Chapter 4

"I'm freezing the supplementary card on my account and revoking your access to the manor! Without me supporting you, you'd be worse off than a dog here!" Vanessa roared at me.

Vanessa did not look at me again as she picked Harry up, who was still groaning. She then shouted at the stunned onlookers.

"What are you waiting for? Call an ambulance! …No, take him to the hospital in my car! Hurry!"

The entire group all rushed out.

I stood there alone, rubbing my bruised shoulder where Vanessa had slammed into me.

I shook my head and let out a bitter laugh.

Behold and witness, Joey Lane. Behold what five years of your life and all that reckless devotion had bought you.

…Fine.

There really was nothing left to miss now.

Vanessa had always been someone who followed through on her threats. I did not want to go back to pack anymore. Since she had said she supported me, it would only disgust me to bring back anything I bought with her money.

Fortunately, I had brought all my personal documents to Immigration Services. That was enough.

And so, I hailed a cab and went straight to the airport.

-

Vanessa knew Harry was probably faking his injury. Even so, she could not resist testing me.

Just like those friends of hers had said, she had supported me for five years and given me a comfortable life. She seemed to think I owed her complete obedience. She thought she could even make me ignore her cheating with a few comforting words.

After all, she had supported me.

Vanessa pressed her lips together, then froze my card and revoked my access to the manor. She then sent me an angry message.

[Have you learned your lesson? Come to the hospital and apologize to Harry! Then I might just forgive you for this.]

Vanessa had forgotten I had family, a job, and friends back in Kentra. I had never asked her to support me. I had simply given up everything and crossed an entire stretch of ocean because I loved her.

I almost laughed when I read her message. I glanced at it, swiped it away, and did not even bother to reply.

Three hours had passed.

Night fell. Still no reply.

Something was wrong.

Without a permanent residence, I had no bank account of my own or money set aside. Robberies were common in Westland, so to be safe, I rarely carried more than a hundred dollars in cash. I could not even afford a decent hotel room.

Vanessa thought that however angry I was with her, I would not put my safety at risk. She gave it a thought, and could not stop herself from sending another message after five hours had passed.

[I've unfrozen the card and restored your access to the manor. Come home for now. Don't wander around outside. It isn't safe. We can talk when you get here.]

I still did not reply.

Another hour had passed, and Vanessa grew restless. She started checking the bank app, but there were no charges on my supplementary card. She checked the camera outside the manor, but I had not been home since that afternoon.

A man alone on the streets late at night with no car and nowhere to stay... That would put me at serious risk.

Vanessa's heart skipped a beat as the horror set in. She stood up and paced, typing and deleting one message after another.

Finally, she sent one more.

[Stop making a fuss. Come home.]

I did not reply. I was already at the boarding gate and was having my boarding pass checked.

I read her message, blocked her, and deleted her contact. Then I turned off my phone and boarded without looking back.

The plane was cruising on the runway. I watched the place where I had spent five years shrink away until it disappeared. I did not cry or wish I could stay. I only felt relief.

Vanessa Gomez…

Wherever life took us, let us never need to see each other again.

Back at the hospital, Vanessa was getting anxious as I had never replied to any of her text messages.

Just as she was about to put aside her pride and call me, a close friend from back from Kentra, Nicole Wellington, called her first.

"Hey, Vanessa! I just landed! I wanted to surprise you, so I didn't ask you to pick me up. Didn't you say you and Joey would show me around when I got here?

"But I think I saw Joey at the airport just now. He was boarding a direct flight back to Kentra. Is he heading back home?"