Chapter 2

"Well, say something. You were so smug over the phone earlier."

Noticing my silence, Zachary's grip on my wrist tightened further. I gasped in pain, which caused his brows to twitch.

"Hey… isn't that Zachary Lake? The guy from TV?"

"It really looks like him. Wait, is that woman with him Shannon Morrison, that shameless one?"

The commotion drew the attention of the surrounding crowd, and they soon spotted and recognized Zachary. In my panic, I let down my hair to cover my face and struggled to pull free from his grasp.

However, that only seemed to enrage him further.

In the struggle, my bag slipped from my shoulder, crashing to the floor. My stack of medical records spilled out from within.

He bent down, picked up a piece of paper, and scanned the page. Then, his lips curled into a cold, bitter smile.

"Renal failure?" he sneered. "Shannon, do you have no shame? You left me back then because of my illness, and now you're faking one to get me back?"

I bit down hard on my lip. The sting grounded me as I silently prayed for this cruel scene to be over.

"It's fine," I told myself in my head. "You chose this path, didn't you? Just hold on a little longer. Just a little more."

I repeated those words in my head like a chant, bracing myself, only for him to drag me straight into the center of the waiting room.

He yanked my hair back, exposing my face for those in the room to take pictures or videos as they pleased. A sharp pain split across my lips, and the taste of blood filled my mouth.

Still, I held back the tears stinging my eyes. I wouldn't give them that. At the very least, I wanted to keep the last shred of my dignity.

"Zachary? What are you doing?"

A woman stepped into the center of the chaos. I looked up and instantly recognized her: Mildred Jameson, Zachary's current rumored girlfriend and rising star in the entertainment industry.

She was smart—one glance around, and she seemed to understand what was going on.

"You said you were coming with me to the doctor. What? So, you disappeared for a little drama of your own?"

"Ms. Jameson, that's Shannon Morrison—the one who tried to seduce your boyfriend for money!"

The crowd cackled with delight. Mockery filled the air, sharp and ugly. Somewhere in the crowd, someone lobbed an empty soda can that smacked against the side of my head.

The shock hit me like a slap. Even my breathing became uneven.

Zachary stood close, close enough for me to see the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. Maybe he finally noticed how unwell I looked.

"You…"

Pain surged within me again, blacking out the edges of my vision. I waved him off, signaling him to leave me alone.

"Zachary, perhaps you should take her to the hospital. Kidney disease isn't exactly easy to fake. It's unlikely that she's acting."

"Oh, she knows exactly how painful this disease is," Zachary replied.

Just like that, with a few well-placed words, Mildred wiped away what little sympathy he might have had. Zachary scoffed and pulled out a check, thrusting it into her hand like it was done out of spite.

"Millie, your stomach's been acting up, right? Here's 200 thousand for you to get some supplements."

Then, he turned to me and flung a hospital bill right into my face.

"See this, Shannon? The money you dreamed of—I can throw it around like nothing now. Do you regret leaving me over it?"

I dug my nails into my palm, forcing myself upright. The sharp bite of pain was the only thing keeping my rational side in check.

"Mr. Lake, you sure are wealthy. Would you mind lending me some money?"

"Unbelievable."

He stared at me, lips twitching in irritation. When I refused to beg, refused to crumble, he turned away with a sneer and walked off with Mildred.

I watched them go, their backs receding into the crowd. I let out a bitter smile. Then, steadying myself against the wall, I stood up.

In the wake of whispers and accusations, I walked away alone, heading in the opposite direction.