Chapter 2

The notification chime for the signed electronic contract pinged just as I arrived back at the Lockwood family's penthouse, where Sean and I lived.

The elevator doors slid open.

I walked up to the front door and pressed my finger to the scanner, but the security door let out a piercing alarm.

[Access Denied.]

I froze for a moment, then punched in the backup passcode.

[Passcode Incorrect.]

Just then, the door was pulled open from the inside.

Celine stood there wearing an apron, a glass of juice in her hand, looking as relaxed and comfortable as if she were the Donna of the house.

"Oh, Chloe, you're back?"

"Sorry about that. The family's security team came by earlier and upgraded the penthouse's defense system."

"Sean said I'm prone to low blood sugar, so to make it easier for me to drop by and see Leo anytime, he linked the biometric lock to my fingerprint."

Leo was sitting on the rug, playing with his toys.

Seeing me walk in, he immediately ran over, hugged Celine's leg, and looked at me warily:

"Mommy, Aunt Celine played with me for a long time today. Don't yell and fight with her, you'll scare her!"

The child I nearly died giving birth to was looking at me like I was the enemy.

I walked into the living room.

The classical oil paintings I had spent two whole years sourcing from Europe had all been taken down, replaced by modern art that Celine liked.

My personal art studio was now cluttered with Celine's yoga balls, and there was even a wooden plaque taped to the door: [Celine's Corner].

Sean walked out of his study, holding a cup of coffee.

Seeing me pause at the studio door, he took a sip and explained with a perfectly natural tone:

"You're back? Celine's been feeling unsafe at her own place lately and needed somewhere to rest."

"You spend most of your time taking care of Leo anyway, so this room was just sitting empty. I made the call to let her use it for a couple of months."

My fists clenched. I stared at him in sheer disbelief:

"This is my studio. I paid for forty percent of this penthouse."

"Sean, you changed the locks and threw my things out without even asking me?"

Sean's brow knotted. He slammed his coffee cup down on the table.

He strode over and gripped my shoulders tightly.

"Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum in front of the kid."

"Forty percent? I'm the one paying the mortgage and the security fees for this place."

"Besides, if Celine hadn't saved you and Leo, would she have been left with psychological trauma?"

"She's just borrowing a room, and you're going to hold that against her?"

Right on cue, Celine's eyes grew red. She untied her apron, looking pitiful.

"It's all my fault."

"Sean, I should just move out."

"I don't want to ruin your relationship because of me. I just love Leo too much..."

Sean grabbed Celine's arm, stopping her from leaving.

"Sit down."

Then, Sean pulled a black card—a symbol of the highest authority within the family—from his suit pocket and tossed it onto the table in front of me.

"The pin is your birthday."

"Go buy whatever clothes you like, or take your mother on vacation."

"Chloe, I have plenty of money. I can give you whatever you want. Stop acting like such a bitter housewife."

"Tonight, Celine and I are taking Leo to a family dinner. Get some rest on your own, and don't cause any more trouble for me, alright?"

Looking at the black card on the table, I couldn't help but remember five years ago.

When Sean and I first got together, he was endlessly tender to me and took great care of my mother.

He once told me, with profound affection, that he didn't want me to love him for his money or his status as a Don—he just wanted me to love him.

That was until my mother fell gravely ill and desperately needed exorbitant surgery fees. I had nowhere else to turn, so I borrowed money from him.

From then on, his attitude shifted.

He started dropping passive-aggressive remarks, doubting my motives.

To prove I wasn't with him for his wealth, I worked myself to the bone to earn money. When he took over the syndicate and ran into a cash flow crisis, I even handed over my entire life savings.

I just wanted to show him I wasn't that kind of woman.

But now, everything I did felt utterly pointless.

He would always believe that as long as he paid enough, my dignity was his and Celine's to trample on.

Leo excitedly grabbed Celine's hand:

"Yay! Aunt Celine's taking me for ice cream!"

Father and son flanked Celine as they walked out the door.

I was left entirely alone in the massive penthouse.

I stared at that black card, then swept it straight into the trash can.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed a moving company:

"Send a truck to Central Park Avenue within two hours."

"Box up all the artwork, books, and personal documents under my name, and ship them to Boston."

I wouldn't leave a single thing of mine behind, not even a scrap of paper.