Chapter 2 · Fled After Ex's Summons

I sat down.

"Edward, we were together for three years. Three years, two million dollars. That averages out to about 70,000 dollars a year," I said.

I slammed my phone down on the table.

"What, do you feel like you got ripped off?" I asked.

He didn't say a word.

"Since we're settling accounts, Attorney Sterling, maybe you should calculate the market value of all the emotional support and physical comfort I've given you these past three years?" I leaned back in my chair, locking eyes with him.

"Or is it that, in your eyes, I'm not even worth that much?" I added.

"Market value, huh?" Edward leaned back in his leather chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

Tap.

The sound rang out, harsh and clear in the empty conference room.

"Miss Lane, how much do you think you're worth?" he asked.

His voice was completely flat, not a hint of emotion.

All I got was that cold, condescending stare.

I looked at that face.

I'd been crazy about him for three years.

Back when he first started out, he pissed off some big shot and couldn't get any cases. He was so broke he couldn't even buy a suit.

He never said I was after his money back then.

Now he had made it, he was starting to settle scores with me.

"How much I'm worth isn't the point," I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "The real question is, Mr Sterling, how exactly do you plan to get that two million dollars back?"

That was when Olivia finally spoke up.

"Vivian, the law isn't about feelings," she said, her tone cool.

She slid into the seat beside Edward.

She flipped open the folder she was holding.

"We're just looking at the money and the facts here," Olivia added.

I turned to look at her, "And in what capacity are you speaking to me?"

"I'm Edward's attorney," she replied with a smile. "And a partner at the firm."

"Alright," I nodded. "So, you're his attorney. Go ahead, read it out. Let me hear how I supposedly committed fraud."

Olivia lowered her gaze to the file in her hands.

Her tone was soft, but every word landed with unmistakable clarity.

"On March 15th last year, you bought a Hermès Birkin Bag at the Central Mall for 90,000 dollars," she said.

"Yeah, that happened," I replied.

"In July of the same year, you bought a necklace at Bulgari for 230,000 dollars."

"Yeah."

"And in January of this year, you paid in full for a Porsche Panamera, costing 430,000 dollars."

She looked up.

There was a hint of sympathy in her eyes.

"Vivian, these purchases are way over the line for what counts as a normal gift between lovers," she said.

"So what?" I shot back.

"So, this counts as extracting a major financial gain by using the promise of marriage as bait which is what we call fraud," Olivia said.

I almost laughed in disbelief.

Dangling marriage as bait?

For three years, Edward never even let me touch a ring.

How was I supposed to use marriage as bait?

"Where's your proof?" I asked.

"Your spending records are the proof," Olivia said, snapping the file shut. "And honestly, we have every reason to believe you were after Edward's money from day one."

I turned to Edward, "Is that what you think, too?"

Edward looked at me.

His eyes were cold, with a mocking edge.

He retorted, his voice icy. "Isn't it? Vivian, do you really dare say you were with me for anything other than that black card?"

I took a deep breath.

My chest felt so tight, like I couldn't even breathe.

Back when he couldn't pay his rent and got tossed out by his landlord, just standing there on the curb.

I was the one who took him in, brought him back to my tiny apartment that was barely big enough for one person.

When he was burning up with a fever, I ran out into the pouring rain to buy him medicine.

Later, when he finally landed his first big case and needed to look the part.

I pawned an old Rolex watch which is the only thing my grandma left me.

I only got seventeen thousand dollars for it.

And I spent every last dollar making sure he had his first custom suit.

For three years, he was out there, dominating the courtroom as a top lawyer.

But when he came home, I was the one making him soup, running his bath, handling every little thing to make sure his life was smooth and easy.

And now he was questioning if I was after his money.

I was just about to speak.

But then my gaze suddenly locked in place.

Olivia was reaching for her glass of water on the table.

Her wrist slipped out from the cuff of her silk shirt.

On her wrist was an old Rolex watch.

The band was worn around the edges.

The face shimmered with the patina of time.

My breath caught in my throat.

That was my grandma's Rolex watch.

Later, when Edward made it big, he spent a hefty sum to buy it back from the pawnshop.

He gave it back to me.

He said, "Vivian, I'll make sure you never have to pawn anything again."

A few days ago, I realized the watch was missing.

I figured I'd just misplaced it somewhere around the house.

But I never expected

It was actually on her wrist.

"That watch," I said, my voice shaking as I pointed at Olivia's wrist.

Olivia glanced down, following my gaze.

She suddenly got it and smiled, like she'd just figured something out.

"Oh, this watch?" she fiddled with the dial. "I saw Edward leave it on his desk yesterday. The vintage look caught my eye, so I wanted to wear it for a couple days. Hope you don't mind, Vivian?"

I didn't even look at her.

I locked my gaze on Edward, my eyes burning with anger.

"You let her wear my watch?" I demanded.

Edward frowned.

He seemed puzzled by my reaction.

"It's just an old watch," Edward said, his voice flat. "Olivia liked it, so I let her wear it for a couple days. I'll get you another one later."

Just an old watch, huh.

It felt like my brain short-circuited.

Like something inside me snapped.

That was the last thing my grandma left me.

It was proof of how I'd sacrificed everything for him back then.

And now, it was nothing but a token he tossed to his first love to please her.

"You'll buy me a new one later?" My voice was barely above a whisper, disbelief and bitterness leaking through.

"If two million dollars isn't enough, I can add more," Edward said coldly.

I stood up.

I pushed my chair back.

"No need," I said, locking eyes with him. My eyes burned, but I blinked the tears away. "If it's a junk watch, then it suits your precious partner perfectly."

"A junk watch?" Edward's frown deepened.

"Vivian, watch your mouth," he snapped.

