It Was Nice Knowing You? As If

I am reborn on the day my wife, Courtney Clarke, embezzles company funds to pay off her childhood best friend, Travis Foster's, gambling debts.

This time, I, Nathan Turner, don't sell my patents to help her plug her financial hole. Instead, I swiftly file for divorce with the court and cut ties with her.

This is all because in my previous life, I had loved her with everything I had for 50 years. I was at her beck and call. She claimed she longed for a platonic marriage, and so I endured a sexless marriage for decades.

All this lasted until the day of the shipwreck, when I gave her the last life vest. Yet, after she was saved, she never told the rescue team that I was still trapped inside the cabin. In my final moments, through a crack in the cabin door, I watched her throw herself into Travis' arms.

"Trav, I love you. I only love you. From now on, no one will stand in the way of our love."

In that moment, I abandoned all will to live, letting the sea swallow me whole.

So this time, after being reborn, I choose to step aside and let her pursue her love.

I had just finished submitting all the paperwork required for the divorce lawsuit when Courtney Clarke found me, her tone panicked.

"Darling, do you still have any money left? Can you lend me some? Something urgent came up on my end, and I need some funds right away."

I shot her a cold look and dialed the police right in front of her.

"Hello, officer? I'd like to report the Chief Financial Officer of Apex Technologies for embezzling company funds."

Just as the words left my mouth, Courtney snatched my phone and smashed it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Travis Foster, who had been standing nearby, punched me square in the mouth.

"Nathan Turner! Are you even a man? How can you report your own wife? She only took the money to help your family!"

In my previous life, when I found out Courtney had embezzled money, not only did I not report her, but I also emptied everything I had trying to help fill up the financial hole she'd dug. But no matter how hard I tried, I was still short a full five million dollars. With no other choice, I sold every patent under my name.

It wasn't until later that I learned that she had embezzled the money to pay off Travis' massive gambling debts. Furious, I demanded the money back from him.

To calm my anger, Courtney swore she'd cut ties with Travis for good.

For a long time after that, she really did come home straight after work and didn't rendezvous with Travis again. I truly believed she had come to her senses and that she wanted to make our marriage work.

What I didn't expect was that she'd merely moved their affair underground.

Thinking about it now, I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and stared coldly at Courtney.

"Courtney, we both know whether you embezzled the money for our family or for Travis, so stop pretending. Since you made that choice, you must have considered the consequences, so I'm sure you don't need me meddling."

Ignoring her pale face, I turned to Travis.

"Whether I'm a man or not is none of your business. But if you're such a man, why do you need a woman to clean up your mess?"

My tone was flat, but my eyes carried a faint trace of contempt.

Travis' eyes turned red with rage at my words. He raised his fist, intent on swinging at me again. But this time, I didn't give him the chance. I grabbed his fist and flung him aside.

"If you dare touch me again, I'll sue you for assault."

Seeing this, Courtney hurriedly stepped in front of Travis to shield him, and then she slapped me hard across the face.

"I never thought you'd turn out to be such a person, Nathan! I was so wrong about you! You kept saying you'd love me forever, but now that I'm in trouble, instead of helping me, you're kicking me when I'm down!"

Our argument drew a crowd of onlookers.

Travis' eyes darted around, then he suddenly shouted, "Nathan! Do you have another woman on the side? Is that why you're so eager to get rid of Court? She's done so much for you—for your family—and this is how you repay her? Aren't you afraid of karma?"