Chapter 2 The Game Ends Here

"Natalie got Ewan a Maserati this year, right? What are you planning to give your boyfriend, Natalie? A miniature model car?"

"A model car costs money, too. Aren't you two supposed to be saving, Natalie? Why not give him this instead?" Ewan said. He pulled out a restaurant napkin, took out a pen, and doodled a car on it. "Just tell him you drew it yourself. It's the thought that counts. I'm sure he'll love it!"

So… Natalie hadn't given up studying abroad for me.

She simply hadn't wanted to go abroad in the first place.

All those years of her living in that shabby rental with me and enduring all those hardships? Well, that had only been a game to her.

She was just a spoiled little rich girl trying to experience life as a commoner.

And to top it all off, I had been nothing more than Ewan's substitute. Even the gifts I had treasured were nothing but embarrassingly cheap knockoffs of the gifts she gave him.

I couldn't stand hearing any more of this. So, I fled the restaurant in a panic, feeling waves of pain choking the breath out of me.

I handed in my resignation to the shift manager before dragging my numb body home one step at a time.

As I stood outside the cheap rental building, my eyes were hollow as they swept across rows of food trucks lined up the street. Then, I walked over to the burrito truck I often visited and ordered one.

"You're getting off work pretty early today," the owner greeted me. "The usual—no beans, no meat, extra of the free toppings, right?"

I shook my head. "No. I'll have the carnitas today. And I'll add…"

I'd once been so determined to save money that I couldn't even bring myself to spend two dollars on meat. Yet, all the money I'd worked so hard to save had been nothing more than pocket change for Natalie to blow on a whim.

So, what was the point of depriving myself anymore?

I might as well start taking better care of myself.

I added everything I'd always been too reluctant to order. I took bite after bite, but tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. I raised a hand to wipe them away, only to find that the tears wouldn't stop coming no matter how many times I brushed my palms across my face.

For the rich, my struggles had been nothing more than a game. For someone like me, who had spent his entire life struggling just to get by, these past few years had been pill after pill of bitterness.

'Natalie, I'm done being a pawn in your game.'

I pulled up my supervisor's WhatsApp and accepted the company's out-of-town assignment.

From now on, I would live only for myself.

My supervisor was delighted. "Sylvan, you've always been hardworking and responsible. I'm confident you'll be able to handle this assignment!"

I thanked him. Then, I opened my laptop and started going through the materials again.

I would do my best to live my own life. I wasn't a substitute or a toy. I was a human being.

…

It wasn't until 3 a.m. that Natalie finally pushed open the door and came home.

She had already changed out of the glamorous evening gown she'd been wearing earlier.

Now, she was wearing the cheap T-shirt I'd bought her, as though everything I'd seen earlier had been nothing more than an illusion.

She came over and began massaging my shoulders. "You're still working this late? You work so hard, babe. Look, I brought you a present. I drew this especially for you while I was working my part-time job.

"I'll buy you a luxury car once we make it big someday. Lots and lots of luxury cars. I'll even build you a huge garage to keep them all…"

She held out the doodle car Ewan had drawn and placed it in front of me.

The napkin was soft, but the ridiculous drawing on it looked almost laughable. That wasn't a future car. Instead, it was an empty check.

I casually tossed it aside.

Natalie didn't notice. She didn't give my reaction a second thought. Instead, she opened the large bag of groceries she'd bought and showed me what was inside.

"I got so lucky today. One of the discounted baked goods was your favorite cinnamon roll. I didn't even allow myself to eat it. I saved it especially for you."

As she spoke, she tore open the package herself and brought the cinnamon roll to my lips.

However, I instinctively leaned back in revulsion, avoiding her attempt to feed me.

I'd already heard enough to piece together the truth.

All those discounted products that were close to expiring weren't things she had happened to find by chance. She had specifically hired people to buy them.