Chapter 2

Seeing how insistent I was, Vincent could only sigh and reluctantly sign the termination agreement.

As soon as I stepped out of the office, I ran right into Amy and Jonas, both of them grinning from ear to ear.

"Jonas, was it really okay to just leave Laura at the wedding by herself? I told you not to trouble yourself, but you still insisted on coming," Amy said.

She clung to Jonas's arm, acting all sweet and flirty with him.

When she spotted me, she looked surprised and pouted, looking aggrieved. "Laura, what are you doing here at the company? I thought you'd still be at the wedding."

Her tone sounded polite, but her eyes were full of provocation. She even started tracing circles on Jonas's palm with her finger.

Seeing them like this made my skin crawl. I just wanted to get away, so I tried to walk right past them.

But Amy wasn't about to let me off easily. She deliberately bumped right into me.

I wasn't expecting it and stumbled back, the termination agreement slipping from my hands and scattering all over the floor.

"Laura? You're really quitting?" Amy was quick to grab the termination agreement off the floor, acting all surprised.

I was so done with their drama. I snatched the agreement right out of Amy's hand and made a beeline for the door.

But Jonas blocked my way, his expression icy and stern. "Why are you ending the contract? Is it just because I left the wedding halfway through?

"I already explained to you. Amy ran into trouble. She could've gotten hurt, maybe even scarred her face. As her manager, I had to help her.

"Can you stop this nonsense? Terminating a contract isn't a trivial matter, and the breach penalty is astronomical. You're just a girl from a small city. How could you possibly afford this kind of money?"

I kept silent, quietly listening to Jonas's reproach and dissatisfaction.

After Jonas finished, Amy suddenly started crying, her voice choked with tears. "Laura, Jonas, it's all my fault. If I weren't so clueless, Jonas wouldn't have to keep ditching his own wedding to help me. If anyone should be quitting, it should be me. Please, don't fight because of me."

Still sobbing, Amy spun around and marched straight toward Vincent's office, ready to quit herself.

Jonas rushed after her, scooping her into his arms and tenderly brushing away her tears.

Amy gave me another provocative look.

She was showing off, rubbing it in my face. She wanted me to know that between me and her, Jonas would always choose her.

After making sure Amy was okay, Jonas gave me an annoyed look. "Go ahead and quit if you want, but if you can't pay the penalty, don't expect a dime from me."

I always thought I could handle Jonas ignoring me, but seeing it happen hurt way more than I ever imagined. It was like someone ripped my heart out.

"I don't need your money," I replied.

Jonas only knew I came from a small town, but he had no clue that place was loaded with mineral resources. It was probably the richest in the whole country.

And my dad? He owned all the mines there.

For Jonas, I cut off my family, left my hometown and everything I knew behind, and moved to Capison City. I really believed Jonas would never disappoint me.

But now, all I had left was regret burning in my chest.

I took a cab straight back to our marital home, the place Jonas and I once shared, and started packing my things.

The wedding decorations had long since faded. We had bought this place seven years ago, right before Jonas and I were about to get married for the first time.

Back then, I was just starting to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry, and Jonas was only beginning his career too.

We spent nearly all our savings to buy it, and every decoration was something we put up together.

This used to be my safe haven. But ever since Amy showed up, it became nothing but a graveyard for our love.

With a sense of irony, I tore down the faded decor from the door and started packing my things, determined to leave this place behind.

I was only halfway through packing when Jonas came back.

Seeing me with my suitcase, the icy look on his face melted a little. Without a word, he started taking the clothes I'd just packed and hung them back up in the closet.

After he finished hanging up all the clothes, Jonas came up behind me and pulled me into his arms, finally admitting his mistake. "I'm sorry, Laura. On my way back, I thought about everything I did wrong. Please, don't leave.

"I know you're still mad at me for ditching our wedding. Just give me one more chance, please. Everyone's still here. Our friends and family haven't left yet. Let's finish what we started tomorrow.

"This time, I swear, I'll give you the wedding you always dreamed of. Please, believe me."

I shrugged off his embrace and went right back to packing my clothes, ignoring him completely.

Seeing I kept ignoring him, Jonas got desperate. He started crying as he clutched my leg, pleading, "Laura, I know I really hurt you this time, but I swear, this is the last time!"

He held onto my leg like his life depended on it. It felt like he was wringing my heart, crushing it until it ached.

I wasn't sure anymore if I should trust Jonas again, give him another chance to break my heart.