Chapter 2

Evan's POV

The lights were dim in the private room, but the expressions on everyone's faces were impossible to miss.

I saw contempt, disdain, and disgust—but no guilt or whatsoever.

I stared at Kaia, the woman I'd loved for seven whole years. From 16 to 23 years old, she'd been such a huge part of my life.

"Evan, you're as fragile as glass," she'd once said. "I'm going to cherish you forever. If anyone ever crosses you, I'll teach them a lesson."

Yet now, she was the one who'd hurt me the most.

I didn't cry or throw a tantrum. Instead, I bent down and picked up the gift box from the floor.

Kaia seemed to think I was going to give it to her. A smug look crossed her face, as if she were certain I couldn't live without her.

"Evan, if you apologize to Seth now and admit you were wrong, we can put this whole thing behind us."

Kaia lifted her chin haughtily, while Isabelle chimed in from beside her, "Kaia's right, Evan. She still cares about you. Just apologize and stop being so difficult."

I couldn't believe my ears. I stared at the box in my hands and suddenly laughed.

"Kaia, was all the kindness you've shown me over the years a lie?"

"You're the one who's always making a fuss," Kaia replied coldly, avoiding my gaze. "No one can put up with you forever.

"I'm a woman, too. I need a partner who'll stand by my side, not some clingy lover who does nothing but cry for his girlfriend."

"Fine." I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "As you wish, Kaia."

I walked over to the trash can and, in front of everyone, tossed the expensive gift box inside without a second thought.

Kaia's face turned livid.

"Evan! Are you out of your mind?"

"Yeah. This is the last time I'm losing my mind over you."

I turned around, my gaze sweeping across the room as I took in the people who'd grown up alongside me—Isabelle, Anna, and the others.

"If you love being around Seth so much, then go ahead. Stay with him for the rest of your lives. I'm done with this."

With that, I turned and walked out.

Seth's voice rang out.

"What's the matter, Mr. Gardner?" he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Can't take it anymore? Looks like Ms. Olsen was right. You're far too spoiled."

Through the crack in the door, I could hear Kaia shouting.

"Let him go! Let's see how far he gets. He can't do anything without me. Just wait. By tomorrow, he'll come crawling back and begging me to take him back!"

…

The cold wind outside the club made my face sting.

I didn't call a driver. Instead, I walked alone through the deserted streets, the streetlights stretching my shadow into a long, lonely silhouette.

Memories of Isabelle, Anna, and the others' recent behavior came rushing back.

To curry favor with Seth, they'd withdrawn their investments from the art gallery I'd been running, dismissing it as nothing more than a child's project. Kaia had claimed she was busy, only for me to discover that she'd been accompanying Seth to meetings with potential business partners.

She'd even abandoned me on the highway just to answer a single call from him.

Realization finally dawned on me.

All that distance they'd been putting between us hadn't happened by chance. They'd been pulling away from me for a long time because they thought I'd become nothing more than a burden.

Before I knew it, I'd found my way to the riverbank.

I ran my fingers over the diamond engagement ring on my left hand, the one Kaia had given me when she'd proposed. The five-carat pink diamond was supposed to symbolize her one and only love.

Looking back now, the whole thing seemed like a cruel joke.

With a decisive flick of my wrist, the ring slipped through a gap in a storm drain cover and disappeared beneath the street.

…

By the time I returned to the Gardner estate, it was already late at night.

I went straight to Grandpa's study and announced my decision.

"Grandpa, I'll go to Nambara for the overseas development project. I'll also go through with the arranged marriage.

"But I have one condition. I'm leaving tomorrow morning, and no one is to know about it."

I wanted to sever every tie and leave nothing behind.

And with that, my story in Belford would come to an end.