Chapter 4

After I left the station, I never went back to that apartment.

I booked a hotel near the office instead.

Mr. Lewis told me to take a few days off before the transfer. I turned him down.

I'm not the kind of person who gets betrayed and then hides away, crying until she falls apart.

Growing up the way I did taught me one thing: I have to earn money.

Only what I can hold in my own hands gives me any sense of security.

The day before I was set to leave, after work, Mr. Lewis took me out to dinner, just the two of us.

We'd barely stepped out of the building when we ran into Ethan and his friends.

Mia circled me twice, clapping and laughing as she went.

"You really are the ultimate gold digger. I'm impressed."

"Didn't think there'd be a third man besides Ethan and Ryan."

"Emma, how do you manage to hook this many men at once? You should teach a class. I'd pay tuition."

Then she turned to look at Mr. Lewis, sizing him up like she was appraising merchandise.

"But don't worry, Ethan. This one doesn't look as rich as you. He's a backup at best."

The others piled on.

"No wonder when we went to check on Emma with Ethan, we heard she'd already been released."

"Turns out the second Ethan left, a new man swooped in to bail her out."

"You only see this kind of thing in the news. Never thought it actually happened in real life."

Ethan was staring at me with a dark expression.

The look in his eyes was like a husband who'd just caught his wife cheating.

"Who is he?"

I almost laughed.

"Ethan Shaw, let me remind you. We broke up two years ago. None of this is any of your business."

A vein pulsed at Ethan's temple.

"Emma, we never really broke up. That was just a test."

His eyes locked onto mine.

"I told you. The one in a relationship with you was always me."

I lifted my head and looked at him, enunciating every word.

"Is that so? Then when I was sleeping with Ryan, was that you too?"

Ethan went rigid.

A second later, his eyes turned red.

He looked at Ryan in utter disbelief.

Ryan lowered his head.

Ethan's fist connected with his face.

"You son of a bitch! I told you it was just an act!"

Ryan, punched in front of everyone, didn't take it quietly. His expression hardened and he swung back.

Watching them grapple with each other, I let out a cold laugh, then turned and left with Mr. Lewis.

Behind me, Ethan was shouting at my back between blows.

"Emma! I'll be home tomorrow waiting for you! We're going to register our marriage!"

"As long as we get married, whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"

What a joke.

Even now, Ethan still sat up there on his throne, convinced I loved him.

But two years had passed. He hadn't occupied my heart for a long time.

The next morning, I took my suitcase to the airport.

The entire way there, Ethan called me nonstop.

I didn't pick up a single one.

Before boarding, I popped the old SIM card out of my phone and dropped it into a trash can.

The moment the plane lifted off, the familiar city fell away outside my window.

From now on, the people and things in that city had nothing to do with me anymore.