Chapter 1

“Wow, you’ve really gotten bold, haven’t you, Charlie? Who exactly are you trying to scare by canceling those tickets?

“I bought everything that you’re wearing. Even your clueless parents’ hospital bills are covered by me.

“Breaking up with me? Please. You don’t even have the right.”

Jack, the golden retriever in Nathaniel’s arms, seemed to sense the tension in the air and barked furiously at me.

“Charlie, don’t be rash. This is all my fault.”

Nathaniel hugged Jack and swayed slightly. His face turned pale instantly, looking as if he might faint at any moment.

“I have claustrophobia. If I’m alone in a room, I’ll have a panic attack. Rena was just looking out for me. If it bothers you that much, I’ll leave right now. I won’t get in your way.”

He then turned to walk out of the hotel unsteadily.

“Nat!”

Serena grabbed him and shot me a vicious glare. Then, she slapped me across the face.

“Look what you’ve done to him! If he has a panic attack because of you, I swear your whole family will pay!

“Now get over here and apologize to Nat. Then take your stuff and cram yourself into that tiny room with the dog.”

I held my cheek, pushed my tongue against the inside of my mouth, and tasted a faint trace of blood.

This was the third time she had hit me for Nathaniel’s sake.

The first time was when Nathaniel claimed I had stolen his design draft.

She slapped me across the face without any investigation.

The security footage later proved that he had misplaced it himself.

She simply told me that I should be the bigger person.

The second time was on Nathaniel’s birthday.

The cake I bought did not suit his taste, so he pretended to have an allergic reaction.

She splashed a glass of wine all over me in front of everyone and demanded that I get out.

This time, she made me share a room with a dog.

I looked at this woman who was about to become my wife.

That slap was the last straw. Whatever love I had left for her died right then.

“I’m not apologizing, and I’m not sleeping with a dog.”

I lowered my hand and looked at her calmly as I said, “Serena, this slap marks the complete end of our years together.

“You keep saying I live off your money. Fine. I’ll make a list and pay back every penny you ever spent on me.

“I’m calling off the wedding. We’re over.”

I turned around, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out.

I could hear her furious, desperate shouts behind me.

“Charlie, stop right there!

“If you walk out that door today, don’t you ever think about coming back to me ever again!

“You can also take off every single thing you’re wearing right now. I bought all of it!”

I stopped in my tracks.

In front of everyone in the lobby, I took off that jacket worth tens of thousands of dollars and hurled it onto the floor.

I walked straight into the Palmera heat with nothing but a thin shirt on my back without turning back.

I vaguely heard Nathaniel’s hypocritical pleas and Serena’s bitter curses behind me.

“Let him go! I’d love to see where he thinks he’s going with zero cash.

“I’ll give it three days at max. He’ll be crawling back on his knees, begging me to take him back.”

I found that amusing to hear.

She had probably forgotten who had worked day and night on proposals and pulled in investors to save the Saunders Group when it was on the verge of bankruptcy.

She truly believed that I was just some poor loser living off her money.