He said, “Summer, I didn’t really want to take what you wanted at the auction. I wanted vou
to get jealous, wanted you to come back to
- me. I got the necklace back. I’m going to tell
Tiffany to have an abortion. You loved this
necklace, let’s get back together, ok?”
Yeah.
I had really wanted it back then.
And he had sided with Tiffany and had used it
to hurt me.
He also knew how upset I would be when I
cried about his mistresses.
He continued to hurt me, again and again.
I said, “I don’t like it anymore.”
Neither the necklace, nor him.
<
me.”
I laughed.
He had been the one who’d hurt me the
worst.
Why was he acting like he was the victim?
I looked at his red eyes, and shook his hand
off, “Ethan, you were the one who messed
this up. Let’s just break up properly and never
see each other again.”
11
Three days later, Ethan and I had the final
asset transfer at the notary office.
Ethan looked exhausted
く
At the point where our paths split, Ethan
wanted to say something.
But before he could, Tiffany showed up.
Her fake sweetness was gone. She looked
angry and bitter. “Ethan! She’s got another
guy’s kid! Why are you giving her so much? I
thought it was a payment! How could you
transfer that 80–million–dollar house? What
about me and our kid?”
I frowned a little.
Tiffany didn’t know that this wasn’t just some
breakup payment.
My investment was also part of every
business deal he did.
<
Without me, where would he be today?
I
I was just getting what was mine.
And Tiffany was being impatient.
Ethan was an emotional guy, but he got tired
fast.
Her “sweet girlfriend” act was collapsing, and
it wouldn’t end well for her.
“Summer, you think you can just rob us like
this!” Tiffany yelled, then rushed at me.
“Enough!” Ethan yelled. “Stop being an
embarrassment!”
Tiffany froze, her eyes turning red. She then
threw her designer bag at Ethan’s face “An
<
embarrassment? You yelled at me? You broke
up with her! Are you still protecting her?”
People were watching.
Ethan looked annoyed, finally blowing up at
her. “Even if I’m not marrying Summer, I
would never marry you!”
Tiffany looked stunned.
Then, she seemed to understand, she tried to
grab Ethan’s hand, looking flustered.
But, Ethan jerked away from her. “Get away
from me!”
That’s when it happened.
Tiffany loved to dress up, even pregnant, she
<
She liked to show off how much Ethan adored
her.
But Ethan’s shove made her lose her balance
and she tumbled down the steps.
She landed on the ground, pale and clutching
her stomach. “My baby… Ethan, I’m
hurting…
Ethan was worried.
A few seconds later, blood appeared between
her legs.
I felt my heart sink.
That’s how I’d lost my baby with Ethan…
L
Was this fate?
Those who lack love, have kids that suffer as
well.
Or maybe, the baby felt that he wasn’t loved
and left before things got worse.
Even if the world was pretty good, the baby
wanted no part in it.
12
Because of that scene with Tiffany, Chad and
I were the talk of the town.
The next day, Chad’s grandfather asked him
to come home.
<
He specifically said that he wanted to meet
- me.
I was nervous in the car.
Chad said his grandfather was friendly.
I believed him.
But from the moment we walked in, the old
man had this huge frown.
Even though the old man was eighty, he still
had a powerful presence.
He looked at us and said, “Kneel.”
His voice was strong.
Chad took off his suit jacket and knelt
く
I was stunned.
Was I… was I supposed to kneel too…?
I was so confused.
But when Chad’s grandpa saw me, he was
instantly sweet and loving. “Don’t be nervous,
little girl. I’m not a bad person! I’m just trying
to teach this grandson of mine a lesson! You
sit on the sofa and watch.”
I was so confused as the housekeeper helped
me sit down. ;
Chad looked at me with a small smile, telling
me not to be alarmed.
He was used to this.
く
He could handle it.
But, I had overestimated him.
“Grandpa, Summer’s sitting, do I have to
kneel?” he said.
The old man flipped.
He took his cane and started beating Chad, “You little rascal! Did you forget your family’s code? I set you up with so many girls! Why
didn’t you see them! And now? You went and
did that to this poor girl! Shame on our
family!”
The old man started beating Chad harder.
I was shocked.
く
What was this, the Middle Ages?
Chad was a business powerhouse, and yet at
home, he had to just take it.
I tried to help, “Mr. Stevenson, it wasn’t
Chad’s fault, I was drunk, and I made the first
move…
33
But the old man interrupted, “Don’t protect
him! He took advantage of you! I need to
teach him a lesson!”
The old man was hitting him hard.
After ten hits, his white shirt was covered in
blood.
<
The old man tried to snatch the cane back.
When we were fighting over it, Chad stood up
and pushed me behind him, “Grandpa, hit me
if you want, but don’t touch Summer! She’s
pregnant!”
The old man paused.
After a few seconds, his eyes lit up,
“Pregnant? Are you telling me, that I’m going.
to be a great–granddad?”
Chad looked confused, “You had me dragged
back here to be beaten, but you didn’t know
about the baby?”
Chad’s grandfather shook his head.
く
He had only heard about the mess, but he
didn’t know that I was pregnant with Chad’s
kid.
I had come to the Stevenson place to try and talk about custody.
But after hearing what had happened, the old
man just wanted to know when Chad and I
were getting married.
Me: ???
Wasn’t that a little fast?
“… I’m sorry, Mr. Stevenson,” I said, “I don’t plan on getting married right now.”
The old man paused, then glared at Chad
The old man paused, then glared at Chad. “You good for nothing, how could you not get
her to marry you yet?”
He was saying this in front of me.
I looked away awkwardly.
But, Chad’s voice came to my ear, with a
smile, “Yeah… guess I’m not that good at it.
But I’m trying. I’ll work harder.”
13
That night, Chad’s grandpa said that we had
to stay at the family house.
He said there were not enough rooms, so he
put me and Chad in one room.
<
It was obvious that the old man had an
agenda.
The room was modern, and simple, you could
tell it was Chad’s room.
Chad took off his shirt and asked me to help
him with the medicine.
His skin was very white, his bruises looked
brutal.
I took the ointment and carefully dabbed it on
his back.
His skin was so warm.
Chad said in a low voice, “My grandpa always
wants me to get married, he’s a little too
excited, don’t let it bother you.”
