Chapter 2

And I looked exactly like him.

An idea struck me, and I stopped struggling.

Being away from home had been boring enough. Now that some entertainment had practically fallen into my lap, why not have a little fun?

So I went along with it and let them take me back to the Sterling family home.

Victoria noticed that I was distracted, and the anger on her face deepened.

She suddenly shoved me away. I staggered a few steps before hitting the cold wall behind me.

“Looks like you really won’t listen until you’re pushed to the brink.”

She pulled out her phone and made a call right in front of me.

“Freeze every bank account and credit card under Wesley Hart’s name. Effective immediately.”

I couldn’t hear what the person on the other end said, but Victoria gave a cold snort.

“Yes. Every single one. Let’s see how bold you are when you don’t have any money to rely on.”

She hung up and looked at me like I was nothing more than an ant, clearly waiting for me to panic and beg.

Too bad for her.

I leaned against the wall and slowly straightened up.

I’d never used a single one of the cards she’d given me.

I always paid for everything with my own accounts.

Victoria probably never would have imagined that the Sterling family, which she was so proud of, wasn’t even much of a cage in my eyes.

My calmness only infuriated her further.

“Someone come in!”

She shouted toward the door.

“Take him to his room! No one lets him step outside until I say so!”

Two bodyguards immediately entered and grabbed me by both arms.

I didn’t resist.

But as I passed Victoria, I stopped and turned my head toward her.

In a voice only the two of us could hear, I quietly said, “Victoria Sterling, you’re going to regret this.”

Her pupils suddenly contracted.

I smiled and let the bodyguards lead me upstairs.

I was locked in the room with nothing to do but scroll through my phone.

I was looking at the latest quarterly financial report from my sister Audrey Caldwell’s company.

The numbers looked good. Apparently, she’d been working pretty hard while I was away.

Not long after, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock.

I looked up to see Ethan walking in with a plate of fruit, a gentle smile on his face that reminded me of a winner basking in his victory.

“Wesley, Victoria’s just angry. Don’t take it personally.”

He placed the fruit on the table and sat down beside me with a deliberately familiar air.

“She froze your cards, but I immediately went to talk to her. Still, you have to admit, you went too far this time.”

I couldn’t be bothered to answer. My eyes returned to my phone.

He didn’t seem bothered by my indifference and continued talking, a hint of smugness and nostalgia creeping into his voice.

“You weren’t like this before. The old Wesley was always so gentle and obedient.”

He picked up a grape and slowly peeled it.

“Back then, I could tell everyone that your designs were garbage, and all you’d do was stand there with red eyes, too scared to even argue back. It was pretty amusing.”

He held the peeled grape up to my mouth, smiling warmly.

“Nothing like you now. You’re covered in thorns. It’s not nearly as charming.”

I finally looked up and met his hypocritical gaze.

“Get lost.”

Ethan’s face immediately stiffened, but he quickly returned to his innocent expression.

He stood up, his eyes turning red.

“Wesley, how could you say that to me? I was only worried about you…”

As he spoke, he slowly backed toward the doorway and the stairs.

“What did I ever do to you? Why are you treating me like this?”

His eyes glistened with tears, as though he’d suffered some terrible injustice.

I scoffed, about to call out his pathetic acting, when he suddenly reached toward me as if he wanted to grab me.

I instinctively leaned back, avoiding his hand.

But Ethan suddenly acted as though I’d shoved him with all my strength.

He cried out and went tumbling down the stairs.