Chapter 2
Two months later, I finally got the news I'd been hoping for. I was pregnant.
When I showed Leon the test results, he didn't seem particularly happy.
But he wasn't upset either. Maybe he didn't really care about having kids, or at least, not with me.
He forced a smile. "Rachel, we're finally going to be parents."
I smiled too. "Yeah, if your mom could see us now, she'd be happy."
Leon and I fell in love back in college. He was a computer science major, and not long after we got together, he started his own business.
We weren't planning to get married so soon, but in our junior year, his mom got sick. It was terminal.
The only thing she couldn't let go of was that Leon still hadn't settled down yet.
To put her mind at ease, Leon proposed to me.
We didn't hold a wedding ceremony. We only had a simple dinner with both families, and that was it.
Not long after the wedding, his mom passed away.
Leon never got the chance to show her his love, and that left a scar on his heart that never really healed.
When I mentioned his mom, his expression softened a little.
He reached out and touched my belly. "The company's about to get some investment. Once the money comes in, I'll buy you a house and some bags."
Then he patted my shoulder. "Sorry, I've been so busy lately. I haven't been there for you."
Leon was always like that, affectionate, but always kept a distance.
It always felt like I was only a friend to him, not a girlfriend.
I used to think that was his personality. But after he married Emilia, he turned into someone who could be sweet and clingy, completely losing himself around her, not caring who was watching.
Leon didn't lack the ability to love. He only didn't love me that much.
Even though I'd already prepared myself for it, realizing that still left a bitter ache inside me.
After he left for work, I grabbed my backpack and headed out.
Since I knew I'd end up divorced sooner or later, I had to start preparing for my own future.
Back then, I burned through 300 thousand dollars in a few months.
One reason was that my business partner was unreliable, but honestly, the main issue was that my own knowledge was way too limited.
Luckily, Southport had everything I needed.
With only a few thousand dollars left, I signed up for several business and investment courses.
After that, I went to the supermarket.
Before Leon cheated, I was a full-time housewife, always focused on cooking him healthy meals, going through the motions, day in and day out.
Since I'd decided to stick with this life for now, I had to keep up the act.
I was wandering aimlessly around the supermarket with my cart, and when I turned a corner, I accidentally bumped into someone.
As soon as I looked up to apologize, I suddenly froze.
The man was dressed in a sharp suit, standing about six feet three, with an imposing presence.
His expression was cold and intimidating.
But that wasn't why I froze.
That was because I recognized him.
In my previous life, I partnered with someone to open a little craft shop. That guy screwed me over in the contract. Not only did he take all my money, but he left me drowning in debt.
We owed a ton of money to our suppliers, and the man standing in front of me was the chairman of the supplier's parent company, Charles Howard.
In my previous life, he happened to be doing an inspection, and when he learned about my situation, he waived the debt.
He even introduced me to a great lawyer, saving me from millions in high-interest loans.
Now, Charles looked younger than I remembered, but the coldness around him was even stronger.
He frowned at me, waited for a moment, and when I still didn't say anything, he said, "What, you bump into me and don't even bother to apologize?"
Who did he think he was? He clearly ran into me.
I was about to snap back, but then I noticed he seemed to be in a bad mood.
So I softened my voice and said, "Sorry, it's my fault."
He was someone who'd helped me out before, so I figured I could let him have this one.
I turned to leave.
Charles let out a frustrated "damn" under his breath.
He caught up to me in a few quick steps.
"Sorry, I was rude earlier," he said.