[BL] Dear Hushand, I want divorce-Chapter 118: Let me keep you with me

Noah stormed away from the mall, his heart pounding with fury and adrenaline. He didn’t want to think about Ryder—he didn’t want to see his face or hear his voice.

But as he increased his pace, hoping to put as much distance between them as possible, he heard Ryder calling after him.

"Noah, wait!" Ryder’s voice was desperate, but Noah didn’t slow down. If anything, he quickened his stride, refusing to give Ryder the satisfaction of a response.

But Ryder was persistent. He caught up to Noah, grabbing his wrist. The sudden contact sent a shock of anger through Noah’s body, and he yanked his hand away furiously, whirling around to glare at Ryder with a look that could kill.

"Don’t touch me!" Noah’s voice was sharp, laced with venom. "Why the hell are you following me? Just leave me alone!"

Ryder stood there, silent for a moment, his face a mask of regret. He could see the wrath in Noah’s eyes, the way his whole body trembled with barely contained rage.

Ryder knew he deserved it—after everything he had done, he had no right to expect anything else. "Noah, I know what I did was wrong," Ryder finally said, his voice low and sincere. "I’m really sorry."

Noah fought the overwhelming urge to punch him right then and there. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to keep control. "Stop wasting your breath," Noah spat. "Just leave me alone."

He turned to walk away again, but Ryder grabbed his arm, pulling him back. People in the mall started to glance in their direction, sensing the tension between them. Ryder didn’t care—he couldn’t let Noah go, not without trying to make things right.

Ryder dragged a struggling Noah to a quieter, more secluded area. Noah pushed and yelled, but Ryder didn’t let go until they were out of sight, away from prying eyes.

"Just listen to me," Ryder pleaded. "Please, Noah, just give me one chance to explain. After that, you’re free to leave."

But Noah wasn’t having it. His anger boiled over, drowning out any willingness to listen. "You think I’m going to listen to you now? After everything? I don’t want to hear a single word coming out of a bastard’s mouth like you! Just fuck off before I lose my temper!"

Ryder stared at him, the weight of Noah’s hatred pressing down on him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I know what I did was really, really wrong," Ryder admitted, his voice trembling slightly. "I shouldn’t have lied to you. I shouldn’t have led you on. But...but now, I—"

Noah’s hand shot out, and before Ryder could react, he was slapped across the face, hard. The impact stung, leaving Ryder’s cheek burning with pain. He could feel the heat radiating from the spot where Noah’s hand had struck him, but what hurt more was the look in Noah’s eyes.

Noah grabbed Ryder by the collar, his eyes blazing with fury. "Don’t you dare say something you don’t mean," Noah hissed. His voice was low, dangerous. "You lied to me for three years. Three fucking years. You led me on, made me believe you loved me, just to use my body. And now you want to talk about love? How could you even say that after everything you did?"

Ryder opened his mouth to defend himself, to try to explain, but Noah cut him off. "You don’t get to play the victim here," Noah snapped. "You don’t get to act like you’re the one who’s hurting. You lied, Ryder. You lied and you broke me, and now you think a few words will fix everything? You’re fucking delusional."

Ryder’s chest tightened with regret and guilt, but he couldn’t find the words to make things right. All he could do was stare at Noah, at the pain he had caused, and wish he could take it all back.

But Noah wasn’t done. His grip on Ryder’s collar tightened. "You’re nothing but a coward. A coward who played with someone’s heart for your own selfish reasons. I never want to see you again. Your face alone disgusts me now."

With that, Noah shoved Ryder away, his eyes hard and tenacious. Ryder stumbled back, his heart sinking as he realised just how much he had lost. Noah’s words echoed in his mind, each one a dagger to his soul. He wanted to say something to make Noah stay, but he knew it was too late.

Noah turned and walked away, not looking back, leaving Ryder standing there alone.

"Fuck!!" Ryder groaned in frustration, his fist slamming against the wall. The impact sent a jolt of pain through his hand, but it was nothing compared to the anguish twisting in his chest.

He rubbed his face with both hands, trying to scrub away the regret and self-loathing that had settled deep within him. If only he could go back in time and change everything—stop himself from being such an asshole, stop himself from ever putting Noah through so much pain. He wished he could undo it all, stop himself from hearing those devastating words, and most of all, stop himself from hurting Noah.

Three years ago, that’s when it all started to fall apart.

