I could not accept it.

"Why are you here?"

I was dozing off when I heard some noise at the door.

When I walked out, I found my parents had returned. However, Kayla was still standing at the door when I opened it, her face as pale as death. "Mom, listen to me. I really love Nate..."

Before she could finish, my mother interrupted her. "You love Nate? If you love him, would you abandon him on the wedding day to see another man? If you love him, would you leave him there to be humiliated by others?"

Kayla opened her mouth to speak, but eventually said nothing and only looked at me in desperation.

"Nate, can't you give me another chance for our five-year relationship?" Kayla's eyes were red as she pleaded.

"You remember our five-year relationship? We were together for five years, but you never definitively picked between Andrew and me."

Kayla blinked, feeling a bit guilty. "I... He... He's ill."

I had heard this sentence countless times before, but now I could not help wanting to laugh when I heard it again.

My father pulled my mother in and patted my shoulder. "Come in and talk. Don't disturb others' rest at this late hour."

I shook my head. "There's nothing to say. Just settle our accounts, and we can transfer the money directly."

After saying that, I closed the door and cut off Kayla's explanation outside.

My mother looked at me, hesitant to speak, but my father eventually said, "Now that things are clear, we need to move on."

I nodded in agreement.

Kayla's text messages kept coming in, begging for my forgiveness.

She and Andrew were high school classmates. Her family was not well-off, but she was very ambitious. Every time she talked about her parents' oppression and control, I pitied her. Her parents had controlled everything about her since she was little, from her studies and friendships to her food, clothing, and daily necessities. Thus, I always tolerated her, trying my best to make her feel warm and free, after we got together.

Looking back now, I was trapping myself.

Kayla always felt that if she showed weakness and revealed her wounds to me like before, I would forgive her. She was too familiar with playing the emotional card.

Kayla's parents also called me, first scolding Andrew and then praising me.

I just smiled and told them to get a quotation for the house renovation as soon as possible. Otherwise, I would have to find someone to do it myself.

Even if I were a complete fool, I would not keep making the same mistake with the same person.

However, I found the house already occupied when I led people to get it appraised.

An unfamiliar couple looked at me in confusion. "We've already bought this house."

I thought I had gone to the wrong place, so I looked again to confirm I was in the right place.

"You bought it? From whom?"

"Ms. Kayla Rowan."

...

I asked Kayla for a meeting, but she arrived late. Judging from her guilty expression, she probably already knew why I asked her to meet.

"You sold the house?" I asked her bluntly.

She nodded. "Yeah."

I paid for the house, but her name was also added to the deed. I also wanted to decorate our home the way she wanted, so I gave her the money for the renovations. I had lost count of how much money she asked me for over the years.

"Fine, pay me the money for the renovations."

Kayla lowered her head, muttering, "I don't have any... any money to pay you. Can... Can I pay you back later?"

I frowned. "You sold the house, and you still don't have any money?"

Kayla gulped, glanced at me cautiously, and replied, "I gave... I gave the money to Andrew for his surgery."

My throat tightened, and my heart ached as I asked her in a hoarse voice, "When did you sell the house?"

"Two months ago."

"Hahahaha..." I could not help laughing.

Two months ago? She sold our house to her first love so that he could get surgery. As her fiancé, I had no idea about it. How could she have the nerve to say she loved me? Where did she get the audacity to ask me to forgive her?

"Kayla, you're really horrible."

She kept her head down, afraid to look at me.

I looked at her, feeling only irony. These five years of our relationship turned out to be just a joke.

I took out a card from my pocket and placed it on the table. It was the bank card we had used to save money together. I had never touched the money or linked it to my phone. Since she had sold the house for Andrew’s treatment, the balance was likely gone as well.

Kayla looked blankly at the bank card on the table for a while before looking at me with a heartbroken expression and asking, "You want to give me the card? Are... Are you really going to cut off all ties with me?"

I only felt exhausted when I heard her question. "The renovation fee is about 300 thousand dollars. I won't argue about the rest with you. Write an IOU and pay it off within six months. I'll use legal means if you're overdue."

She nodded. "Okay, but can you lend me another 100 thousand dollars? Andrew's son's illness..."

I was shocked, wondering when Andrew had a son.

"Is it yours?"

Kayla hurriedly denied it. "No, it's... It's Regina Summer's."

I was so shocked I almost tossed my phone. Regina was my senior in high school and a popular figure.

"How could he know Regina?" I did not mean to belittle Andrew, but given his social standing, it was unbelievable that he could get close to Regina and sleep with her.

Kayla wrote down the IOU, but I did not lend her the money. She asked several more times, but she gave up when she saw how firm I was.

