Chapter 4

The blaring of my alarm jolted me awake from my dream. When I sat up, my pillow was damp with tears.

The house felt as empty as ever. Edward hadn't come home all night.

The memories from my dream still weighed on me, leaving me shaken. I sat on the bed for a while, trying to steady myself.

The moment a tear fell, I wiped it away with a firm hand.

This is the last time I'll ever cry for him. From now on, I won't shed another tear over him.

After I freshened up, my phone rang out of nowhere. It was my best friend calling from overseas.

Turns out, her mom had suffered a heart attack and passed out. A good Samaritan called an ambulance and got her to the hospital. Since my friend couldn't make it back right away, she begged me to look after her mom for the time being.

I rushed straight to the hospital and made my way to the ward. When the doctor told me it was nothing serious, I finally let out a breath of relief and texted my bestie to give her the update.

I sat in a chair facing away from the door, smiling as I peeled an apple for my bestie's mom.

She noticed I looked tired, and my eyes were a bit swollen. She asked if something was bothering me.

I shook my head and made up some work drama on the spot.

She sighed and comforted me, "You young folks have it tough. Don't rush, take your time. If you're exhausted, rest. If you don't like your job, switch. Life's long. No need to grind yourself down. Sometimes letting go of the old path can lead you to something brighter."

Yeah, life's long, and there are endless choices and chances waiting for me. Why keep pushing myself?

Back then, I was willing to put everything aside for love. Now, I'm ready to choose my dreams over romance.

There's no hard-and-fast rule about what counts as serious business. If it's something I want to do, then that's what matters to me.

When I finished peeling the apple and handed it to my bestie's mom, the relatives from the next bed showed up.

I'd been to Edward's company a few times before, so I instantly recognized Sophie's voice.

Sophie suddenly started sobbing loudly, and Edward's gentle words of comfort echoed through the ward.

My bestie's mom spotted Edward, her eyes widened as she opened her mouth to say something. I quickly cut her off, signaling her to stay quiet. Then I pulled out my phone, pretending to take a selfie while secretly recording.

They were so focused on Mrs. Bennett that they didn't even notice me.

Mrs. Bennett wiped Sophie's tears, glanced at Edward, and suddenly said, "I'm not afraid of dying. I'm scared Sophie will be all alone, with no one to look after her."

As she spoke, she started crying again. Seeing her mom like this, Sophie gently tugged at Edward's sleeve, giving him a look begging for help.

Edward immediately put his arm around Sophie's shoulders, his movements smooth and full of tenderness. Sophie blushed and said, "Mom, this is my boyfriend."

"Hello, Mrs. Bennett," Edward greeted her.

My bestie's mom was so upset she was about to get up and speak for me, but I gently squeezed her hand to calm her down. She could only look at me with worry, and I smiled and shook my head.

Mrs. Bennett wasn't convinced. She acted like a stubborn kid, insisting that Sophie always made up stories about having a boyfriend, but she'd never dated anyone in her life.

Sophie simply pulled Edward down by the neck and kissed him tenderly. Edward was stunned for a moment, then gave her a reluctant peck in return.

Once I'd gathered enough evidence, I quickly sent it to my lawyer. Then I turned around, arms crossed, and stared at the two of them, their lips still pressed together.

Edward seemed to realize someone was watching. He opened his eyes and met my mocking gaze, his face instantly turning pale as he pushed Sophie away.

Sophie looked startled and hurt, glancing at Edward. When she noticed where he was looking, she followed his gaze and froze when she saw me. Then she quickly looped her arm through his, as if marking her territory.

Edward shook her off, still staring at me. There was a look of unease and fear in his eyes that I'd never seen before. He was afraid I'd expose them and make them lose face in public.

I turned back to say goodbye to my bestie's mom, then walked out of the ward in silence, with Edward and Sophie trailing behind me.

Once we stepped out of the hospital, Edward ran after me and grabbed my arm, but I jerked it away.

He hesitated, bit his lip, and asked carefully, "Hey, babe, why are you at the hospital? Are you feeling okay?"

I couldn't be bothered to talk to him. Instead, I glanced at Sophie behind him. She'd sent me pics yesterday. She was crashing at my place.

That apartment was the first place Edward ever bought, and it was also the first place we lived together. He put the deed under my name because he was grateful for how I helped him with his investment troubles.

I still remember how he covered my eyes, acting all secretive, and said he had a surprise for me. Then he hugged me and promised that this place held all our shared memories, and unless I agreed, no other woman would ever be the lady of the house.

Men can't stop lying. It makes me sick.

"You let her live in my place?" I demanded.

Edward froze, eyes wide, like he couldn't believe I knew. He was about to say something, but Sophie cut him off.

"Look, it was me. My landlord kicked me out, and Mr. Lane felt bad for me since I had nowhere else to go, so he let me stay. If you want to blame someone, blame me," Sophie said, sounding pitiful.

I watched Sophie lift her chin, tears shimmering in her eyes, looking like she was about to cry but holding back, playing the helpless damsel to perfection. No wonder Edward always falls for that act.

"You've been staying there for two months, right?" I asked.

Sophie blinked, clearly caught off guard by my question, and nodded quietly.

"Alright, rent in that neighborhood runs ten thousand a month. It's the end of the month, so send me twenty thousand now, and make sure you're out by the first," I said.