—

Flashback: Three Years Ago in the Bar

The bar was loud and packed, the music throbbing through the air as the night wore on. Elijah and Ryder were sitting at a table, drinks in hand, eyes scanning the crowd. Elijah’s gaze settled on a very drunk Ash, swaying slightly as he tried to maintain his balance. Around Ash were the naked hosts. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Elijah’s expression hardened, he went over to Ash and the commotion began. When Noah tried to come between and stop Elijah from taking Ash away. A silent command passed between Elijaj and Ryder.

Ryder, ever the playful one, caught the signal and smirked, standing up with a lazy, confident swagger. He made his way over to Noah, who was struggling to stop Elijah.

"Hey, hey," Ryder grinned, his tone light and teasing as he slipped an arm around Noah’s shoulders. "Why don’t you let Elijah take care of Ash and come have some fun with me, huh?"

"Now, who the fuck are you? Stay away and mind your own business!" Noah glared at Ryder, pushing him away with more force than necessary.

"Damn, you’re so feisty. I’m Elijah’s friend," Ryder circled his arm around Noah while Elijah took Ash away.

"Get off me. I’m not interested in whatever bullshit you’re selling."

Ryder laughed, completely unfazed. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Come on, doll face, why so serious? Let them go. Elijah’s got it handled. You and I, we could have a little fun of our own."

Noah shot him a savage look, his temper flaring. "Who are you calling a doll face, jerk?" he warned, his fist clenching. "I’m not in the mood for your crap."

But Ryder, being the shameless flirt he was, just waggled his eyebrows and kept on. "Oh, come on, don’t be like that. You’re too uptight, you know that? What you need is to loosen up a bit. I’m offering you the perfect opportunity."

Noah’s patience snapped, and he swung his fist at Ryder, aiming to land a solid punch. But Ryder was quicker than he looked. He caught Noah’s fist mid-air, pulling him into a tight hug instead, his grip firm but oddly comforting.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, dude!" Ryder chuckled, his face inches from Noah’s. "No need to get violent. I’m just trying to be friendly. Besides, you’re kind of cute when you’re mad."

Noah struggled in Ryder’s embrace, his frustration mounting. "Let go of me, you idiot! This isn’t funny!"

"Sure it is," Ryder quipped, his tone annoyingly carefree. "You just don’t see it yet. Trust me, you need to learn to relax. Have some fun. Life’s too short to be so serious all the time."

Noah finally managed to shove Ryder off, his eyes blazing with annoyance. "Fun? With you? Not in a million years."

Ryder pouted, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Aw, come on, don’t be like that. I’m a fun guy, I swear. Tell you what—how about one drink? On me. If you’re still not interested after that, I’ll back off. Promise."

Noah stared at him, his expression somewhere between disbelief and exasperation. "You really don’t know when to quit, do you asshole?"

"Nope," Ryder said, flashing a grin. "It’s one of my best qualities."

Noah rolled his eyes, clearly debating whether to punch Ryder again or just walk away. But before he could decide, Ryder held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it. You’re not in the mood. But seriously, lighten up a bit. You’re gonna give yourself a heart attack before you hit thirty at this rate."

Noah huffed, crossing his arms wondering how he got himself stuck with such a dumbass. "Why do you even care?"

Ryder shrugged, his usual playful demeanor softening for just a moment. "I don’t know. Maybe because I like seeing you riled up. It’s kinda cute. Or maybe because I think you deserve a little more fun in your life. Who knows? I feel like you’re kind of interesting."

Noah blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in Ryder’s voice, but before he could respond, Ryder was back to his usual antics, flashing a broad flirtatious grin. "Anyway, the offer still stands. One drink, no strings attached. What do you say? Or maybe if you’re interested in more than that we could–"

Noah rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, his expression set in determination. "I need to find Ash," he muttered, more to himself than to Ryder. His concern for his friend was growing by the second. "If that asshole Elijah did anything to him—"

Before he could finish, Ryder stepped directly into his path, blocking his way with that infuriatingly smug grin on his face. There was a devilish glint in Ryder’s eyes, an amusement that Noah found both aggravating and confusing.

Ryder’s voice was smooth and teasing. He leaned in closer, his smirk widening. "Sorry, doll face, but you can’t leave just yet."

Noah’s jaw clenched in irritation, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Ryder. He tried to move around him, but Ryder mirrored his movements, keeping him from going any further.

"I’m not in the mood for this," Noah warned, his patience wearing thin.

Ryder just chuckled, his expression dripping with mischief as his eyes scanned Noah up and down, his interest increasing in Noah every second. "Too bad. I’m in the mood to keep you here a little longer with me."