." She then rose to her feet and hurried out, walking with the same ecstatic stride as the day she married me, looking as if she had won a great victory. I heard noises outside the door after an unknown amount of time had passed. Ethan and Owen walked in, and the moment they saw me, they immediately mocked me. "I didn't realize you were so shameless, playing the victim just to cling on and stay by Abigail's side." Owen spat at me with contempt. "You're truly shameless! You even tried to mimic us by running away from home back then, making a complete fool of yourself. You ought to have some dignity, old man! You should do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here!" Ethan walked over to me, looking down at me with derision. "Is it possible that you actually think Abigail still has feelings for you? Do you want us to help you prove once and for all who she really cares about more—us or you?" He then took out a bottle of gasoline with a look of pure madness in his eyes. I furrowed my brow as I tried to step around them. "What do you think you're doing?" Ethan and Owen grabbed me simultaneously and ignited the gasoline. They then called Abigail, exclaiming, "Please save us, Abigail! We only came to check on Christian out of kindness, but he's trying to burn us alive!" I coughed violently as the flames instantly shot up. I lunged for the door, but the two of them dragged me back, pinning me tightly. I fought desperately to break free as the fire was about to engulf me, and the smoke was already choking me. I then hurriedly drenched the curtains with water and covered my mouth and nose with them. In the very next instant, the door was kicked open. Abigail saw me, pulled me up, and asked, "Are you alright, Christian?" Just then, Ethan and Owen's voices rang out. "Save us, Abigail!" Abigail instantly let go of me and ran to them instead, pulling Ethan and Owen along as she hurried out of the burning room. I was knocked down by the force of the impact. I could only lie on the ground as I looked up and murmured, "A-Abigail…" Just as she was about to bolt out the door, Abigail snapped her head back toward me—only for Ethan to let out a low grunt of pain, drawing her focus away. "You have to hang in there! I'm getting you out right now, Ethan!" She didn't spare me another glance and walked away without looking back after saying that. I closed my eyes in despair the moment the flames engulfed me. … Third-Person POV It was three days later when Abigail registered her marriage with Ethan and Owen in Sundravel. They then took a connecting flight to Elarion for their honeymoon, where Abigail spent a full month vacationing with them. She even posted a photo on social media of the two young men sleeping naked in bed, flashing a peace sign for the camera. In the comment section, the online users were unanimous in their admiration. "You're living the absolute dream! You're a total badass, Ms. Southall!" "Congratulations on winning over the cool, reserved twins!" Abigail, however, was leaning against the balcony with a drink, completely devoid of any sense of triumph. She felt an inexplicable irritation wash over her instead as she kept refreshing her phone repeatedly. That day, after she pulled Ethan and Owen from the fire, the two wept and claimed Christian had deliberately set it to kill them. She had intended to go back inside for Christian, but their words stopped her in her tracks. She hadn't even fully won Ethan and Owen over yet, and Christian had nearly ruined all her efforts. She thought that he desperately needed to be taught a lesson this time. She ordered her bodyguards to wait five minutes before going in to rescue him, then took Ethan and Owen straight to the airport. She wanted to get the trip over with quickly so she could return early and make peace with Christian, but during the entire month they were away, Christian hadn't replied to a single message she sent him. Abigail's heart sank even further. She finally couldn't contain her restlessness any longer, so she returned to the room, packed up her clothes, opened the door, and left immediately. Ethan and Owen were still lost in the afterglow of their very first intimate encounter. They panicked the moment they saw Abigail's action. They flusteredly caught her by the hand and asked, "Where are you going, Abigail?" Abigail shook off their grip with irritation. "I'm flying back home." Yet, when Abigail returned, the sight before her almost pushed her over the edge.