Chapter 2

Three days later, Huge did something rare. He actually called me first. "Let's have dinner at Lucitin House tonight. I've invited your parents.

"They don't come here often, so let's make sure everything goes smoothly. Don't let them feel embarrassed."

My parents had always treated Huge like their ideal son-in-law, and they couldn't be happier with him. I really didn't want them to worry about anything.

*****

At seven o'clock that evening, we gathered at Lucitin House. Huge was flawless.

He wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, his demeanor gentle and courteous. He personally poured coffee for my dad and kept my mom company, chatting with her and making her feel at ease.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Carter," Huge said, raising his glass, and gave me a heartfelt look. "Mia's stood by me for seven years.

"She even gave up a chance to work at the headquarters abroad for my sake. I truly cherish everything she's done for me. I swear, I'll never let her down in this lifetime."

My dad's eyes grew warm as he nodded again and again. "Huge, hearing you say that really puts my mind at ease. Mia's always been so single-minded. Once she decides on something, it's for life. You'll have to really look after her."

I sat there, watching this picture-perfect family scene, and all I could feel was a wave of nausea rising in my stomach.

The dishes started coming out one after another. Finally, dessert was served.

Huge gestured for the waiter to set the dessert down in front of me. It was an elegant mousse cake, beautifully topped with mango.

"Mia," Huge picked up a spoon, scooped up a bite, and held it to my lips, smiling indulgently. "I had them add extra mango for you. I know you love it, so eat up."

I looked at the spoonful of mango, refusing to open my mouth.

My dad's smile stiffened, and his fork dropped onto the table with a sharp sound.

My mom's face turned pale, and she instinctively stood up. "Huge, you..."

Huge paused and held the spoon out in front of me, his brows knitting together. "What's wrong? Still sulking? Didn't you used to love this? Don't be childish in front of your parents."

He nudged the spoon closer, his voice now carrying a hint of impatience as he urged me.

I looked him straight in the eye.

"Huge," I said softly. "I'm severely allergic to mangoes. When I was a sophomore in college, I accidentally ate a piece of mango cake and spent three days in the ICU.

"You were the one who took me to the hospital."

Huge's hand jerked violently. He opened his mouth to explain, but nothing came out.

*****

It was our second year together.

He stayed with me in the hospital for three days and nights, holding my hand and swearing he'd always protect me, even if it meant risking his life. He promised he'd never let anything hurt me again.

And now, seven years later, he handed me the very thing that almost killed me, as if it were some kind of special treat.

And then he actually blamed me for being immature, because I wouldn't play along.

My dad took a deep breath, his face darkening as he stood up. "Mia, let's go."

Huge sprang up from his seat. "Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter, I'm really sorry. I've been so busy with work lately. I must've mixed things up for a moment."

He rushed around the table, trying to hold me back. "Mia, please, let me explain. I swear it wasn't intentional. I wanted to make you happy."

I pulled away from his reach. "It's fine. You're busy. I understand."

Huge was stunned. He hadn't expected me to forgive him like that.

He immediately whipped out his phone, fingers tapping frantically. "Let's go on a trip, okay? I'll book it right now. To Mrotafee, two first-class tickets.

"Weren't you always dreaming about a honeymoon? We can leave tomorrow."

He flashed his phone screen at me, showing two just-booked first-class tickets.

I looked at the two tickets and gave a small nod. "Alright."

*****

The night before we left for Mrotafee, I went back to our wedding apartment.

Huge had bought this riverside luxury apartment three years ago. Its cold, sharp style was stamped with his personality in every corner.

He called it our new home, but I could count the nights I actually stayed here on one hand.

I walked into the study, looking for a universal travel adapter. When I pulled open the bottom drawer of the desk, a blue folder instantly drew my attention.

Huge never locked his study.

He was so sure that someone he thought was dependent on him, like me, would never understand those business contracts, and would stay loyal no matter what.

There was no label on the folder. Almost without thinking, I opened it. The first page was a prenuptial agreement.

The date on it was two months after we got together. It listed every single share, property, and fund owned by Huge, even future family trust income.

The terms were icy and meticulous. If the marriage broke down, the wife wouldn't get a penny from anything Huge owned before the wedding, or from anything that grew in value after.

My name was printed in bold under the wife's column. But that wasn't even the worst part.

At the end of the agreement, there was a background check report attached. The header read: [The Ford Group Legal Department.]

The report detailed my father's entire network in the industry, my mother's family background, and even included a psychological profile tracing back to my childhood.

In the comprehensive evaluation section, a bolded paragraph caught my eye: [Mia Carter has a gentle disposition and strong emotional dependence, making her easy to manage.

[Her father's sway in the Urban Development Department could support the Ford Group's land acquisition strategy for the next five years.]

[Conclusion: Mia is an ideal candidate for maintaining domestic stability and driving business growth at this stage. Low emotional upkeep, high risk control. Advised for long-term retention.]

It turned out that what I thought was seven years of deep love was nothing but a calculated long-term possession.

I believed he couldn't live without me, but I was totally wrong. He was with me because I was easy to handle emotionally.

My hands shook as I flipped to the last page. There was a photo tucked inside.

In the photo, Huge was sprawled out on a club sofa, cigarette between his fingers, looking lazy and carefree.

On the back of the photo, in Huge's bold, swaggering handwriting, was a line: [If you're going to marry a wife, pick someone like Mia, like plain water, no taste, but she's reliable.

[The best part? She's safe, and no matter how hard you try, she won't ever leave.]

Tears suddenly splashed onto the photo, smudging the word "leave."

I let out a laugh.

No wonder he could spend Christmas Eve with Molly, he let Molly wear my clothes like it was nothing, and he could even forget my allergies.

Because in his eyes, I was never someone worth respecting, never someone to cherish. I was a useful tool, an obedient decoration, a low-cost maid.

I put the folder back in the drawer exactly as I found it. Then, I took off the engagement ring from my ring finger.

He'd had his assistant buy it without a second thought. It was way too big, so I wrapped a thread around the band to keep it from slipping off. Now, the thread was worn and blackened.

I left the ring right on top of the blue folder. I only grabbed my passport and my old suitcase, which I'd been using for years.

As I stepped out of the apartment, I pulled out my phone, deleted every trace of Huge, and blocked his number for good.

I sent one last text to that number with no name saved: [Huge, your so-called perfect choice is done. I'm out. Mrotafee? Go by yourself.]

The moment I hit send, I pulled out my SIM card and tossed it straight into the gutter.