Chapter 2

"Billson, can you stop being stubborn over these little things!"

Hendley slammed the door and left.

I sat calmly on the sofa, unwrapped the bandage that had been wound several times around my finger, and replaced it with a band-aid.

I should have realized sooner—he and I weren't from the same world at all.

He didn't even know basic first aid.

He could barely cook instant noodles without ruining them, yet he'd handled this entire candlelit dinner himself, saying he wanted to make me something delicious.

Australian imported ribeye steak, estate-cellared Chardonnay wine, custom chef-made cake.

Probably all ordered from upscale restaurants.

Even the most inconspicuous candles were luxury brand aromatics.

With one casual flip of the table, Hendley destroyed things worth three months of my salary, leaving them worthless on the floor.

Splattered wine stains dirtied the wall.

I was even thinking the landlord wouldn't refund my deposit now.

Amid the chaos, I started packing my things and messaged the landlord about terminating my lease.

Ding~ The moment I sent the message, a notification sound came from behind me.

I turned around. Hendley's computer was still on—he'd planned to watch a movie with me.

In a small group chat of seven or eight people, the group admin Cruz posted a screenshot of my message.

"Oh my god, how pathetic. She's actually asking me about the deposit."

"This is the worst property I own. I feel dirty having her live there."

Cruz was actually the landlord I'd been paying rent to all along.

I scrolled up through the chat. Every screenshot in the group chat...

Was about my Twitter updates.

The matching pajamas I bought Hendley with my first paycheck were mocked as street market goods.

The birthday cake Hendley bought me was leftover from Cruz's pet dog.

Every single thing in my life had become their entertainment.

On my first day at the new company, someone sent me roses.

I'm allergic to pollen. I had trouble breathing and ended up in the hospital.

My face swelled up on one side. Hendley affectionately leaned in to take a photo, saying I looked cute.

But when I opened the voice message in the group chat...

It was Cruz and everyone else laughing shrilly:

"Hendley, you actually kissed that pig. You've really sacrificed a lot."

"Cruz, this bet of yours has really tortured Hendley."

Hendley only replied flatly:

"As long as Cruz is happy."

At those words, everyone teased them ambiguously.

Intense suffocation blocked my chest, as if that day's rose pollen had entered my nose again.

Even now, Cruz was using her landlord identity to fake concern for me.

"You're terminating the lease? Where are you planning to live? I have properties in every district."

"Don't worry about me. Remember to come drink next week."

After I replied, the group chat rolled through several more messages.

Cruz said contemptuously:

"What's she acting for? She probably thinks she's marrying into wealth now, that she'll get to live in a mansion!"

"@Hendley, where are you? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you really going to marry her?"

Soon, Hendley sent a video.

"Almost there."

"Of course I'm not marrying her."

He sat in his Maybach adjusting the steering wheel, sunglasses covering his deep-set eyes.

"But she terminated her lease. Won't she have to live at your place?"

Hendley instinctively hit the brakes.

"What did you say?"

Unease rose in his heart. He opened the remote monitoring app on his phone.

In the security camera feed at his door...

I wore a thin jacket, dragging my suitcase into the elevator.

But he'd never told me where his real home was.