Chapter 4

I opened the closet. Inside hung several sets of matching pajamas, and below them were the plushies we'd won from the claw machines together.

As the fond memories of the past flashed in my mind, I let out a small sigh and sat down by the desk. My eyes fell on the loving photos of the two of us on the desk, as well as the journal beside them.

Back then, Vanessa and I had been completely in love. We both had bright hopes for marriage. She had excitedly used the journal to map out our future married life.

But now, years had gone by with the journal simply collecting dust on the desk. It was just like our relationship, which had been shrouded by years of neglect without me even noticing. There was no longer any reason to revisit it.

I was still lost in my reverie when Vanessa walked into the house with a limping Cameron.

Frowning, I got up.

Vanessa walked over, grabbed my hand, and said sweetly, "Cam hurt his ankle because of you. He can't move around easily. I'm not comfortable leaving him alone, so I brought him here to stay with us while he recovers. You'll just have to sleep on the couch for the next few days, okay?

"Oh, and babe, why don't you make Cam some nourishing food later? It'll help with his recovery."

Who did these two think I was? Some kind of saint?

"Not doing it," I flatly refused her.

Unexpectedly, Vanessa didn't argue with me. She simply sighed. "Then I'll do it."

As she put on the apron, she said ever so nonchalantly, "Shane, I know you feel indignant and upset, but I don't want to lose a talent like Cam. I'll make some of your favorite food, so let's just sit down and talk calmly later, okay?"

She took my silence as agreement and added pitifully, "I'm sorry about what I posted on Instagram. I only did it in the heat of the moment. I've deleted my posts, so you delete yours too, okay?

"I'll send someone else to Fennoria. You can just rest for a few days and come back to the company afterward. I promise I won't ask you to entertain any more clients for the company. All you have to do is give Cam some guidance."

I was wondering why Vanessa had suddenly changed her attitude and had even taken the initiative to cook. As it turned out, it was still for Cameron's sake.

I snorted right in front of her.

She used to say that cooking would make a woman age quicker and that I'd stop loving her if that happened. Throughout these years, I'd been the one cooking all of our meals.

Well, she certainly wasn't worried about how cooking was going to make her age quicker now.

The difference in the way a person acted when they loved another or not was so painfully obvious.

I had no interest in playing whatever twisted game they had going on here. Turning around, I went back to the room to pack my luggage and leave.

Inside the room, Cameron was holding a delicate ceramic urn, turning it over in his hands.

Seeing that, I said grimly, "Put it down."

The urn contained the ashes that belonged to Dolly, a kitten that Vanessa and I adopted together.

Seemingly knowing how important the urn was to me, Cameron smirked sinisterly.

"Sure," he said before deliberately loosening his grip.

The urn hit the floor with a loud crash and shattered into pieces, the ashes scattering everywhere.

Seeing Cameron lift his foot as if to step on ashes, I instinctively shoved him away. He fell and cried out in pain.

Vanessa came rushing over after hearing the commotion. When she found out I'd pushed Cameron just because of Dolly's ashes, she lost her temper and slapped me across the face.

"You attacked Cam over the ashes of a dead cat? That's too much of you!"

I rubbed my stinging cheek. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Camerona's gloating expression.

At the very next second, he said in a choked voice, "It slipped out of my hand by accident, Nessie. I had no idea it was so important to you guys."

Vanessa's heart ached for him. She quickly helped him back on his feet, comforting him gently, "Who says it's important? It's just trash. I've been meaning to throw it out for ages now. It's so creepy to have an urn of ashes in the house!"

She and I had met because of Dolly, which we adopted after we graduated from college.