Chapter 4

Andrew was a shrewd businessman.

In his eyes, even his own brother was a rival. Sterling Enterprises was in his hands now, and he was simply terrified that his brother, Ethan, might usurp him.

A flash of guilt washed over Andrew's eyes before turning into sheer humiliation and anger. "Being part of the Sterling family means my hands are tied."

I didn't want to say another word. I grabbed my suitcase, opened it, and started packing a few simple clothes.

Andrew's glare bore down on me from above, his voice grating through gritted teeth. "If you want to walk, walk right now. If you think you can actually leave me."

He was right. For years, I really couldn't live without him.

Ever since the system walked out and left me stranded in this world all alone, Andrew's love and presence were like oxygen to me.

When he wasn't around, I couldn't eat or sleep, and my health took a turn for the worse with each passing day.

There were countless times when he was away on business trips, and I would wake up in physical agony in the middle of the night, catching a late flight to travel thousands of miles to be near him.

Andrew knew better than anyone how much I relied on him.

But now, I didn't have much time left anyway. Leaving him only meant putting up with a little more pain and meeting my end a bit sooner.

I finished packing, grabbed my suitcase, and made my way downstairs and out the door.

Andrew stood on the landing, barking down at me, "Walk out that door, and don't you dare ever come back!"

I didn't turn back. Stepping outside, I got into my car in the biting wind.

After practicing as a lawyer for all those years, I had bought this car with my own hard-earned money. Taking it was fair and square.

Andrew stormed out after me, shouting from the front steps, "Try taking another step, I dare you!"

I didn't hesitate. I hit the gas and drove off.

I knew deep down that it wasn't out of love or a reluctance to let me go. Andrew was simply sore about losing control, furious that a plaything he had kept wrapped around his finger had suddenly stopped falling in line.

I drove out of the gated community and hit the main road. At four in the morning, the streets were practically deserted.

A high-pitched ringing buzzed intermittently in my ears.

After driving for a short bit, the streetlights and trees along the road began to sway and blur in my vision. Warm drops dripped from my nose, spreading into dark stains on the sleeve of my cream-colored robe.

Before I knew it, a few more drops followed in quick succession. The crimson against the white was a chilling sight in the dim light of the night.

I slammed on the brakes, but my foot felt soft and weak, like stepping on clouds. It took a while before I could finally bring the car to a halt.

I rested my head on the steering wheel, and total silence swallowed my surroundings for what felt like an eternity.

I vaguely heard someone knocking on my car window. I could feel the oxygen rapidly draining from my body.

Using every last ounce of strength to turn my head, I recognized the face outside and hit the door unlock button.

The door was yanked open instantly. The man standing outside in a sharp suit was Andrew's brother, Ethan.

He leaned in, his voice laced with concern. "Lucas, are you okay?"

It was ironic, really. Nine years ago, Andrew had warned me, "Ethan is bad news. Keep your distance from him."

Yet down the road, every time my health took a turn for the worse and Andrew was nowhere to be found, it was always Ethan who happened to come to my rescue.

Embarrassed and exhausted, I managed a strained reply. "I'm okay... Could you please call an ambulance for me?"

Ethan seemed to say something back, but I couldn't make out the words. The moment the sentence left my mouth, I blacked out cold.

Blood was still trickling from my nose, and a deep chill washed over my whole body.

When I came to, I was lying in bed.

It was an unfamiliar bedroom. Ethan sat by the bed, a warm towel in hand, having only finished wiping my forehead.

When he saw me wake up, he frowned and said, "Lucas, I had the doctor check you out. You're in really bad shape."

I was surprised. I didn't belong to this world. Even though I was on my deathbed, no doctor should have been able to diagnose what was wrong with me.

I couldn't help asking, "What did the doctor say?"

Ethan glanced out the window. "Bottom line, you need to rest up and stop pushing yourself.

"I'll talk to Andy and ask him not to go on any business trips for now. He should spend more time with you."

I replied softly, "No need. We've already broken up."

Ethan snapped his head back toward me, his frown deepening. "You can't do that. You're in no shape to—"

Before he could finish, the bedroom door pushed open.

Andrew walked in with his fiancée, Olivia Nash.

Taking in the scene, Olivia put on a fake act of awkward panic. "Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you had someone—"

Andrew had always been the picture of composure. But right then, he completely lost his cool, forgetting that Olivia was standing beside him.

After freezing on the spot for a moment, his face turned livid as he took a few sharp strides toward the bed. "I searched high and low for you. Lucas, you've really grown a spine, haven't you?"

I had never seen Andrew so beside himself with rage.

Yet, truth be told, I didn't feel a hint of guilt or fear.

His fiancée was standing right there next to him anyway. Even if I really was involved with someone else, I wouldn't owe him a thing.

Perhaps my calm demeanor only pissed him off even more. Andrew reached out to grab me.

But Ethan grabbed Andrew's arm and stopped him.

"Andy, calm down," Ethan said in a deep voice. "Lucas passed out on the side of the road last night. You should care about his health first."

Andrew seemed to completely snap. He punched into Ethan's face, knocking him to the floor.

His eyes were bloodshot. "Mind your own damn business! I warned you off my partner a long time ago."

Ethan pulled himself up from the floor, his face burning with anger. "If I hadn't run into Lucas this morning, he might've died right there on the side of the road.

"Andrew, he's been with you for how many years now. Do you even have a heart?"