“And now? You’ve lied to me about Ryan Foster again. That’s just the part I know about—how many other things have you kept from me? Like all those business trips you’ve been taking for the past six months.”

“Think whatever you want. My conscience is clear,” Emily Carter replied coldly.

“Is it really about what I think? Put yourself in my shoes—would you be okay with it?”

“I’m tired.” Emily closed her eyes, clearly done with the conversation.

“I’m a man; I know exactly what Ryan Foster’s intentions are. I don’t want you ending up in situations like this again.”

“You have a filthy mind. Not everyone is like you,” Emily shot back, sitting up and glaring at me. “If it weren’t for Ryan, would I have been promoted this fast at the company? We just had dinner, and you won’t let it go—don’t you get bored of this?”

“If it weren’t for your lack of ability, would I need to work this hard at the company?” Her voice grew sharper. “Do you think I enjoy lowering myself in front of others?”

“You’re not capable, and on top of that, your parents didn’t help get me a job—everything I have, I’ve earned on my own. Do you know how exhausted I am?”

“And you, as a man, earn less than I do—doesn’t that embarrass you?”

“I just want to get a good night’s sleep right now. Stop bothering me.”

I was about to speak when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen, hung up, and walked out with the phone in hand.

“Ryan Foster calling?” I asked.

“Spam call,” Emily tossed back before stepping into the bathroom.

I stayed in the living room in silence. Ten minutes later, she came out. Her face looked much softer than when she was talking to me, but when she noticed I was watching her, she shot me a glare and hurried into the bedroom.

I didn’t follow. Instead, my thoughts drifted back over the years.

I was an orphan. Never went to school.

I met Emily after she graduated high school and was working part-time. Her family was in poor shape—her mother was sick, her father disabled, and they couldn’t afford to send her to college.

After a month of knowing her, I’d fallen for her and worked up the courage to ask her out. We got together, and I paid for her tuition and living expenses. I’d already been working for years and had some savings; I even helped pay for her mother’s medical treatment.

Those early days were sweet. She was gentle and considerate, and my coworkers envied me, saying I was lucky to have a college girl for a girlfriend and that our future kids would have a head start in life.

I thought so too, so I cherished our relationship.

We agreed long ago to marry after she graduated. But when she started her senior-year internship, things changed.

After joining the company, she saw the glamor of the corporate world. She grew increasingly impatient with me.

By the time she graduated, she nitpicked everything about me. It’s only been a year since, but I can’t even remember what it feels like to hold her anymore.

She came from a small rural town where everyone knew me as the dependable, kindhearted guy willing to support her.

I knew she didn’t break up with me partly because of that—she feared people would call her ungrateful.

But I also knew her heart was long gone. Ryan was older than me, but he had money. Even divorced, he could offer her a lifestyle far beyond mine.

Breaking up was only a matter of time; I just couldn’t accept it yet.

Many times, I wondered if I was just being paranoid. After all, I hadn’t caught her in anything concrete. I’d never worked in a big company, so maybe she truly had no choice but to entertain clients.

Some of my anger faded, and I decided to try to salvage the relationship.

I didn’t sleep all night. At exactly six in the morning, someone knocked on my door.

I got up to open the door, and there stood Ryan Foster.

“What are you doing here?”

Ryan ignored me and called into the apartment, “Emily, are you awake?”

I went to shut the door, but he stepped forward, blocking the doorway. “I’m here to see Emily, not you.”

“What are you doing here?” Emily Carter came out in her pajamas.

Ryan brought his hands from behind his back, revealing a gift. “I meant to give this to you yesterday, but we were having such a good time at dinner that I forgot. Remember last time I tore your stockings? This is the same kind—you’ll love them.”

Tore her stockings?

Emily had never once worn stockings in front of me, yet another man had torn them—and now he was giving her a new pair right in front of me.

I noticed a faint blush on her face, her expression almost shy.

“Have you no shame? Being a homewrecker this openly?” My temper finally boiled over. Last night, I’d been convincing myself to try to salvage this relationship, but they’d already crossed this line.

“Homewrecker?” Ryan looked at me. “Get this straight—when it comes to love, the one who’s not loved is the real outsider. Emily, if you won’t tell him, I will.”

He locked eyes with me and said, “A toad like you could never deserve Emily.”

I’d been holding it in for so long, but now I couldn’t anymore. My blood surged, and I slammed a fist into Ryan’s face, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

Smack—

Emily’s slap landed on my face right after my punch. She glared at me. “What the hell are you doing?”

She struck me to protect this man. The fire in my chest roared higher. “I’ll kill you both!”

Shouting curses, I lunged at Ryan, eyes burning red. I really wanted to end him.

We grappled, and Emily jumped in, holding me back.

