Chapter 2

"Sophie! You have to listen to me! It's not what you think, I swear!"

I dragged my suitcase out of the cramped rental, not looking back.

Ryan chased after me like he'd totally lost it, grabbing me tight from behind, desperate to stop me from leaving.

His skin was almost feverish, and his voice shook with panic and hurt.

For a second, it actually felt like I was the villain here—like I was the unreasonable one, the one who'd actually torn us apart with my own hands.

I stopped struggling. My body went rigid, frozen like a lifeless statue.

I asked, my voice flat and cold, "Then what is it supposed to be?

"What, am I losing my mind, or did I just imagine all those messages in the group chat?"

"No! That's not it at all!" Ryan denied.

He rested his chin on my shoulder, slipping right into that pleading, soft voice he'd always use—the kind I could barely stand up to, the one that made me want to drop my guard.

"I swear, t-the deed's only in Jessica's name for now—just so she can qualify for a low-interest loan!

"You know how it is, she just got screwed over in the divorce, and her credit's totally trashed. Putting the house in her name saves us a ton on interest! I promise, I'll get the place transferred back to us ASAP!"

I almost gotta admire how smooth that lie was.

It sounded way too convincing for its own good—like he'd practiced every word.

If I didn't already know all his moves, I might've actually bought it.

Ryan pleaded, talking like I owed Jessica sympathy, "Jessica just got divorced. She's all alone now, nowhere to go. You have to admit, it's pretty rough."

His voice went even softer, really dialing up the pity.

"Let's just do her this favor, okay? Give it a couple of years—once the policy eases up, I'll have the apartment signed over to you, and it'll be yours alone. I swear it."

I didn't say a word. Instead, without any emotion, I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

The screen was cracked all over, but it still worked.

I tapped open a screenshot and thrust it in front of his face.

There it was—the text straight from the agent, sent right to Ryan.

Sitting right above the message in his family group chat, it couldn't be more obvious.

[Mr. Cooper, the deed's been rushed through. It's solely in Ms. Cooper's name, just as you asked.]

I snorted, my laughter icy and cruel. That sound was like a dagger made of frost—cutting, merciless, and aimed straight at him.

I shot back, voice heavy with scorn, "Oh, solely in her name, huh?

"Ryan, do I look like a toddler to you? Or do you really think I'm just hopelessly stupid?

"So, 'helping your sister get a loan' means you hand over the entire place as a generous gift, no strings, just hers now?

"Did it ever cross your mind what that actually means? Once you sign the whole thing over before marriage, even if you two tear each other to shreds, that apartment has nothing to do with me—Sophia Lane—for the rest of my life!"

Ryan froze, his whole body stiffening like he'd been struck dumb.

The arms around me went slack, his grip slipping away.

He stared at the screenshot on my phone, his face flushing red, then going ghostly pale.

It was like he'd just been stripped naked under a spotlight—all those lies and shameful secrets instantly exposed for anyone to see.

Realizing the game was up, he finally let go.

Whatever fake guilt and pleading had been on his face disappeared without a trace.

Instead, Ryan looked mortified and furious—the shame of being caught morphing straight into rage.

He jabbed his finger at my nose, voice shooting up until it practically rattled my skull. "Sophia! Do you have to be so damn relentless?

"My sister just got divorced! You know exactly how bad that jerk screwed her over! She's got nowhere to go, her emotions are all over the place! I'm her little brother—what's the problem if I help her out?

"Can't you be a little understanding for once? Why is it always just you, you, you—so selfish! You act like the apartment is the only thing that matters to you!"

His words sent a frigid shiver through my heart, leaving it as cold as an ice-filled cave.

I stared at his face, the face I'd loved for three years—the face I once thought I could wake up to for the rest of my life.

But now, looking at him was like staring at a total stranger—someone so unfamiliar, it was almost scary. That face I used to love now just made me feel sick to my stomach.

For our supposed dream home, I'd made so many sacrifices.

I'd spent my weekends grinding out a side job at the gallery, pushing myself so hard I messed up my cycle—my hormones totally out of whack.

Over the past five years, I managed to save 70 thousand dollars after covering all my expenses. My parents then supported me with an additional 30 thousand dollars. With the full 100 thousand in hand, I invested every single cent.

And what about him?

He took the place I labored over and handed it off like it was some fancy toy—nothing but a bribe to butter up his sister.

And now he dared to call me selfish?

A bitter laugh just burst out of me.

I laughed even harder, louder and louder, until tears spilled from my eyes and I couldn't stop.

Enough was enough. I'd had my fill of tears and arguments. There was no point in reasoning with a chronic liar.

I took a deep breath, dried my eyes, and from my bag, I calmly retrieved a bank card and a thick stack of bills I'd printed ages ago.

I slapped them down on the shoe cabinet by the door.

Every single dime I'd spent on this house, right from the moment we first set our sights on it, was meticulously documented there, down to the very last cent.

I said, my voice steady as I watched his eyes widen in disbelief, "A hundred thousand dollars for the down payment.

"For the interior design, I spent two months, burning the candle at both ends for those blueprints. At market rates, that's 15 thousand dollars. Does that sound unreasonable to you?

"And for the last two years, I basically footed most of the rent and everyday costs. Every time you claimed you were broke and hit me up for cash, you borrowed bit after bit, and together? That's 23 thousand.

"All in, that's 138 thousand dollars. Every last cent I put into us."

I stared straight into his stunned eyes, making sure he felt every word as I spelled it out, clear enough to slice.

I continued, my voice like ice, "This isn't about settling debts.

"It's so you get it—starting today, every bit of this? Doesn't have a damn thing to do with you anymore."

I shoved the bank card toward him. "Here, take it. There's still some money left. The PIN's your birthday.

"As for the rest—I guess I might as well have fed it all to the dogs for how much it mattered.

"Ryan, we're done. From now on, there's nothing left between us."

With that, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without looking back.

Silence filled the room behind me. It was as if time had stood still.

Just as my hand reached for the doorknob, his angry roar shattered the quiet.

That shout was packed with outrage and wounded pride.

"Sophia! You're making a huge mistake! You'll be crawling back to me, you just wait and see!"

I kept walking, my steps steady.

As I closed the door behind me, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I'd left behind the past three years and the man who'd held me back.

I was finally free, ready to embrace a new beginning.