Chapter 2
Andrew held my hand as I was buttoning up, his grip a bit too firm.
"Janet," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "Is this really what you want?"
I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears at just the right moment.
"I was too immature before, always trying to hold onto you too tightly. I won't do that anymore," I said.
I met his gaze, each word sounding like both a promise and a farewell.
"As long as you're happy, that's all I care about," I said.
Andrew fell silent.
He just stared at me, like he was searching for something in my eyes.
After a long moment, he let go of my hand, pulled a black card from his wallet, and pressed it into my palm.
"Take this card. No password, spend as much as you want," he said.
There was a subtle mix of comfort in his voice and something that felt almost like a reward.
It was like he was rewarding a pet that had finally learned its lesson.
In my previous life, I'd imagined him treating me this way more times than I could count.
But he never gave it to me.
Now, all it took was a change in strategy, and he handed over exactly what I wanted without a second thought.
How ironic.
I didn't refuse. I accepted it calmly, without a trace of guilt.
"Thanks," I said.
The moment I took the card, I saw the tension in Andrew's eyes fade away.
He seemed convinced that I'd learned my lesson.
He leaned down and left a cold kiss on my forehead.
"Good girl," he murmured.
That single sentence dripped with the indulgence of someone who thought they held all the power.
I lowered my eyes, hiding the frost in my gaze.
Andrew, this was just the beginning.
The next day, Andrew was heading to a neighboring city for a three-day business forum.
In my previous life, he took Mia with him.
I screamed at him over the phone, then actually bought a plane ticket and flew out there, stormed into the hotel lobby, and slapped Mia across the face in front of everyone.
That time, I lost all my dignity and completely wore down whatever patience Andrew had left for me.
It was the first time he ever laid a hand on me.
He just shoved me to the ground, but the humiliation still burned in my memory.
This time, as he stood in the entryway, slipping on his shoes in that perfectly tailored suit, I walked over to him.
"Your luggage is all packed and in the car," I said, gently straightening his tie with a soft smile. "Drive safely."
Andrew paused.
He looked up at me, his gaze deep and searching.
"Aren't you going to ask who I'm taking with me?" he asked.
"I trust you to handle your work," I said with a smile, my tone as casual as if we were talking about the weather. "Mia might be new, but she seems sharp.
"If you keep her close and teach her a few things, she'll be able to help you out more down the line."
I even mentioned Mia first.
Andrew's eyes grew more complicated.
There was surprise, a hint of appraisal, and something deeper I couldn't quite figure out.
"You really... don't mind?" he asked.
"Mind what?" I blinked, playing dumb. "Mind you bringing a sharp assistant along for the trip? Andrew, I'm your girlfriend, not your supervisor."
The more generous I acted, the more Andrew's suspicion grew.
He pinched my chin, making me meet his eyes.
"Janet, what are you really up to?" he demanded.
There was a dangerous edge in his voice.
I didn't flinch. I met his gaze head-on.
"I've thought it through," I said softly. "I love you, so I want to trust you. I don't want all that useless suspicion and drama to ruin what we have anymore."
My eyes filled up with tears that looked heartbreakingly sincere.
"If this makes you uncomfortable, then... I'll just stop saying that," I said.
As I spoke, I lowered my head, looking aggrieved, too timid to speak up.
Taking a step back was always the smartest way to deal with someone as controlling as Andrew.
Sure enough, he fell silent for a moment, his grip on my chin slowly loosening.
He let out a sigh, his voice softening.
"That's not what I meant. I'm glad you can see it this way," Andrew said.
He drew me into his embrace and patted my back lightly.
"Wait for me at home," he said.
His embrace was cold, devoid of any warmth.
I knew he was only setting his doubts aside for the moment.
But I didn't care.
All I needed was this temporary trust from him.
After seeing Andrew off, I returned to the empty living room.
The gentle smile on my face disappeared in a flash, replaced by an icy calm.
I pulled out the black card Andrew had given me yesterday and dialed a number.
"Hello, Mr. Warren? This is Janet Graham. I'd like to book a viewing for your Moon River property. Right, the biggest unit you've got," I said.
Moon River was the city's top luxury riverside residence.
In my previous life, all I ever wanted was to have a home there with Andrew.
He gave me empty promises over and over, but never made them happen.
This time, I'd buy it myself.
With his money.
After hanging up, I started slowly sorting through my things.
Luxury clothes, high-end bags, sparkling jewelry...
All of them were bought for me by Andrew.
I used to treat them like treasures, thinking they meant he loved me.
Now, they were just part of my strategy.
I was sorting through a jewelry box when Andrew's call came through.
I watched his name flash on the screen, letting the ringtone drag on for a while before finally picking up.
"Hello?" My voice had that lazy, just-woke-up tone.
"Are you sleeping?" Andrew's deep voice came through the line.
"Yeah, after you left, I didn't have much to do, so I just caught up on some sleep," I replied.
"Janet," Andrew paused, "I left a file in the study, a blue folder. Could you find it and ask the driver to drop it off for Mia?"
This again.
The same old routine as last time.
That so-called "file" had an expensive diamond necklace hidden inside.
It was his little "business trip present" for Mia.