Chapter 5

After some inquiring, I learned that Lana had rented my house to Zac's relatives without my consent. She herself had rented another villa outside with Zac.

Honestly, I had been completely honest with Lana and had given her everything I had since we got together. For six years, I never asked her for a penny in rent. I treated her sincerely, yet Lana only regarded me as a sucker.

Seeing the completely different house, I immediately called the police and showed them the deed, saying the contract was invalid, and managed to drive out the tenants.

As soon as I closed the door, Lana immediately called me. "Cruz, did you go to the apartment to make a fuss and drive out the tenants?"

I had no intention of hiding it, so I admitted it right away.

Lana, on the other end of the line, paused for a moment before ranting, "Why did you drive out my tenants? Do you know how much I have to compensate them? How could you make such a big decision without consulting me?"

I felt speechless. "This was my parents' house. Do I need your permission to do something?"

Perhaps I had disobeyed her for the first time in a long time, Lana froze for a moment before sobbing, "Cruz, you've changed. You said before that you would do whatever I say, no matter what!"

I did not deny that I had changed, but it was Lana who had changed first.

Before starting her business, she was not so petty and scheming. Even if we only had a few hundred dollars left in our pockets and were so poor that we could only eat sandwiches on Valentine's Day, she still smiled sweetly.

Even after she started her business, she became increasingly erratic. I thought we would be family eventually, and Lana was indeed under a lot of pressure in the early stages of her business, so I always went along with her.

As the company grew, Lana changed. Especially after Zac came, she became even worse.

Now that I was not planning to marry her, I did not need to accommodate and compromise. With this in mind, I retorted, "Lana, weren't you the one who changed first? Why don't you talk about how much rent I've saved you over the years, how many orders I've brought in, and how much money I've made for you? What right do you have to criticize me?"

Hearing this, the person on the other end of the line paused for a moment before roaring, "You want me to pay rent? Cruz, I think you're just obsessed with money! Let me tell you, this tenant is Zac's relative. How is Zac supposed to face his friends and relatives now? You'd better hand over the house and ask them to move back in, or...we'll have to break up!"

This was Lana's method that had always worked for the past six years.

I was aiming for marriage earlier, thinking that all couples argued, and everyone needed time to adapt, so I tolerated it all.

However, after meeting and spending time with Mabel, I realized how stifling and miserable my life had been.

With that in mind, I just nodded and said, "Okay, let's break up then."

Lana was silent on the other end of the line.

After a long pause, she clenched her teeth and asked, "You're breaking up with me over this little rent? Is a run-down apartment more important to you, or am I?"

Before I could answer, Zac's voice suddenly came through the phone. "Lana, maybe we should just forget about it. I'll think of something else myself."