Chapter 3

Imogen was the woman everyone admired. She was beautiful, but what truly set her apart was her extraordinary talent for business.

As soon as she came of age, she began taking over her parents' business. By the time I was still in college, she was already the CEO of a listed company.

Our relationship began with a cliché.

At the time, Callum had gone abroad to study while Imogen stayed behind to manage the family business. They missed their chance to be together, and Imogen spent the entire night drinking alone at a bar.

Later that night, she was walking home alone when a group of thugs started harassing her.

I stepped in to protect her and ended up with three broken ribs.

After that, we naturally became a couple. This year marked our seventh year together.

Imogen was fiercely career-driven and rarely talked much. For years, I'd done everything I could to make her happy, constantly bending over backward for her and swallowing my pride.

I'd always thought she was like an iceberg that could never be melted.

Then Callum came back from studying abroad. Only then did I realize that she was perfectly capable of thawing—just not for me.

Callum could put his arm around her waist and take her to any event, openly flirting with her and acting affectionate in front of everyone. A single phone call from him was enough to have her get out of bed and fly across the country to be by his side.

Once, I secretly followed her because I wanted to take her hand and attend an event with her. Yet, she slapped me in front of everyone.

"Jonas, when are you finally going to grow up?"

I was humiliated beyond words, and after that, I never attended another event with her.

To everyone around us, Imogen and Callum looked more like a real couple. I was nothing more than an outsider with the title of her boyfriend.

At one point, I even wondered if she'd only let me become her boyfriend because I happened to save her at the right time, filling the void left by Callum while he was overseas.

I no longer knew what any of the years I'd spent with her had been for.

Was it her money I wanted?

When I saved Imogen, I never asked her for anything in return. She'd offered to buy me a house and a car so I could experience the lifestyle of the wealthy, but I'd refused every time.

Every penny I'd spent during our relationship had been earned through my own work.

"Immy, I can't see!" Callum cried, pretending to panic as he grabbed the hem of Imogen's dress.

Concern immediately filled Imogen's face.

"Jonas, you've gone too far," she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "Look at you. Who are you trying to fool with this act? If you don't apologize to Callum, don't ever expect me to forgive you."

"Apologize to him?" I echoed, incredulous.

The fact that I hadn't beaten him to death was already proof of how much restraint I had left.

How many times had Imogen forced me to apologize because of Callum? In the past, I'd been willing to swallow my pride for her. But now, I'd already made up my mind to leave.

"Jonas, I'm only going to say this once more," Imogen warned, giving me one last ultimatum. "Apologize to Callum right now."

"Then let me make myself clear too," I shot back. "Unless he's dead, I'm never apologizing to him."

"You refuse to apologize, huh? Then you'll pay for it twice over," Callum snarled, his face twisting with anger.

The two bodyguards behind Imogen stepped forward and pinned me down. She didn't stop them and instead watched with a sneer.

"Apologize, and I'll tell them to let you go."

My eyes were bloodshot as I lifted my chin and glowered at them. "If you don't beat me to death today, you're no better than a son of a bitch."

My words sent Callum spiraling into a fit of rage. He swung his fist straight into my eye.

"That's all you've got?" I taunted. "I don't feel a thing at all."

That only made him hit harder. One punch followed another, then kicks rained down on me.

It hurt. My face was already battered and bleeding, and drops of blood fell onto the floor.

Before long, Callum finally stopped. He was drenched in sweat, his hands and feet trembling and numb. He couldn't keep going for much longer.

I forced a smile, looking at him with a mocking expression.

"You're that weak? Has Imogen ever told you you're not up to the job?"