Chapter 2

I could not accept it.

"Why are you here?"

I was dozing off when I heard some noise at the door.

When I walked out, I found my parents had returned. However, Kayla was still standing at the door when I opened it, her face as pale as death. "Mom, listen to me. I really love Nate..."

Before she could finish, my mother interrupted her. "You love Nate? If you love him, would you abandon him on the wedding day to see another man? If you love him, would you leave him there to be humiliated by others?"

Kayla opened her mouth to speak, but eventually said nothing and only looked at me in desperation.

"Nate, can't you give me another chance for our five-year relationship?" Kayla's eyes were red as she pleaded.

"You remember our five-year relationship? We were together for five years, but you never definitively picked between Andrew and me."

Kayla blinked, feeling a bit guilty. "I... He... He's ill."

I had heard this sentence countless times before, but now I could not help wanting to laugh when I heard it again.

My father pulled my mother in and patted my shoulder. "Come in and talk. Don't disturb others' rest at this late hour."

I shook my head. "There's nothing to say. Just settle our accounts, and we can transfer the money directly."

After saying that, I closed the door and cut off Kayla's explanation outside.

My mother looked at me, hesitant to speak, but my father eventually said, "Now that things are clear, we need to move on."

I nodded in agreement.

Kayla's text messages kept coming in, begging for my forgiveness.

She and Andrew were high school classmates. Her family was not well-off, but she was very ambitious. Every time she talked about her parents' oppression and control, I pitied her. Her parents had controlled everything about her since she was little, from her studies and friendships to her food, clothing, and daily necessities. Thus, I always tolerated her, trying my best to make her feel warm and free, after we got together.

Looking back now, I was trapping myself.

Kayla always felt that if she showed weakness and revealed her wounds to me like before, I would forgive her. She was too familiar with playing the emotional card.

Kayla's parents also called me, first scolding Andrew and then praising me.

I just smiled and told them to get a quotation for the house renovation as soon as possible. Otherwise, I would have to find someone to do it myself.

Even if I were a complete fool, I would not keep making the same mistake with the same person.

However, I found the house already occupied when I led people to get it appraised.

An unfamiliar couple looked at me in confusion. "We've already bought this house."

I thought I had gone to the wrong place, so I looked again to confirm I was in the right place.

"You bought it? From whom?"

"Ms. Kayla Rowan."

...

I asked Kayla for a meeting, but she arrived late. Judging from her guilty expression, she probably already knew why I asked her to meet.

"You sold the house?" I asked her bluntly.

She nodded. "Yeah."

I paid for the house, but her name was also added to the deed. I also wanted to decorate our home the way she wanted, so I gave her the money for the renovations. I had lost count of how much money she asked me for over the years.

"Fine, pay me the money for the renovations."

Kayla lowered her head, muttering, "I don't have any... any money to pay you. Can... Can I pay you back later?"

I frowned. "You sold the house, and you still don't have any money?"

Kayla gulped, glanced at me cautiously, and replied, "I gave... I gave the money to Andrew for his surgery."