CHAPTER 4

The bird chirped melodiously as it landed on the branch of a nearby tree, its song a stark contrast to the somber mood surrounding Jason. He sat heavily on a worn park bench, looking tired and sweaty from the long, grueling day. His clothes clung to him, still stained and crumpled from his time in prison. Jason hadn't had the chance to wash up or change since his release; he felt as though the grime and exhaustion of his incarceration were etched into his very skin.

As he waited, he watched children playing nearby, their laughter echoing through the park. It was a scene of pure innocence and joy, something he had once imagined sharing with Julie. They had talked about having children, living a simple, happy life. But those dreams had shattered when she betrayed him, along with his best friend, Alex. He felt a mix of bitterness and longing as he observed the carefree play of the children.

After what felt like an eternity, Jason noticed Julie approaching, accompanied by another woman dressed in a crisp suit and carrying an envelope. Julie looked almost the same, except for the slight lines of worry and age that now marked her face. 

"I didn't think you would come," she said, her voice a mixture of surprise and awkwardness as she stood before him.

Jason looked up, his eyes meeting hers briefly before shifting to the other woman.

"This is my assistant, Anna Williams." Julie introduced her with a hesitant smile. Anna looked at Jason with thinly veiled disdain, her eyes scanning him as if he were a distasteful insect. Jason instinctively reached out to shake her hand, a gesture of civility, but Anna recoiled slightly, her expression disgusted. He withdrew his hand, the rejection stinging more than he let on.

"Do you remember this place?" Julie continued, her tone turning nostalgic. "This was where you proposed to me." She chuckled softly, reminiscing about what seemed like a lifetime ago.

Jason's expression hardened. "I'm not here to talk about the past, Julie. Why did you call me? It's not like you have anything to tell me." His voice was flat, betraying none of the turmoil he felt inside.

Julie sighed, rolling her eyes as if dealing with a petulant child. "You're right. She doesn't have anything to tell you," Anna interjected sharply, pulling a stack of papers from the envelope she carried. "These are divorce papers, along with a cheque for three million dollars." She placed the documents on the bench beside Jason, along with a pen. 

Jason stared at the papers, then back at Anna, who continued, her tone dripping with contempt. "Sign the papers, and the cheque is yours. You can finally live your life the way you want. I don't want my idol's name tainted by your reputation as an ex-convict."

"Hey! This doesn't concern you. This is between me and her," Jason snapped, his patience wearing thin.

Anna scoffed, unimpressed. "Garbage like you should just take the cheque. It's more than you deserve, anyway."

Julie raised her hand, gesturing for Anna to stop. "I'm sorry for Anna's behavior, Jason, but she is right. I made my decision a long time ago. Alex and I are in love, and we want to build a happy life together." Her words were firm but delivered with a hint of sadness, as if trying to soften the blow.

Jason felt a sharp pain in his heart, but he remained calm, his face an unreadable mask. "Did you start feeling like this after I went to prison for you?" His voice was almost a whisper, the pain in it unmistakable.

"She didn't ask you to go for her," Anna cut in coldly. "You felt unworthy of her. You wanted to prove your love, but she didn't need you."

Julie shot Anna a silencing glare. "Jason, listen. It's a hard pill to swallow, but Alex and I had planned to be together for a long time, even while you and I were together. We made plans to get you out of the picture so we could be together. But we didn't need to execute them because of the accident. You went to jail for me. I'm sorry, Jason, but you weren't enough for me. That’s why I'm giving you this gift. This divorce and the cheque will change your life. You can buy a house, marry a new woman, and start fresh."

Jason's anger boiled beneath the surface. He had wasted five years of his life in prison, and now she was trying to erase that with money. "Julie, I spent five years in prison. That's not something your cheque can fix."

Anna, losing patience, spat out, "Oh, for fuck's sake! Enough with the drama. Sign the fucking paper, take your cheque, and leave. Your presence is irritating enough. Can't you tell? She never loved you. And how could she? You're a convict."

Jason tried to ignore Anna's venomous words, but they cut deep. He turned to Julie, a final, desperate plea in his eyes. "Since the beginning, did you ever love me?"

