Chapter 3

I pointed at Jason’s suit. “The suit you are wearing costs $5,000. The shirt underneath was $1,200. The leather shoes on your feet were $3,000. Even your tie was more than $800.You have at least forty sets of similar outfits in your closet.”

At once, murmurs of calculation spread around the room. Some people even pulled out their phones and started using their calculators.

The conclusion came quickly. “Good heavens, just a few outfits add up to more than $400,000!”

Jason had not realized that he had been spending so heavily. His confidence faltered, and his parents were stunned as well.

After a long pause, Jason forced out a line. “Some of those were birthday gifts from you. You cannot seriously count those against me, can you? You were using my money to buy me gifts! I cannot believe you would think that way!”

I barked out an angry, sharp laugh. “When did I ever say I would count those against you?” I had been a fool and allowed myself to spend too much on him.

My gaze shifted to his wrist.

That watch — I had given it to him that year for his birthday. I had told him it only cost tens of thousands, but in truth, it was six figures.

Until that day, my relationship with Jason had been fine. He sometimes acted like a nobody who thought he had become somebody, flaunting himself and caring too much about appearances. However, he did not have major flaws and treated me decently.

When it came to food, clothing, housing, and travel, we were compatible. Our tastes matched. And unlike other men from rural families who were stingy, he was excessively generous.

What I had not expected was that his generosity came from the fact that I was safeguarding his salary. Spending it felt like dipping into an endless vault.

Once the flashy disguise was torn away, our four years together turned out to be unbearably hollow.

Just to protect his pride and his vanity, I had not even dared to tell him the truth about my real income and family background. He said his monthly salary was $20,000, so I claimed mine was $15,000.

In hindsight, it was utterly foolish of me.

Noticing my gaze, he quickly pulled down his sleeve to cover the watch. “That was also a birthday gift from you! You are not going to count that in too, are you?”

Disgust welled up inside me. “I know. I never intended to add everything in. I just want to ask you one last time. Do you still insist on continuing this calculation? Will you admit you never saved any money with me?”

Jason grew irritable. “Of course we’ll continue! Even if half of these outfits were paid with my own money, that is only a little over $200,000. These expenses were all necessary for work. If you claim there is nothing left, then where did it all go? I want to see what other big expenses you think you can name besides these!”

I said “Fine” three times in a row, then pulled out my phone and opened my accounting app. “Here are our household expenses. Rent is $5,000. Utilities, gas, tissues, and other household items cost $1,000 a month. During summers, electricity is much higher, so we need to add another $1,000 each month.

“Besides that, you do not cook, and I do not have time to cook either. For breakfast and lunch, we always eat outside or at our offices. Dinner is always takeout or dining out. That is at least $3,000 to $4,000 a month.

“And you don’t just go out for the occasional drink. You go out at least ten times a month. Each time, you would ask me for money. That adds up to $5,000 a month. Altogether, you alone spend about $10,000 every month.”

Jason ground his teeth audibly. “Fine, $10,000 a month. That amounts to $480,000 over four years. Add in $200,000 for my outfits, that is not even $700,000. But in four years, I gave you nearly $1,000,000! Where is the rest?”

Just then, Jason’s mother suddenly grew flustered. Her expression turned strange as she shoved Jason back into his chair. “Jason! Stop calculating!”