Chapter 3

After that day, I never went back to the York residence. I checked into a hotel and waited for Zachary's parents to return so we could dissolve the engagement.

But instead of them, a phone call came first.

"Yve, how could you throw away such a perfect chance? As soon as you and Zach get into bed together, you'll be my daughter-in-law for sure!" Zachary's mother, Josephine Brown, uttered in a sharp voice that screeched through the speaker and grated on my ears.

Having been reborn, I finally understood that their kindness toward me had never been genuine.

Every time I wanted to give up on Zachary, his parents would go on and on about the sweet memories we shared. They would retell, again and again, how he had risked his life to save me when I was once kidnapped.

And because of that rescue, our engagement had been set.

When the York family was on the brink of collapse, it was my family, the Lawson family, who stepped in and saved them from ruin.

But now, hearing Josephine say such ridiculous words, I only found it laughable.

My parents died in a car accident when I was 15. Zachary's parents then used their friendship with them as an excuse to invite me to live with them.

I had my own room in the York residence, and the dining table was always filled with the dishes I liked. Even my closet was mostly filled with clothes that Josephine had picked out for me.

In my previous life, I basked in that care, thinking Zachary's parents regarded me as one of their own.

But looking back now, I could only see how fake it all was. No decent family would ever send their daughter to another man's bed.

I cut her off and spoke my mind. "Mrs. York, I'm willing to step aside for Zachary and Tracy. When you and Mr. York return, let's discuss dissolving the engagement."

With that, I hung up and began contacting the company representatives.

Zachary's father, David York, had no talent in business. Every project he touched failed. All these years, it was only because of my family's support that the York family managed to stay afloat.

Now, it was time to put a stop to this one-way support.

That night, I got a call from one of Zachary's friends. I picked it up without thinking.

On the other end, Zachary's drunken voice slurred with arrogance, just as always.

"Yvonne, where the hell are you? I called you dozens of times, and you never once picked up. All this, over a tiny matter? I forgive you for drugging me, and Trace doesn't even hold it against you for pushing her. Now get over here to our spot, or I'm going to be drowned in drinks by these idiots!"

I couldn't understand why Zachary spoke as if everything were his due. He had clearly also been reborn, but it seemed as though he had forgotten all the wounds he had once carved into me.

After thinking it over, I found only one explanation—shameless and despicable people were truly invincible.

I didn't respond to him on the phone, simply hanging up and blocking the number.

Even so, news of him continued to reach me. Friends, not knowing we had broken apart, filled my inbox with complaints.

One of them told me Zachary and Tracy had rented out the entire amusement park for a date. He had spent 50 million dollars on fireworks by the river, lighting up the night for Tracy. They even stayed on a mountaintop until sunrise, sharing pictures on Instagram to parade their romance.

I stared in silence at the photos our friends sent me.

Could Zachary have forgotten that I had once done every one of those things in those photos with him? If he wanted to disgust me so much, how could he not feel the same?

I closed all the chat boxes without sending a single reply.

It didn't matter. In just a few days, he and I would be completely done with each other.