Julie hesitated, then answered with a painful honesty. "Maybe for the first year. But Alex supported me. He was there for me when I needed help the most."

Jason smiled bitterly. "I see. There is nothing left for us then." He picked up the papers and signed them, his hands shaking slightly. He tossed them back at Julie.

"I'm sorry, Jason," Julie began, but Jason cut her off.

"You're not. Don't lie to me. But I do want to thank you and Alex for opening my eyes. Now I know what I must do." He stood up with a cold determined smile on his face.

"Take the cheque, Jason, and start a new life." Julie's words echoed in his mind. It had seemed like such simple advice, but the complexity of his emotions rendered it impossible to follow. 

As she walked away, her face obscured by a black cap, and her assistant trailing behind, the scene felt almost surreal. It was the end of a chapter, but Jason knew it was far from the end of his story.

He laughed bitterly, a hollow sound that spoke volumes of his internal strife. Five years of his life were gone, his reputation and trust shattered. Julie and his best friend had conspired against him, leaving him to bear the brunt of their deceit. Now, with a divorce and a paltry sum of money, they expected him to move on. But Jason wasn't ready to forgive or forget. He was fueled by a burning desire for retribution.

"Hmmmm, is that who messaged you earlier?" Olivia's voice broke through his thoughts. Her eyes were probing, seeking answers that Jason wasn't ready to give.

"She told me to meet her here, the place where I proposed to her," he said, his voice tinged with emotion. The memories of happier times were now tainted with betrayal.

"Hmmmm, I see," Olivia responded, her curiosity piqued. She took Julie's place at the table, her gaze falling upon the cheque. "Three million dollars! How is someone supposed to live on that? This isn't even a day's worth of vacation money." Her disdain was palpable, and she handled the cheque as if it were trash, unaware of how much it symbolized to Jason.

Jason remained silent, his anger simmering beneath the surface. Olivia's casual dismissal of the money contrasted sharply with his feelings. For him, it wasn't about the amount; it was about the principle. He finally spoke, his voice filled with bitterness.

"Olivia, since I came out of prison, I've been through hell. My best friend and wife betrayed me. The worst part is that they planned this betrayal for more than five years. Now I'm divorced, and all I get is money as compensation." He scoffed, grabbing the cheque from her hands. "Fuck them! I'm not going to accept this. They hurt me, and they think money is going to fix that." With a swift motion, he tore the cheque into pieces, letting them fall like confetti.

Olivia's surprise quickly turned into admiration. "I didn't expect this burning determination from you. You might actually be a better heir than I thought." Her smirk was one of approval, recognizing the fire within him. A bodyguard approached, holding a cellphone.

"Boss, Vice President Daemon wants to talk with you," the guard said, handing her the phone. Olivia's eyes narrowed in suspicion. What could he want now? She nodded, giving short, clipped answers before passing the phone to Jason.

"Here, he wants to talk with you," she said, her tone cautious. Jason took the phone, his mind racing with possibilities.

"Hello, Jason. I'm Daemon Tempest, your father's brother. Which means, I'm your uncle. We should really talk about the future of the legacy name, Tempest." The voice on the other end was smooth, yet it sent chills down Jason's spine.

"Sure, un-uncle," Jason stammered, feeling overwhelmed. He heard a chuckle from Daemon.

"Let's talk at the Tempest company's headquarters tomorrow. I'll be expecting you in the boardroom," Daemon said, ending the call abruptly.

"I didn't know I had an uncle," Jason said, handing the phone back to Olivia.

"And he didn't know he had a nephew who was going to be heir," Olivia responded, her tone cautious.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, his confusion evident.

"Jason, the world isn't a pretty place, and your position as the heir to the family enterprise means that a lot of people would kill to get it."

"You don't mean my uncle would kill me. I mean, we're family, right?" Jason asked, struggling to process the gravity of her words.

"You both barely know each other. It would be no better than killing a stranger," she replied coldly. Jason shivered, realizing the precariousness of his newfound status. Just hours ago, he was a nobody with nowhere to go. Now, he was one of the richest and most influential people in the country, with a massive target on his back.