Chapter 3

The car pulled up in front of my apartment building.

Xavier didn't get out. He said, "I'll wait for you downstairs. Take your time."

I nodded and headed upstairs.

When I opened the door, everything was just as I'd left it this morning.

Eric's slippers were still sitting by the entryway.

His jacket was tossed over the couch, right where he'd left it.

I used to believe this was our home.

But now, I realize it was me fooling myself.

I walked into the closet, pulled out my suitcase, and started gathering my stuff: clothes, jewelry, and bags.

I hadn't bought much all these years. Most of my money ended up in Starlight Tech.

Halfway through packing, a thought suddenly struck me.

In the safe in the study, I had all the investment agreements and proxy shareholding documents I'd signed with Eric over the years.

That was my last bargaining chip.

I punched in the code and opened the safe. There they were, all neatly stacked inside.

Underneath the papers, I spotted a velvet box that wasn't mine.

It looked like the one I'd seen at the exchange today.

But the pink diamond inside was noticeably smaller.

Next to it was a card, written in Eric's usual flamboyant handwriting.

It read: [Charlotte, once Starlight Tech goes public, we'll make it official. I know you're not into these flashy things, but this is a little something from me. You've been by my side all these years. I can't let you come out on the losing end.]

Couldn't let me come out on the losing end?

So in his eyes, all those seven years I invested in him were merely me keeping him company?

And this ring was not about love; it was compensation, a way to settle things.

I gripped the card so hard my knuckles turned white.

He'd already mapped it all out.

The bigger, pricier ring, the one that screamed commitment and a future, was meant for Grace.

The smaller, cheaper one, the one that felt like a handout, was left for me.

He'd even scripted his lines to soothe me: [You're not into these flashy things.]

I always acted mature and reasonable, never really keeping score.

So he forgot that I was a woman.

I'd get jealous, I'd feel bitter, and I'd want all of his love to be mine.

Just then, I heard the clicking of the keypad outside.

My heart sank.

Eric was here.

The door swung open, and Eric stormed in, his face twisted with rage.

Grace trailed behind him, her face pale.

Eric glared at me, "Charlotte, what the hell is this supposed to mean?"

He lunged at me, grabbing my wrist tightly, his eyes bloodshot.

"You pulled out ten billion dollars," he yelled. "Do you have any idea what you did to the company?"

Because I yanked my money out, Starlight Tech's stock price tanked in an instant.

Not even three hours after the IPO, the circuit breaker kicked in.

Trading was suspended, and the company now faced the direct risk of delisting.

All his seven years of hard work vanished in a single day.

I yanked my hand free and shot him a cold glare.

"It's my money. I can pull it out whenever I damn well please," I said. "What, you expect me to stand by and cheer while you use my money to roll out the red carpet for you and Grace?"

My gaze swept over Grace.

She flinched under my stare and quickly hid behind Eric.

She whispered, "Eric, please don't be mad. It's all my fault. Maybe I should give the ring back. I don't want anything else; I only want you."

She played the part perfectly, tears welling up in her eyes like she'd flipped a switch.

As expected, Eric caved.

He shielded Grace behind him and snapped at me, "Are you done with your drama yet? This has nothing to do with Grace.

"Sure, I messed up. But Charlotte, after everything we've been through, you're really going to throw it all away over one impulsive move?

"It's not like I wouldn't marry you. I just..."

"You just want to have your cake and eat it too, huh?" I cut him off, snatching the velvet box from the safe and tossing it at his feet.

My voice was icy. "Eric, what am I to you? Someone you throw scraps to?

"Grace got a pink diamond worth tens of millions for your proposal, but for me, only a cheap knockoff?

"You think I'm supposed to take whatever she leaves behind?"

Eric's expression froze instantly.

He hadn't expected me to catch on to what he was hiding.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his cool.

His voice softened. "Charlotte, hear me out. Grace is pregnant with my child. I have to do right by her."

My mind went blank, as if it had been struck.

Grace was pregnant?

So that was how it was.

I was not just a joke; I was the roadblock keeping their happy family from coming together.