Chapter 3

Madison moved quickly. By the very next day, news of our broken engagement had already shot to the top of the trending searches.

Photos of the two of us were plastered across the headlines, while the comments section filled with speculation about me.

[So this is the heir of the Simpson family that made its fortune through tech? The two families seemed pretty well matched, so why'd they suddenly call off the engagement?]

[You must not know this, but Miss Clarke has a first love she can't forget. Obviously, her true love came back.]

[Does anyone else think it's because the Simpson family's eldest son is disabled?]

Very few people knew that I was mute. All these years, my parents had never allowed me to attend gatherings within our social circle.

But the situation had grown too explosive this time. It didn't take long for netizens to piece things together from scattered clues.

In an instant, I became the target of everyone's contempt.

[He never accomplished much to begin with. The only thing he had going for him was that he looked decent. Who knew he was actually mute?]

[There's no way a family like the Clarkes would really marry their daughter to a mute.]

Mute.

Mute...

Silently scrolling through the comments, I felt coldness spread through my body all over again.

Finally unable to bear it anymore, I pulled out my suitcase.

"Mr. Simpson, what are you doing?"

I didn't have many belongings, so packing was quick.

Since Madison had already decided to cancel the engagement, there was obviously no way I could continue staying at the Clarke residence.

But as for returning to the Simpson family... I didn't even need to think about what kind of treatment awaited me there.

An hour later, I dragged my suitcase into a narrow alleyway. This was the one property that belonged solely to me.

My phone lit up several times. When I unlocked it, I realized the message was from AutumnWind.

She had removed me from her blacklist.

Then she sent me an address.

[Let's meet.]

Why would AutumnWind suddenly contact me?

Madison had already made herself perfectly clear. She believed she had found her real LeoWinter and was convinced I was only scheming. So why reach out to me at a time like this?

And yet, that single message still gave me hope.

I replied.

[Address.]

The other side quickly sent over a location. It wasn't far from where I was.

Whether it was suspicion or a test, a small flicker of anticipation still rose inside me.

When I arrived, I gently pushed open the private room door.

"So you actually came?"

It was the rising internet celebrity I had investigated the night before—Bruce Kingston.

But the message had clearly come from AutumnWind.

Why was he here instead? What did he want from me?

A sense of unease instantly crept over me, and I turned to leave.

But he grabbed my wrist before I could take a step.

"You're leaving right after getting here? Didn't you message me yesterday saying you were the real LeoWinter? Where's your proof?"

I couldn't speak, nor did I want to use sign language in front of him.

As if deliberately provoking me, he widened his eyes exaggeratedly.

"What, you look down on me? I'm talking to you. Why aren't you answering? Oh right, I almost forgot—you're mute. You can't talk."

He let out a mocking laugh.

"But I really did invite you here today because there's something I wanted your help with. Yesterday, AutumnWind gave me a charm as a gift. She said it was to thank me, but I don't actually know what it means, so I thought I'd ask you."

I pulled out my phone and typed coldly: [Aren't you afraid she'll find out you're impersonating me?]

"I actually wish she would find out." He smirked. "But did you forget? Back when you played games with her, you used voice chat.

"She told me that herself. So tell me... do you really think she'd believe a mute person like you?"

I froze in place.

That was right. I really had spoken to her before.