Chapter 2

Yet Claire was willing to give Justin a wristwatch worth thirty million, while refusing to give me even thirty dollars for a taxi.

Because of that, I missed my mother's last moments and would carry that regret for the rest of my life.

I clenched my fists, forcing down the bitterness in my chest.

"I don't need your charity. All I want is for you and Justin to get out of my house."

Claire stared at me in disbelief, her face twisting with anger.

"What did you say? You dare tell me to get out? All this over thirty dollars?

"I knew it—I was right about you. You're nothing but a gold-digger! The moment you realized you couldn't squeeze money out of me, your attitude changed. Is money all you see?"

Justin shot me a mocking glance and spoke up at just the right moment.

"Simon, how can you treat Clairebear like this? She's the young lady of the Musk family, lowering herself to be with someone like you. You should be grateful and think twice about making her angry. Don't you just want money? Fine. I'll give it to you."

With that, he casually took out a bank card and tossed it in front of me.

The instant I saw the number on the card, my whole body began to tremble.

That card… had once been mine.

I had given it to Claire. Every year, I deposited a fixed sum of one hundred thousand into it—it was supposed to be the money for our wedding.

We had agreed that when the balance reached one million, we would get married.

But now, this card—once filled with all my hopes and dreams—was in another man's hands.

Worse still, he was returning it to me as if tossing scraps to a beggar.

At last, I could no longer hold back my tears.

Justin looked at me, his eyes full of ridicule.

"Clairebear, looks like your boyfriend really is desperate for money. It's just a card, and he's already this emotional."

Claire's expression darkened. Clearly, she no longer remembered what that card meant to me.

"Stop talking. Just thinking about how I spent so many years with someone as money-grubbing as him makes me want to throw up."

Justin smiled in satisfaction, then continued, "Clairebear, since Simon made you so angry, shouldn't you teach him a lesson? Isn't money what he cares about most? Ask him to transfer this apartment to you. When he earns enough to buy it back, you can return it to him."

This apartment was bought for me by my mother after I graduated from college, using the savings she had scraped together over half her life.

It was my only shelter—and the only thing she had left me.

Yet, Claire hesitated for no more than a second before agreeing to Justin's proposal.

"Simon, Justin is right. A person as greedy as you deserves to be punished with the thing you care about most. Write a transfer agreement right now and sign this apartment over to me. Otherwise, don't even think about me forgiving you."

Looking at her as if this were only natural, my heart twisted in pain.

"Claire, we've been together for so many years. What have I ever done to deserve this? Why must you treat me this way?"

Perhaps my voice sounded too desperate, because for a brief moment, Claire seemed at a loss.

She was about to say something when Justin cut in with a cold laugh.

"Simon, I didn't expect you to be so good at playing the victim. You look honest enough, but when it matters, you resort to cheap tricks. Clairebear isn't stupid. Do you really think putting on a little show will make her soften her heart?"

Provoked by Justin's words, Claire's face gradually turned cold.

"Simon, are these material things really that important to you?

"I'll give you one last chance. Transfer the apartment to me, and I'll believe your feelings are genuine. Otherwise, it only proves you're full of schemes and that you've been with me all along for ulterior motives."

Listening to the threat hidden in her words, I felt nothing but disappointment and a bitter sense of irony.

She and Justin played their parts in perfect harmony, completely indifferent to how I felt.