Ryan was tall, broad-shouldered, and clearly kept in shape. With Emily helping him, the two-on-one left me at a disadvantage.

Neighbors, hearing the commotion, came out to break it up.

I’d always gotten along well with them, lending a hand whenever they needed it.

“Emily, why are you helping an outsider beat Jason?”

“Yeah, what’s going on here?”

“Who are you?” someone demanded of Ryan.

“He hit me first,” Emily said coldly, shooting me a glare before rushing to check on Ryan.

Blood trickled from his nose, and his lip was split. Emily fussed over him. “Does it hurt?”

My own injuries were worse, but she didn’t spare me a glance. Her eyes were only for him.

Ryan gave me a taunting look. “Just a scratch—no big deal.”

The neighbors were starting to piece things together; one of them quietly asked me what had happened. I didn’t answer, my face dark.

“Apologize to Ryan, or we’ll call the cops,” Emily said, dabbing at his blood with care before turning a cold gaze on me.

“You want me to apologize to him?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “Apologize to Ryan.”

“Oh no…” Ryan suddenly exclaimed. “Emily, I’m sorry—I broke the watch you gave me.”

Only then did I notice the cracked watch on his wrist. I didn’t know the brand, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Emily had given it to him.

All these years, she’d never bought me a single thing. Back when she was in school, she’d said that once she started working, she’d buy me a watch. I thought she’d just forgotten. Turns out, it wasn’t that—she’d never planned to.

“It’s fine, I’ll buy you another one,” Emily said soothingly.

“This Rolex Submariner isn’t cheap—it’s about fifteen grand,” Ryan added, giving me another provocative look.

“My salary’s high now. I can afford it.” Emily Carter’s gentle voice felt like a dagger twisting into my chest. She had given her first paycheck entirely to her family, and from then until now, she had never spent a single cent on me.

Ryan Foster looked at me. “No, he needs to pay for it.”

Emily turned to glare at me. “Looks like just an apology isn’t enough. You’ll also compensate him. I still have the receipt for this watch—fifteen thousand eight hundred.”

At that moment, my heart went completely cold. “Fine, I’ll pay for the watch. But you should tally up all the money I’ve spent on you over the years and give it back to me.”

“Do you even call yourself a man?” Ryan sneered. “And how do you plan to pay Emily for her wasted youth?”

“Emily, stop talking to him. Just call the cops and let him see who’s going to be paying.”

Emily actually did call the police. The neighbors tried to talk her out of it, saying it wasn’t worth getting the authorities involved over something that could be settled privately.

Before long, the police arrived. Since I had thrown the first punch and broken Ryan’s watch, both facts were indisputable, their solution was for me to pay compensation. As for the years I’d supported Emily, there was no clear legal way to get that money back.

The officers told me that if I compensated them and earned their forgiveness, I could avoid further legal consequences.

Emily pressed the point relentlessly. “Compensate him, then kneel and apologize to Ryan, and I won’t press charges.”

I asked to make a phone call. After the call, I waited patiently. I didn’t expect Emily’s parents to arrive so quickly. Normally, coming in from their rural town would take at least two hours, but they were here in just thirty minutes.

I wanted them to see exactly what their daughter had done, so they could decide whether I should really be the one paying compensation.

“Mr. and Mrs. Carter, what brings you here?” Ryan walked right up to them, greeting them like old friends. Watching this, my heart sank completely.

Ryan, Emily, and her parents huddled together, speaking in low voices.

Soon, Emily’s mother came over, pointing at me. “You’re worse than an animal. Emily wanted to break up, and you threatened her life. And now you’ve actually laid hands on her.”

The words stung. I stared at her. “Search your conscience. Don’t you fear divine retribution for saying that?”

“Pah!” She spat at me. “Now that Ryan’s here, we’re not afraid of you. Don’t think you can scare us anymore. Officers, you need to teach him a lesson.”

Ryan’s gaze was dripping with contempt. “Just like Emily said—kneel down, apologize, and pay up, and I won’t press charges. Otherwise, get ready to rot in prison.”

I looked at Emily. “You really expect me to do that?”

“You’re still trying to threaten my daughter?” her mother barked. “Officers, look at his attitude—trash like him should be locked up.”

“You’ll regret this,” I said, my voice now cold and even.

“Still clinging to your little revenge fantasies?” Ryan smirked. “Guys like you, stuck at the bottom, can only dream through some dime-store novel. I’ll give you ten seconds—kneel and pay, or start counting the days till prison.”

I stared right back at him. “Give me your bank account number.”

Ryan froze for a moment, but still gave it to me.

When his phone buzzed with the incoming transfer, he stared at the notification, double-checking it, then showed Emily. “Didn’t you say this loser handed over all his paychecks to you? Looks like he’s been hiding quite a stash on the side. Guess he’s been up to plenty behind your back.”