Chapter 6
Seeing him completely overwhelmed, I quickly made my way downstairs.
Anne’s expression shifted the moment she saw me.
Clutching her chest dramatically, she let out a shaky breath, her voice laced with both rage and wounded pride.
“Jason, Jo has completely lost it. Get her out of my house–now!”
I played along, tilting my head. “What happened?”
She gasped, eyes widening as if she had been personally victimized.
“She called me an old hag! Said if I’m sick, I should just hurry up and step aside so she can take over as the lady of the Miller family!
“Your girlfriend is just waiting for me to die, Jason! She wants to replace me! It’s either her or me–this house isn’t big enough for both of us!”
Jason stared at his mother, eyes blown wide with shock, as if his entire reality was short–circuiting before his eyes.
Before he could even attempt to process it, Lily chimed in, fanning the flames.
“Jason, it’s all true. Mrs. Miller wouldn’t lie about something like this.”
She turned to me, voice dripping with faux sympathy.
“Jo’s always had it out for me, but I never thought she’d go after your mother, too.”
Her gaze flickered to Jason, her voice gentle but firm, planting the final nail in the coffin.
“You’ve been fooled by her for too long. It’s not too late to break up now. Don’t let her drive a wedge between you and your own family.”
I glanced at Jason.
He looked completely stunned–like his brain had short–circuited from
disbelief.
He just sat there, frozen, as if he couldn’t comprehend the sheer theatrical absurdity of what was happening.
I sighed, “Alright, I got it. I’ll take her out of here.”
This farce had gone on long enough.
Grabbing Jason by the arm, I pulled him up before he could react.
Ignoring the voices shouting after us, I shoved him into the car and drove off
Halfway down the road, he finally spoke, his voice raw.
“Has my mom… Has she always treated you like this?”
I nodded.
But the truth was, Anne hadn’t always been this way.
I met Jason in university.
I had liked him for three years, but back then, I never confessed
.
<
Right before graduation, his family’s company went bankrupt.
I had a high–paying job offer lined up with an international firm–but I turned it down.
Instead, I stayed.
I helped him rebuild from nothing, running around pitching to clients, securing projects, and writing business proposals all night long.
I skipped meals, drank at networking events, and pushed myself past exhaustion.
That’s how I ended up with gastritis.
But eventually, we did it.
The company was back on its feet. Stronger than ever.
Back then, Anne saw me as Jason’s most valuable asset.
She was warm, attentive, always checking in on me–saying she treated me like a daughter.
That all changed when Jason started pursuing me.
The moment we got together, she turned cold.
HE
She never outright told me to leave, but she made sure I knew exactly what she thought of me.
The last time I was here, she finally stopped sugar–coating it.
She told me I wasn’t good enough.
That I should break up with Jason before I embarrass myself.
But I didn’t back down.
I threw my work, determined to belonged by his ide
Looking back now… What a joke.
Jason’s grip on his seat belt tightened.
H
Guilt flickered across his face as he whispered, “I’ll talk to my mom.
won’t let her break us up.”
I let out a breath of laughter. “No need. We should break up.”
He stiffened.
”
“Jo, stop it. I know you’re just mad.
“It was just a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to them. I’ll fix this.
“They were just emotional. Don’t take it to heart–let’s just move past this.”
My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
A slow smirk pulled at my lips–more bitter than amused.
I thought, “Move past it?
He still thought this was something we could just ‘move past‘?
་
–
He thought all of this–his mother’s condescension, Lily’s manipulation, the years of being treated like I was just a misunderstanding‘?
How ridiculous.”
<
But I knew now wasn’t the time to fight this battle.
So I simply exhaled, keeping my tone indifferent.
“We’ll talk about it later.”