Back home, I saw an unfamiliar figure on the couch as soon as I entered.

My mother was chatting warmly with her, looking incredibly happy. Seeing me come in, she excitedly waved me over. "Nate, come here quickly."

My heart skipped a beat, wondering if she was going to set me up on a blind date.

I frowned and walked over. The woman on the couch suddenly turned around and looked at me. It was... Regina.

"This is my son, Nate. You went to the same high school, but you were two years ahead of him, so you probably don't know him."

Regina smiled slightly as she gracefully stood up and extended her hand to me. "No, I know him. I've met him before. Nate."

I was somewhat shocked that she knew me. Regina was famous at school; she was a top student, beautiful, and came from a wealthy family. Someone popular like her remembered me. However, judging from the look in her eyes, she did not seem to be lying.

Regina suddenly pulled out a silver keychain from her bag. "You asked me to hold on to this for you. Ten years have passed, yet you never asked me to return it."

I quickly reached for it. It still had my name on it; it really was mine. However, when did I lose it? How did it end up in Regina's hands?

My mother's eyes darted around, and she stood up, saying, "Nate, I suddenly have to go out for a bit. Could you entertain Regina for me?"

"I..." Before I could answer, my mother had already picked up her bag and left without even changing her slippers.

I looked at Regina, feeling incredibly awkward. "You must have a boyfriend by now, right?"

Regina was stunned, not expecting me to ask so directly.

She and Andrew had a child, but they were never married. His surgery costs were even covered by his ex-girlfriend by selling her house.

This Regina must be an expert in romance to be able to neglect her own child.

"No."

I felt a wave of disgust. It seemed to be so.

"Really?" I felt disdain and contempt.

Regina seemed to have sensed my unfriendly attitude toward her and was somewhat curious. "What's the matter? You seem to have some misunderstandings about me."

I just smiled and remained silent.

My first meeting with Regina after so many years ended without any outcome, but I never expected our fate with each other to continue. One month later, she attended a friend's birthday party too.

"You came too?"

Regina and I stood together waiting for the elevator. She was the first to ask me.

I nodded and said yes.

"Nate?"

I heard a familiar voice and turned around to see Kayla standing there with Andrew beside her.

Andrew's complexion looked much better. He was not as frail as before.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Regina standing next to me. What a chaotic scene this was.

Kayla looked at me nervously. "Who is this?"

Andrew's gaze fell on Regina, his eyes instantly glimmering with affection as he softly greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Summer."

I caught on immediately that they were superior and subordinate. Regina was quite cunning, using her position to sleep with her subordinate and even have a child with him.

Regina showed little expression as she nodded slightly at him and asked without a trace of emotion, "Are you feeling better?"

Andrew nodded hurriedly. "Thank you for your concern, Ms. Summer. I'm feeling much better."

Regina looked away and did not talk anymore.

Kayla and Andrew walked over, standing closer to us.

"Nate, are you alright?" Andrew suddenly asked me, yet his eyes were fixed on Regina.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I felt uncomfortable with his overly familiar form of address, so my tone was displeased.

He looked at me and then at Regina. "You know Ms. Summer too?"

I looked at his arm around Kayla's waist, while his gaze was unabashedly flirting with Regina. Suddenly, a surge of anger welled up inside me. Just then, a pair of delicate hands linked with my arm. I glanced sideways in confusion and saw Regina winking at me.

I immediately wanted to tease Andrew and Kayla, so I pretended to be very intimate with Regina and said with a smile, "We've known each other for almost ten years, haven't we?"

Regina echoed, "Yes, ten years."

Andrew was smiling, but his eyes were filled with hatred for me. He looked indifferently at me and smiled. "Ms. Summer, let me introduce you. This is my fiancée, Kayla Rowan."

'Engaged so soon?' I pondered.

Kayla looked away, ignoring us.

I thought I would be heartbroken, but I was surprisingly calm and completely unfazed.

Regina patted my hand. "The elevator's here."

I nodded. As I stepped into the elevator, I turned around to say to Andrew, "The three hundred thousand dollars I paid was included in the surgery fee your fiancée gave you. Remember to pay it back."

Andrew looked at Regina in a panic.

I sneered inwardly. He was engaged to Kayla, yet he still cared so much about other women's opinions. These two were perfect matches.

I went back after delivering my gift.

Regina was a prominent figure, so it was hard for her to leave once she got in.

As I was heading toward the parking lot, it suddenly started snowing. I rubbed my hands together, feeling a bit cold.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" A familiar voice suddenly rang behind me.

I turned around and saw Regina standing behind me, smiling. She probably had no idea how charming her smile was. Even after all these years, she was still the most eye-catching person in the crowd.