"You think I'm being rude?" I shot back. "Honestly, after the little ambush you two set up for me today, I'd say I've been downright polite."

Chapter 2

I sat down.

"Edward, we were together for three years. Three years, two million dollars. That averages out to about 70,000 dollars a year," I said.

I slammed my phone down on the table.

"What, do you feel like you got ripped off?" I asked.

He didn't say a word.

"Or is it that, in your eyes, I'm not even worth that much?" I added.

"Market value, huh?" Edward leaned back in his leather chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

Tap.

The sound rang out, harsh and clear in the empty conference room.

"Miss Lane, how much do you think you're worth?" he asked.

His voice was completely flat, not a hint of emotion.

All I got was that cold, condescending stare.

I looked at that face.

I'd been crazy about him for three years.

Back when he first started out, he pissed off some big shot and couldn't get any cases. He was so broke he couldn't even buy a suit.

He never said I was after his money back then.

Now he had made it, he was starting to settle scores with me.

"How much I'm worth isn't the point," I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "The real question is, Mr Sterling, how exactly do you plan to get that two million dollars back?"

That was when Olivia finally spoke up.

"Vivian, the law isn't about feelings," she said, her tone cool.

She slid into the seat beside Edward.

She flipped open the folder she was holding.

"We're just looking at the money and the facts here," Olivia added.

I turned to look at her, "And in what capacity are you speaking to me?"

"I'm Edward's attorney," she replied with a smile. "And a partner at the firm."

"Alright," I nodded. "So, you're his attorney. Go ahead, read it out. Let me hear how I supposedly committed fraud."

Olivia lowered her gaze to the file in her hands.

Her tone was soft, but every word landed with unmistakable clarity.

"On March 15th last year, you bought a Hermès Birkin Bag at the Central Mall for 90,000 dollars," she said.

"Yeah, that happened," I replied.

"In July of the same year, you bought a necklace at Bulgari for 230,000 dollars."

"Yeah."

"And in January of this year, you paid in full for a Porsche Panamera, costing 430,000 dollars."

She looked up.

There was a hint of sympathy in her eyes.

"Vivian, these purchases are way over the line for what counts as a normal gift between lovers," she said.

"So what?" I shot back.

"So, this counts as extracting a major financial gain by using the promise of marriage as bait which is what we call fraud," Olivia said.

I almost laughed in disbelief.

Dangling marriage as bait?

For three years, Edward never even let me touch a ring.

How was I supposed to use marriage as bait?

"Where's your proof?" I asked.

"Your spending records are the proof," Olivia said, snapping the file shut. "And honestly, we have every reason to believe you were after Edward's money from day one."

I turned to Edward, "Is that what you think, too?"

Edward looked at me.

His eyes were cold, with a mocking edge.

He retorted, his voice icy. "Isn't it? Vivian, do you really dare say you were with me for anything other than that black card?"

I took a deep breath.

My chest felt so tight, like I couldn't even breathe.

Back when he couldn't pay his rent and got tossed out by his landlord, just standing there on the curb.

I was the one who took him in, brought him back to my tiny apartment that was barely big enough for one person.

When he was burning up with a fever, I ran out into the pouring rain to buy him medicine.

Later, when he finally landed his first big case and needed to look the part.

I pawned an old Rolex watch which is the only thing my grandma left me.

I only got seventeen thousand dollars for it.

And I spent every last dollar making sure he had his first custom suit.

For three years, he was out there, dominating the courtroom as a top lawyer.

But when he came home, I was the one making him soup, running his bath, handling every little thing to make sure his life was smooth and easy.

And now he was questioning if I was after his money.

I was just about to speak.

But then my gaze suddenly locked in place.

Olivia was reaching for her glass of water on the table.

Her wrist slipped out from the cuff of her silk shirt.

On her wrist was an old Rolex watch.

The band was worn around the edges.

The face shimmered with the patina of time.

My breath caught in my throat.

That was my grandma's Rolex watch.

Later, when Edward made it big, he spent a hefty sum to buy it back from the pawnshop.

He gave it back to me.

He said, "Vivian, I'll make sure you never have to pawn anything again."

A few days ago, I realized the watch was missing.

I figured I'd just misplaced it somewhere around the house.

But I never expected

It was actually on her wrist.

"That watch," I said, my voice shaking as I pointed at Olivia's wrist.

Olivia glanced down, following my gaze.

She suddenly got it and smiled, like she'd just figured something out.

"Oh, this watch?" she fiddled with the dial. "I saw Edward leave it on his desk yesterday. The vintage look caught my eye, so I wanted to wear it for a couple days. Hope you don't mind, Vivian?"

I didn't even look at her.

I locked my gaze on Edward, my eyes burning with anger.

"You let her wear my watch?" I demanded.

Edward frowned.

He seemed puzzled by my reaction.

"It's just an old watch," Edward said, his voice flat. "Olivia liked it, so I let her wear it for a couple days. I'll get you another one later."

Just an old watch, huh.

It felt like my brain short-circuited.

Like something inside me snapped.

That was the last thing my grandma left me.

It was proof of how I'd sacrificed everything for him back then.

And now, it was nothing but a token he tossed to his first love to please her.

"You'll buy me a new one later?" My voice was barely above a whisper, disbelief and bitterness leaking through.

"If two million dollars isn't enough, I can add more," Edward said coldly.

I stood up.

I pushed my chair back.

"No need," I said, locking eyes with him. My eyes burned, but I blinked the tears away. "If it's a junk watch, then it suits your precious partner perfectly."

"A junk watch?" Edward's frown deepened.

"Vivian, watch your mouth," he snapped.

"You think I'm being rude?" I shot back. "Honestly, after the little ambush you two set up for me today, I'd say I've been downright polite."