Chapter 4

Austin’s phone rang on the table and broke the silence.

The word flashed across the screen: [Honey]

Austin seemed so accustomed to the call that he did not even glance at me before he tapped the speakerphone button.

The moment the call connected, Sophia’s syrupy voice filled the room.

“Honeyyy…” She drew out the last syllable in a singsong whine, sounding like a woman trying to coax her husband.

“I feel awful. My belly feels so heavy, and my whole body aches.”

Austin’s voice softened instantly. “Is the baby kicking you again?”

“Mmm…” Sophia murmured on the other end. “I’ll be home soon.”

“Come on, get over here and eat. I’ll feed you when we’re done.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there. Love you, honey.”

The call ended. Throughout the entire conversation, Austin made no effort to hide the tenderness and happiness written across his face.

My own phone vibrated in my pocket the very next second.

I pulled it out without changing my expression.

A text from Sophia glowed on the screen: [What’s going on with you this month? You’re still short by 20,000 dollars! If the money isn’t here by next week, the debt collectors will be showing up at my mom’s door! You’d better figure this out yourself!]

The same woman had spoken to two different men in two completely different ways, all within the span of a single minute.

To one, she acted like a loving, affectionate wife. To the other, she acted like a coldhearted debt collector.

As I stared at the message, written like a demand for overdue payment, whatever lingering attachment I still had to the past finally died.

I opened another chat.

It belonged to the head of a well-known law firm back home, someone I contacted well in advance.

My original plan had been to use my lottery winnings to hire his team to untangle Sophia’s family debts, then bring her home in grand fashion and give her the surprise of a lifetime.

Now, that plan needed a few adjustments.

My fingers flew across the screen as I typed a single message: [Change of plans. Within thirty minutes, I want a complete breakdown of all assets and financial transactions under Sophia Levine’s name, Austin Chase’s name, and the names of both his parents.]

The message was sent.

Beside me, Austin still wagged his head and dispensed unsolicited wisdom about life.

“Listen, every man needs a family. Look at my wife. She had such a hard time when she was on her own. Her deadbeat ex-husband was always giving her trouble. Ever since she got together with me, her life’s been so much better.”

He looked at me with the pitying eyes of a man who thought he had everything figured out.

I put my phone away and slowly raised my head. I met his gaze with absolute calm. There was not a trace of warmth left in my eyes.

There was nothing more to say to a pathetic clown who was about to watch his entire world come crashing down.

Soon enough, he would learn who the real deadbeat was and who would be the one hounding him for the rest of his life.

The restaurant’s glass sliding door suddenly shoved open with a loud rattle.

In the warm afternoon sunlight, a familiar figure stepped inside.

Sophia rested one hand on her heavily pregnant belly with a contented smile on her face. Her eyes swept across the restaurant as she searched for her beloved husband.

Her gaze met mine, and neither of us looked away.