Chapter 3

I did not reply to Chloe’s text.

The pain in my right hand was worsening, and I gritted my teeth as I hailed a taxi to the nearest hospital. When I got into the taxi, I called my supervisor to take time off to go to the hospital, but he informed me, "You don't need to take any time off. In fact, you don't need to come back to work anymore."

I jerked upright and asked in disbelief, "Why?"

My supervisor sniggered. "Everyone at the office knows what happened to you at the gym, Carson. The company doesn't need an unethical employee who is a bad influence on those around him, which is why our top management has decided to let you go."

I was about to reply when he added backhandedly, "Besides, Miss Quinn's first love has returned. What makes you think you can continue working at a company the Quinns own?"

All I could do was grip my phone silently before replying uselessly, "Fine."

He was not wrong. Chloe was the one who set this job up for me. I was highly paid, and the office was close to my home. I even had three free meals a day at the company's cafeteria. I remember feeling grateful to have such an awesome job, but since Chloe was about to leave me, it was probably no longer appropriate to stay at this job.

My right hand was put in a cast at the hospital.

I felt broke when I saw that my account was left with only $80, so I walked home to save money on transport. I looked out for job posting advertisements along the way.

Being a deliveryman would mean I had to move heavy boxes, and I did not want to work at a construction site. After passing through two streets, I finally stopped when I saw a wanted advertisement outside a boxing gym.

[Wanted: Boxing coach. High pay.]

I glanced down at the cast on my right hand, hesitating for a long time before deciding to enter the gym. When the owner, who was named Owen Flinders, found out what I was doing there, he pointed at my cast and said incredulously, "How are you supposed to coach when your hand is broken?"

The moment he said those words, I flexed my biceps, revealing the muscles on my shoulder, arm, and chest.

The look on Owen's face changed. After that, I walked to the nearest sandbag and punched it with my left hand.

Bam!

It sounded like a muffled explosion as the sandbag swung out hard and hit the metal rack on the side. Owen's eyes widened in disbelief. "Dang, you do have something to show, young man!"

I replied humbly, "I’ve trained in boxing before."

Owen was interested in hiring me, but he was worried about my injury. "How about starting work after you're fully healed?"

I insisted, "I can start by working as a cleaner and an assistant coach. All I want is a job. Once my injury is fully healed, you can hire me officially as a boxing coach."

He agreed right away. It was a good deal for him to hire someone to work for cheap.

I exhaled after walking out of the boxing gym. Years ago, my father froze to death at the side of the road after getting drunk, leaving behind a huge debt for me to pay off. I was forced to stop schooling because of him.

During the day, I would work at restaurants, and during the night, I would get beaten in underground boxing tournaments. At the lowest point of my life, I let someone break two of my ribs for $800. That did not stop me from working in the kitchen the next day, moving boxes of vegetables around.

After that, I met Chloe, and my quality of life started to improve. Fortunately, I was not a greedy person and did not covet anything I did not deserve, which was why returning to my old way of life did not worry me much.

I fell asleep right away when I returned to my old rented apartment, and it was only the next day that I saw Chloe's missed calls. However, I did not have time to reply to her as I was running late.

I headed straight for the boxing gym.

Before I placed my phone in the locker, I had a little time to read my texts.

Chloe: [Pick up my calls, babe.]

Chloe: [Why aren't you picking up?]

Chloe: [Did someone say something to you?]

The last text was from 4 AM.

Chloe: [Wait for me to come back, Carson.]

Her texts made me want to reply, but Owen was hurrying me to start work. I had no choice but to put my phone away, intending to reply once I was done with work.

I worked particularly hard on my first day. I did not rest even for a second as I cleaned up the gym and cleared everything after the day's classes. Owen was very happy with me, and he gave me an offer letter right away.

"You're a hard worker, Carson. Once your hand has healed, I'll make you an official coach and give you a pay increment of $300."

My eyes lit up, and I worked even harder.

Everything was going smoothly until someone kicked the gym doors open that afternoon. I looked over and saw Walter enter grandly with his bodyguards in tow. The look in his eyes changed when he saw me with a broom, and he strode over to me and kicked the dustpan to the ground.

"I can't believe a big man like you is willing to humiliate yourself by working as a cleaner. Are you being pathetic on purpose to get Chloe mad at me?"

His words sounded absurd to me. "I don't think so. I was the one in charge of all the housework when I was living with Chloe, and she seemed very happy about it."