Chapter 2

A hint of guilt seemed to flicker in Carly's eyes, but she quickly hid it. "How so, honey? Everyone knows you're the only one I love. He's just a schoolmate I'm close to. I feel sorry for him and just want to help. Don't overthink it, love."

I stood up without even glancing at her. "He's your friend, not mine. I'm not obliged to help you deal with their family affairs."

Carly frowned. "Jason, aren't you usually the kindest, most sensible person in the room? When did you become so unempathetic?

"Your family is wealthy, your parents are alive, and you've a steady income.

"But Aaron lost his mom at a young age and ended up with a dad like this. You're so out of touch with reality!"

Having said that, she dug out her ATM card and headed straight for Aaron's place without saying another word to me.

I didn't comprehend how Carly could say something so shameless to emotionally blackmail me like this. It was as if I were somehow responsible for Aaron's suffering.

I quickly packed my things and sent Carly a text that read, "Let's break up."

I then blocked and deleted her number for good.

This time around, I wondered how long she could hold out without my support.

After all, Carly's business was at a critical juncture right now.

In my past life, I'd gone home, begging my parents to help Carly out. I'd even drunk myself silly at business events to secure projects and ended up with stomach ulcers after.

I did everything for her. But what about her?

Did she ever truly love me?

Every night we spent being intimate, was she thinking about me or her deceased schoolmate?

Presently, I returned home with my luggage in tow. My parents visibly froze when they saw me.

My dad, Werner Reed, snapped, "If you're here for her sake, don't bother. She's a constant source of irritation for your mom and me.

Seeing my middle-aged parents, who were still healthy, I teared up immediately.

I wondered how hopeless they'd felt when they saw my corpse after Carly killed me in my previous life.

At that thought, I wept uncontrollably at the doorway.

My mom, Lara Roswell, nudged my dad and frowned. "It's all your fault. Why do you have to be so harsh? Can't you see he's bawling his eyes out?"

I held my mother and cried my heart out. Regret, resentment, and everything else broke loose as soon as she reached for me.

"Alright, calm down now," Mom murmured. "Jason, what's going on? Did Carly pick on you?"

I nodded. "I-I broke up with her. I don't love her anymore. I want to come home."

My parents looked like they'd finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, which struck me as a little amusing.

As if fearing I'd change my mind, Dad asked, "Is it an irreconcilable breakup?"

I wiped away my tears and smiled before nodding. I then recounted the entire story.

Mom and Dad looked absolutely furious. "I told you that Carly wasn't a good match for you! If she were truly capable, then would she need you to risk your life networking for her? You've stopped coming home for her sake, and now she has the nerve to turn on you?"

When I heard this, I felt a twinge of guilt as I glanced at my parents.

What on earth possessed me in my past life to abandon my own parents for a woman like Carly?

"It's alright. All is well now that you've come home to us," murmured Mom, patting my back to console me like she used to when I was younger.

Since a lot had happened in one day, and I was worn out, I soon fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up at noon the next day. When I checked my messages, I saw 20 missed calls from an unknown number—likely Carly's—and a social media update from Aaron.

In the uploaded photo, he sat in the passenger seat with Carly holding his hand. The caption read, "No matter what happens, you'll always be by my side."

Even though I was mentally prepared, seeing it with my own eyes still made my heart clench.

I'd been with Carly for six years. She seemed to love me so much that everyone joked about never believing in love again if we did not marry.

But feelings could change, couldn't they?