Chapter 2

The old injury in my leg flared with searing pain, and I shoved Mr. Norton away.

He fell to the floor and immediately started cursing from where he sat.

Annoyed, I called Cynthia straight away.

She picked up quickly, but her tone was sharp with impatience. "Gerard, I'm very busy right now. The company just landed a major project. Didn't you say you were going to check on the tuxedo yourself? Why are you calling me then?"

"Cynthia, get your ass down to the boutique now! How dare some pretty boy you're keeping lay a hand on my suit?"

Cynthia paused briefly, but she didn't seem concerned. Instead, she said dismissively, "What are you talking about? Who's been feeding you nonsense again?

"I know you're upset that I didn't go with you to try on the tuxedo, but this isn't the time to be difficult. I'm busy. I have to go."

With those final words, she really hung up on me.

I clenched my fists tightly.

Fine. Since Cynthia brushed me off like this, there was no way I was ever going to wear the dirty tuxedo.

However, she owed me an explanation.

Struggling to my feet, I felt a pang of regret. After all, Mom had put so much heart into the tuxedo.

However, now that the tuxedo had been tainted, I couldn't possibly keep it.

The tuxedo lay on the floor. I stepped forward and randomly grabbed a corner of it. Then, with one sharp pull, I tore it clean in two.

When he saw what happened, Mr. Norton's eyes immediately turned red as he lunged at me.

"My tuxedo! You lowlife! I'll kill you! Do you even know who my wife is? She's the CEO of Norton Group! I'm calling the police!"

I just smiled coldly and dialed 911 first.

Since the tuxedo was worth a million dollars, this counted as a serious crime. Thus, the police arrived swiftly.

It was only then that I learned that the young man's last name wasn't Norton at all, but Hasting. His real name was Theodore Hasting, a financially struggling college student whose education was funded by the Norton family.

After graduation, he had remained by Cynthia's side as her personal assistant.

Though the nature of their relationship was an open secret, with my imminent return, Cynthia had publicly introduced Theodore as her adopted younger brother. That was why he was often addressed as "Mr. Norton" in social settings.

Theodore angrily appealed to the officers. "Officer, a month ago, my fiancee told me she ordered a custom wedding tuxedo for me at this boutique and asked me to come for a fitting.

"That's why I'm here. This tuxedo has been tailored to my measurements over the past month, and she even paid the deposit already. Now this jerk has ruined it. You'd better make sure he doesn't get away with this."

The supervisor quickly stepped forward to confirm this with the police.

"That's right. This gentleman is Ms. Norton's boyfriend. She often brings him to our store. This tuxedo has been adjusted to Mr. Norton's measurements for quite some time.

"Who would have expected such a mix-up today? The store has nothing to do with the damage to the tuxedo. It was all this man's doing."

The supervisor pointed at me, and the police then approached me.

"Sir, you claim this tuxedo belongs to you. Do you have any proof?"

"Of course, I do. This boutique is the personal brand store of a world-leading designer, who personally tailored my tuxedo. To prevent counterfeiting, there's a chip sewn inside the garment.

"A simple scan will reveal the owner's identity, and this wristband I'm wearing is precisely the device designed to scan that chip."