Chapter 3

Dominic snapped, "You've grown bold these past two years. You dare use 'cutting ties' to threaten me? Do you think I'd beg you to stay?"

Seeing that Dominic still hadn't picked up the pen, Ronan said calmly, "It wouldn't matter even if you did. Are you still not signing because you can't bear to let me go?"

With a cold huff, Dominic finally picked up the pen and scrawled his signature.

"And this one." Ronan slid the signed document aside and handed another to Linda. "You should sign as well."

"Ronan, do you really want to blow this up to such an extent?" Linda glared at him, furious. "We ask you to marry the Reinman family's heiress, and somehow we're the ones in the wrong?"

"Ronan, don't be impulsive. Mom and Dad are just upset." Thomas grew anxious. If Ronan walked away now, who would take his place and marry that distasteful heiress of the Reinman family?

When Ronan still didn't respond, Linda's temper flared. "Thomas, don't bother comforting him!"

She reached for the document to sign.

"Mom, wait!" Bella reacted quickly, snatching the agreement from her hands. "How much does he want?"

Her eyes scanned the pages, assuming Ronan would demand compensation.

"Exactly! He's definitely trying to use this to extort us. We absolutely can't give him too much." Carmen crowded in to read as well.

Meanwhile, Dominic and Linda examined the other copy.

Watching them study the agreements with more seriousness than they'd ever shown him, Ronan let out a cold, mocking laugh.

These were the blood relatives he once longed for.

Allison, however, stared at Ronan with a faint sense of unfamiliarity. He seemed different—too different, as if a completely new soul had taken over this body.

She worked on the board of Galois University and was often busy, coming home late every night. She hadn't spent much time with Ronan. Sometimes she even forgot that the family had brought home a lost son.

Suddenly, she remembered—when Ronan had first returned, he often waited up for her late into the night.

Even though he was in his senior year of high school and didn't get home until nine-thirty, he would always cook her something warm and place it in front of her when she came back.

She had never eaten them. Not once.

After that, Ronan stopped coming home and lived in the dorms instead.

Did he change during that time?

"Party A relinquishes all inheritance rights… and severs all ties with Party B and relatives, henceforth having no connection whatsoever…"

Bella froze as she read aloud from the agreement.

The others stared at Ronan in shock.

Not only did he refuse to take a single cent—he even gave up his inheritance?

"Finished reading?" Ronan asked coolly.

Bella and the others were speechless.

"Ronan, think this through." Linda frowned. "As long as you agree to marry the Reinman family's heiress, marry into their household, and apologize to your father and Thomas, we can forget everything that happened today—"

"I've already thought it through. Sign it," Ronan cut her off.

Linda drew in a slow breath, signed her name, then threw the pen onto the table and turned away sharply. "Bringing you back was a mistake from the start. You're impossible to teach."

"Two copies. This one is yours." Ronan ignored her words and tucked away his copy, finally feeling the pressure on his shoulders lift. Honestly, even breathing felt easier.

"I'll come tomorrow to pick up my things." He took three hundred dollars from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. "This covers my food and lodging for the past two years."

With that, Ronan turned and strode toward the door.

The Vance family's front gate felt like the open door of a birdcage. The closer he got, the lighter his steps became.

"Wait!"

Bella's commanding voice rang out behind him.

"What now?" Ronan turned.

"You think you can just walk out? With your sticky fingers, who knows if you've stolen something? I'm going to search you." She marched toward him.

Ronan frowned and glanced at the others.

They all watched silently—no one objected. Their silence was consent.

"Go ahead." Ronan's voice was expressionless.

Let them search. At least they wouldn't be able to accuse him later.

Bella patted him down. Aside from an old second-hand phone, he had nothing.

"Wait here. I'm going upstairs to check." Her voice was cold.

"You're still not done?" Ronan's patience snapped. He refused to stay another second. He turned and walked toward the exit.

"Stop right there!" she shouted.

But this time, Ronan didn't stop. He walked out of the Vance residence.

"Unbelievable!" Bella stomped her foot in rage. "No, I have to check his room. Who knows what he's hidden!"

She stormed up the stairs.

"I'm going too," Denise said, following behind.

After a moment of silence, the rest of the family also headed upstairs.

At the doorway of the small bedroom, Allison stared at the furnishings inside, stunned. "Ronan… has been living in this room?"

It was smaller than the walk-in closet of her own bedroom.

The bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe all looked like discarded furniture used by the servants.

Even Dominic seemed taken aback. "Didn't we assign him a room?"

While rummaging through drawers, Bella replied, "Dad, that room has all of Thomas's things. How could we give it to him? And he barely comes home anyway."

Dominic's brows tightened. He spent so many nights at social dinners that he often went straight to his own room when returning home. He didn't even know Ronan lived here.

No wonder one of his daughters had suggested giving the servants extra fare to go home instead of staying overnight.

So that was why…

"Why didn't Ronan ever mention this?" Allison murmured.

It was clear now—ever since returning, he'd enjoyed nothing. This room was bare to the point of cruelty. Not a single decoration.

Meanwhile, Thomas's room held a computer, a piano, a mahogany table, a four-door wardrobe overflowing with branded clothes, and an entire wall of display boxes for shoes—each pair worth thousands onward.

For a moment, Allison felt dazed.

Living like this, with no allowance from the family… how had Ronan endured it?

"Look!" At that moment, Bella, who was standing in front of the wardrobe, pulled out a sapphire necklace.

Linda rushed over to take it. "This is the necklace I lost recently! Why is it here?!"

Bella said, "Mom, isn't this the one you searched everywhere for before the banquet? I told you, he's a thief. If we hadn't searched his room today, he would've snuck it out and sold it!"