Chapter 2

I came back to my senses, and spoke.

"Looks like you were smiling just fine in those photos. Didn't seem like you were suffering at all. Besides, if we break up, you can just go ahead and marry Zion tomorrow."

Joanna's breath hitched. "You disappoint me! I thought that after using his parents as practice, I can go back and see your parents with you later. Now, it seems like it was all for nothing!"

In the past, I would've thought that I truly misunderstood her, but now? I knew she was doing nothing more than leading me on with false promises.

I was about to mock her when a thin jacket was placed onto my shoulders. I reflexively covered my phone speaker with my hand.

I had come out into the courtyard to avoid my parents from overhearing, and the temperature outside was quite low.

Worried, my mother asked, "Ethan, are you fighting with Joanna?"

Behind her, my father was sat at the dinner table, but he hadn't even taken one bite. Clearly, he was concerned about me too.

Something stung sharply in my chest.

Every year, I came home alone carrying bags of gifts. I told them Joanna was busy, that she had specifically picked out presents for them and asked them not to blame her.

This year, my parents had finally suggested coming into the city for the holiday so they could visit us.

The moment Joanna found out, she flew into a rage. She said my parents were trying to mooch off me now that I had become successful. Either they went back home, or we broke up.

I knew she came from a terrible family background and had long since cut ties with her relatives, so I never forced her.

Meanwhile, she treated my parents like bargaining chips. She relentlessly looked down on them when she had no use for them, but used them to string me on when she needed to.

Thinking of that, I looked down at the phone, only to see that she had already hung up.

To that, I only sent her a message.

[It's fine. My parents wouldn't want to meet a woman as rude as you, anyway.]

The very next moment, she blocked me.

Not paying it any mind, I smiled at my parents. "Just a little scuffle at the company."

At the dinner table, I prepared to transfer some money to my parents as a holiday gift.

Instead, a notification popped up, telling me that my balance was insufficient.

There was no way I didn't even have twenty thousand in my account, but I didn't let any of my surprise show in my expression.

The moment I returned to my room, I pulled up my bank records.

There was only three thousand dollars left in the account where my salary was deposited. Several massive transactions from the previous night stood out immediately.

One jewelry store purchase at fifty-two thousand.

Two transfers to private accounts, each thirty thousand.

Finally, one last transaction of fifty thousand, billed to a five-star hotel.

Even an idiot would have connected the dots. Zion’s holiday family dinner had been paid for using my card.

Blood rushed straight to my head, and I immediately called Joanna.

She deliberately left me hanging for a full minute before finally answering with a cold snort. "So? Do you know what you did wrong?"

"Why did you use my card?" I asked coldly.

Joanna choked.

Then, Zion's voice came from the other end of the call, clearly having witnessed the exchange.

"See, I told you he'd act out if you used his card! My god, I knew that the generous act he showed at the office was fake after all. It's completely normal for a boyfriend to spend money on his girlfriend. If I had a girlfriend like you who doesn't care about money or status, I would've handed over every cent I had without hiding anything!"

Hearing his words, Joanna seemingly found her footing in the argument.

"That's right! I've never spent your money in the seven years we've been together, so what's a little now? You're the vice-president of the company. Can't you bear to spend a little money for me?"

I clutched my phone so tightly and with so much force that my knuckles turned white.

I laughed.

"Oh, I can't?

"Doesn't it hurt your conscience to say that, Joanna? Have you forgotten the amount of money I've transferred you and the amount of gifts I've given you during every holiday, every anniversary?

"I could’ve used all that money to buy a house or a car, but instead I spent it trying to make you happy! Even my parents are still living out in the countryside!

"Now, you're saying that I'm stingy?"