Chapter 3

Ten years ago, I had nothing.

Back then, even filling my own stomach was a daily struggle.

Yet Megan—our university's campus beauty, pursued by countless rich trust-fund heirs—had chosen to be with me without hesitation.

When I tried to back away, she held me tightly and told me she believed I would achieve great things someday. She was willing to walk beside me from nothing all the way to the top.

I promised her that the day I finally succeeded, I would set off fireworks across the entire city for her from the rooftop of the most luxurious restaurant in Alyes City.

I would buy her the newest model of a luxury sports car.

But now that I had finally done it, the feeling was completely different from what I had imagined back then.

After calming her parents, Megan tugged lightly on my hand. "Honey, take us to watch the fireworks."

A weary smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Alright."

…

Standing on the rooftop, the dazzling nightscape of Alyes City stretched out beneath us.

Brilliant fireworks burst across the sky for a full thirty minutes.

As the finale faded, the name "Megan" lingered in the night sky, drawing crowds of people below to stop and stare.

While preparing this surprise, I had imagined countless times how she would react—so moved that tears streamed down her face.

We would kiss beneath the fireworks.

Megan would become the happiest woman in Alyes City.

But when I looked at her expressionless profile… the last shred of expectation in my heart quietly collapsed.

"Is it over? Then let's go home."

There wasn't the slightest ripple in Megan's eyes, as though she had merely completed a task.

My mother-in-law widened her eyes, glancing around in disbelief.

"What? Thousands of dollars just for a bunch of loud explosions? What a waste! With that kind of money, you could buy a house back in our hometown! And instead, you spend it on these flashy but useless things. How much suffering must our Megan endure being with you?"

My father-in-law hunched his shoulders, hands tucked into his sleeves, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Young people really don't understand the hardships of life. No regard for anyone else's feelings. All this for a moment of happiness and some so-called romance—polluting the air and adding extra trouble to the city's environmental work! Absolutely selfish!

"That's enough. Now that it's done, let's head back. This wind is cutting my face."

With a cold snort, he turned and started downstairs.

My mother-in-law hurried after him, muttering under her breath.

"If I'd known it would be this miserable, I wouldn't have come!"

Brandon asked a waiter for three cups of hot water and carried them over.

"Here, have some hot water to warm up. It's not much, but it'll help."

He flashed a pleasing, slightly shy smile.

My in-laws immediately stopped complaining and accepted the cups with approval.

"Ah, Brandon is so thoughtful and observant! When Megan's dad hurt his back not long ago, you ran back and forth taking care of him at the hospital like a real son."

My mother-in-law deliberately shot me a sideways glance and snorted.

"Not like a certain someone who didn't even bother to show their face!"

A glint flashed in Brandon's eyes, but he pretended to defend me.

"Please don't say that. Tyler was just too busy with work to come."

But instead of calming them, his words only fueled their anger.

My father-in-law's face flushed red as he shouted, "How busy can work possibly be? Acting like some big-shot president in front of me! If I dropped dead one day, would he still say he's too busy with work to come?!"

My mother-in-law chimed in indignantly.

"Exactly! Tyler, even though you don't have parents, you're almost thirty now. How can you still not understand basic manners?

"You married Megan, which makes you part of our family. When your father-in-law is hospitalized, no matter how busy you are, you should still be at the bedside showing filial respect. No excuse is acceptable!"

I wasn't stupid. I could hear the hidden meaning behind their words.