I Held Our Dying Sons While She Fed Steak to Her 'Best Friend' novel Chapter 2

"What?"

Emma's eyes widened.

"William, are you even a man?"

"You wanna divorce me over something this petty?"

Lucas, standing beside her, added fuel to the fire.

"Yeah, dude. What kind of man are you?"

"Emma wasted her time marrying you."

My face darkened instantly.

Emma and Lucas had been childhood friends.

In college, they even dated for a while.

But then Lucas got busy with grad school, neglected Emma, and they broke up.

That was when I met Emma.

We fell in love and got together.

But Emma and Lucas never really cut ties.

Sometimes, she would straight-up ignore me for his sake.

I confronted her about it.

She brushed it off, saying Lucas was just her best friend, like a brother.

I was an idiot.

I believed her.

Then we got married.

Had kids.

I thought she'd finally settle down.

But she only got worse.

She and Lucas were constantly out at parties together, coming home at two or three in the morning.

They even went on trips—to Europe, to the Caribbean.

Shopping sprees, vacations.

Posting pictures online like they were some power couple.

People warned me.

Told me I was being played for a fool.

But for the sake of Emma's reputation, for the sake of our two kids, I defended her.

Said she and Lucas were just friends.

That she always told me where she was going.

Even when Mike and James cried for their mom, I covered for her.

"Mommy's working hard," I told them.

"She's earning money to buy you nice things."

But the rumors never stopped. And I couldn't take it anymore.

We fought. Over and over.

I begged her to spend more time with the kids.

Emma turned it back on me.

"I work all day and come home to this?"

"You can't even take care of your own kids? What kind of father are you?"

If I pushed her, she'd just storm out.

Each time, I told myself she'd come around.

That things would get better.

And I didn't want our boys to grow up being called kids from a broken home.

So I swallowed my pride. Endured it.

And what did I get in return?

Mike and James, dead. Turned to ashes.

And Emma and Lucas? Laughing in my face.

These two bastards. If not for them, my boys would still be alive.

I set down the urns. Walked straight up to them.

And slapped them. Both of them.

"Get the hell out of my sight."

Lucas smirked, then turned to Emma, playing the victim.

"Babe, did you see that? William just hit me!"

"Look at Emma's face! You really hit her?" He pointed at me, indignant.

I glared at him.

"Keep pointing at me, and I'll break your damn fingers."

Lucas flinched and yanked his hand back.

Emma shoved him behind her, staring daggers at me.

"You wanna hit Lucas? Go ahead, try it!"

"Hit me all you want, but if you touch Lucas, I will never forgive you!"

"You wanna divorce me?"

"Fine! But Mike and James are staying with me!"

Even now, she was still defending him.

Typical Emma. I should've seen it coming.

I was just too late. And my kids paid the price.

"You have the audacity to bring up Mike and James?"

"You killed them, Emma."

"You don't deserve to call yourself their mother."

Emma stood there, stunned.

Lucas's eyes darted around.

Then he smirked and stepped forward.

"Wow, William. Making up stories now?"

"Emma is their mother. If something happened to them, she would've known."

"You're just making all this up so she won't fight you for custody."

"You think bringing home some ashes will fool us?"

"Emma might believe you, but I don't."

Emma's face turned red.

Her gaze sharpened.

"William, you think you can fool me?"

"I'll smash these urns and expose your lies!"

She stormed toward them.

I slapped her across the face.

"You will never touch my boys again!"

"You hit me again?! I'll kill you!"

Emma lunged at me, claws out.

"If you hit Emma, you're dead!"

Lucas shouted, jumping in too.

These two.

These two monsters who killed my kids.

I'd had enough.

I kicked Emma aside and tackled Lucas, pinning him to the ground.

Then I started punching him.

Left. Right. Again. And again.

"You bastard!"

"If not for you, my boys would still be alive! I'll kill you!"

Lucas screamed for help, but I didn't stop.

I wasn't going to stop.

I didn't care anymore. If I died for this, so be it.

"Help! Emma, help me!"

"William's lost it! He's gonna kill me!"