Chapter 2

Amber violently shook off my hand as if she had touched something filthy. "I've already invested the money in Darwin's gym. If I were you, I'd just tell the hospital to stop resuscitation. That way you won't end up losing both your mother and the money."

It felt like a bolt of lightning struck me, leaving me completely numb and cold.

Standing next to her, Darwin crossed his arms and chimed in sarcastically, "Amber, don't be so heartless. I think we should give him a little cash to get him out of here before he ruins the vibe."

Amber's eyes lit up at once. She clearly found this idea much more entertaining.

She slowly drew a thick stack of new bills from her purse and fanned them out between her fingers. It was easily five thousand dollars.

"Want the cash? Sure. But I want to see a puppy wag its tail. Get down right now and wag your tail 100 times. Do that, and the money is yours."

I stared at her with bloodshot eyes.

But this was Mom's life support.

Numbly, I bent over, placed my hands on the floor, and began swaying side to side.

The surrounding guests erupted into deafening jeers and laughter.

Amber and Darwin held up their phones, recording me while shaking with laughter.

They immediately shared the video with a group of wealthy heirs, captioning it, "My dog is begging for scraps again."

Like a soulless puppet, I finally stopped after the 100th count.

Giggling, Amber casually tossed the stack of cash into the nearby swimming pool. "Go fetch. There's your tip."

Without a word, I turned and dove into the freezing pool.

The November water cut like ice.

I retrieved the soaked bills one by one, clutching them tightly in my fist, then dragged myself out of the pool and walked away.

Nobody tried to stop me.

After sorting out everything at the hospital, I stood before the bathroom mirror.

As I looked back at my reflection—hair drenched, clothes stained with dried red wine, and a handprint still fading on my cheek—I smiled. I looked pathetic.

Then I opened my laptop and logged in to the supplier backend management portal. "All partnerships are terminated effectively immediately."

…

The next morning, I returned home to pack Mom's belongings.

Instead, I walked in on Amber and Darwin tangled together naked on the rug by the window. It was a sickening sight.

My sudden entrance cut them short.

Devoid of any shame, Amber shrieked and grabbed a piece of clothing to shield herself. "Hector Malone! Don't you know how to knock? You scared the hell out of me!"

Darwin just lazily stood up, pulled on his pants, and flashed a content smirk. "Relax, Amber. We were just doing some morning partner yoga stretches."

I stared at their pathetic performance and let out a cold laugh.

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a stack of documents and slammed them onto the floor right in front of them.

On top were explicit photos of the two of them at various hotels and events.

Beneath that lay a divorce agreement.

The color instantly drained from Amber's face when she saw the photos.

But as she picked up the divorce papers and read the clauses demanding a split of the company assets, her arrogant demeanor quickly returned.

She scoffed and tossed the agreement back to the floor. "Hector, got some backbone now, do you? You want to split the assets? Do you not want money for your mom's treatment anymore?

"You're going to show up for next week's annual brand gala, or your mom's meds will be cut off!"

I looked at her coldly, as if watching a clown put on a cheap show. "I won't be there. Also, consider this your official notice. I've already registered a new company."