Chapter 2

I hung up, feeling completely hollowed out. I tore down all the pink roses, threw them in the trash, and booked a professional cleaning service on the app. I had them pack up every single piece of Chloe's clothing and belongings and dump them outside the building.

Looking at the empty apartment, my body finally relaxed. The exhaustion of three days without sleep caught up to me, and I collapsed onto the floor, losing consciousness.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed.

The nurse told me the cleaning crew had found me and called an ambulance. They had prepaid the fee and requested a refund through the platform.

I nodded, opened my phone to pay them back, and was immediately bombarded with Snapchat notifications from Chloe.

"Babe, I was a bit harsh last night. But if you hadn't accused me first, I wouldn't have gotten so angry."

"Please don't be mad at me, okay?"

Seeing that I didn't reply, her tone quickly shifted back to arrogance.

"Ethan, you were the one who begged me to be with you in the first place. I already explained everything about Julian. Stop acting like a dramatic, whiny child over nothing!"

Even now, she still thought I was the one making a scene.

I opened the video I had posted. It was still trending, but the comment section had split into two opposing sides.

— *They aren't even married yet. It's the 21st century, why can't a girl choose a guy with better financial prospects?*

— *Why is everyone blaming the girl? Maybe the guy is just too broke to afford a wedding after all these years?*

As the video gained traction overnight, Chloe’s parents had somehow seen it.

They had actually liked those comments and even replied publicly:

— *When did Julian get back? Bring him over for dinner tomorrow night.*

— *It's been so long. Bring him over quickly! Arthur has been talking about having a drink with him for years. He hasn't had a good drink since Julian left.*

I stared at their comments, feeling a cold numbness wash over me.

So, Chloe had already brought Julian home back when they were in college.

Judging by her parents' warm attitude, they loved Julian. What did that make me?

For the past three years, every time I visited her parents, they treated me like garbage.

Our engagement had been a nightmare to arrange.

Her parents looked down on me because I was just an entry-level employee making peanuts back then.

They despised the fact that I wasn't a local and didn't own a house or a car. They did everything they could to tear us apart.

To prove myself, I worked myself to the bone. I drank so much at business dinners that I ended up with stomach bleeding, all because I wanted to build a life in this city and prove to her parents that Chloe hadn't made a mistake.

Finally, I made manager. Then, luck struck, and I was promoted to General Manager.

In just two years, I saved up enough for the wedding fund and the down payment on a condo.

Only then did her parents reluctantly agree to our engagement.

Over the years, I didn't just work; I had to constantly cater to her parents. I sent them a monthly allowance of $1,000 to cover their mortgage and bills.

Following her parents' demands, the deed to our condo was registered solely under Chloe's name.

I worked overtime constantly to pay off that mortgage. The moment it was paid off, her parents claimed the condo was too small and demanded I buy another house under her younger brother Leo's name for them to live in.

And like a fool, I agreed to that too.

Yet, they still treated me like a second-class citizen. They looked down on my small-town upbringing, thinking I lacked class.

I quietly closed the app. Another Snapchat notification popped up from Chloe: *Julian is coming over to my parents' place for dinner tonight. Are you coming?*

Before I could even type "No," her next message popped up: *My dad said he wants a luxury watch, and Leo wants the new iPhone. My mom has her eye on a Hermes bag. Don't forget to buy them and bring them over.*

*Julian prepared very expensive gifts for tonight. Do not make me look bad in front of him.*

I looked at the screen and let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

Did they honestly think I was the Jenkins family’s personal, bottomless ATM?

I immediately called my assistant and told her to prepare a lawsuit. I wanted every single cent I had spent on them back. If they refused to pay, I would drag them to court.

When I arrived at the Jenkins' house, I saw Julian sitting on the sofa, laughing and chatting with Chloe's parents like they were one big happy family.

Seeing my empty hands, Chloe's face darkened instantly. She rushed over, grabbed my arm, and pinched my waist hard. "Where are the things I asked you to buy?"

"Ethan, are you trying to humiliate me on purpose?"

Mrs. Jenkins was even worse. In the past, she at least ignored me while grabbing the expensive gifts from my hands. Now, she looked right through me as if I were invisible.

Right then, Julian started showcasing his gifts.

"Arthur, Helen, I bought this premium red ginseng for you both. It's great for your health."

"And I got this iPad and MacBook for Leo. I heard he's in college now, so these should be useful."

"I came back in a hurry, so I didn't have time to prepare much. I hope you don't mind."

I knew Julian was doing this on purpose.

I had bought them far more expensive electronics over the years, but they had never treated me with even a fraction of this warmth.

The parents beamed as they accepted the gifts, throwing a disdainful glance at me.

"What are you standing there for?" Mrs. Jenkins snapped. "A grown man coming to eat for free. Go to the kitchen and help bring out the dishes!"

###0