My dad had reserved a private room at the hotel to welcome me back and celebrate my return. My mother and sister insisted on inviting Jacob, saying it would be too pitiful to leave him home alone. When Chloe heard he was coming, she didn't hesitate—she brought her parents along as well.

At the table, my mom and sister eagerly competed to serve Jacob first.

"Jacob, your wrist is injured. Let me get that for you."

"Don't worry about a thing. Just eat more."

Chloe was even quicker, snatching the dish I was about to serve and placing it in Jacob's bowl before I could move.

I was so irritated I could only laugh bitterly, setting my fork down hard on the table.

Her parents clearly noticed my displeasure and nudged her subtly.

"Why don't you serve some for Jack, too?"

But Chloe shot me an impatient glare and snapped, "Jack, who exactly are you trying to impress? You're being so petty—I'm really starting to wonder if we're even compatible."

My dad calmly dropped a large chicken drumstick into my bowl and said in a neutral tone, "Yeah… maybe you're not."

Chloe pretended not to care, but I noticed her parents' expressions stiffen. Her father's face darkened as he scolded her harshly.

"Chloe! How can you speak to Jack like that?"

Immediately, the atmosphere at the table tightened.

That's when Jacob sprang into action. He stood up, smiling,

"Jack, this soup is really fresh. Let me get you a bowl."

Before I could respond, he picked up an empty bowl and ladled a spoonful of soup. As he weaved past the others to hand it to me, he stumbled slightly, and the scalding soup sloshed over the edge, landing squarely on his hand.

His skin immediately reddened.

Panicked, Jacob pressed his hand to his own wrist and scrambled to apologize.

"I'm so sorry, Jack! I didn't mean it. I didn't know your foot would be there when I walked by. I… I just wanted to lighten the mood. Really, I'm so sorry."

He hurriedly grabbed a napkin, trying to wipe the soup off my pants. I waved him off—it was too awkward to let him do that.

But in the next second, my mom and sister rushed to surround him.

Chloe, equally flustered, checked his injury while glaring at me.

"Jack! This space is huge, and you deliberately stuck your foot out to trip Jacob, didn't you? How could you be so cruel?"

I sneered inwardly. With all this space, how did he manage to trip over my foot?

Just as my mom and sister were about to pile on with their accusations, my dad slammed his fork onto the table with a deafening crack.

The previously noisy private room fell instantly silent.

The reason was simple: this household was still run by my dad, and no one dared challenge his authority—at least, not yet.

As for Chloe's family business, it depended on my dad's company to survive and grow.

First, my dad made sure I hadn't been burned. Then he pulled me to my feet and turned to Jacob, his expression ice-cold.

"You can't even handle something this simple; there's no reason for you to continue working in my house. You're an adult now—you can be independent."

Jacob looked at me with heartbreak written all over his face. My mom, unable to stand it, immediately began to plead on his behalf.

"Honey, you can't be so hard on Jacob. Clearly, this is Jake's fault…"

"I decide whether Jake is in the right or wrong!" My dad cut her off sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

My mom went silent immediately. After all, if she really angered my dad, there'd be no more life of luxury for her.

Then my sister chimed in, trying to defend him.

"Dad, Jacob's been with us so long… how can you just kick him out?"

"Did we do wrong by taking in an orphan? Or by paying him a salary and funding his education?" My dad countered, his commanding presence suddenly filling the room.

I silently gave him a mental thumbs-up.

My sister stammered for a while, unable to come up with a reply.

Chloe, however, was sharper. She didn't confront my dad directly. Instead, she turned her attack on me.

"Jack, when someone makes a mistake, they have to own up to it. I don't want my future husband to be so clueless."

I shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm not marrying you, so why should I care?"

Chloe was momentarily speechless, and I couldn't help but notice her parents' expressions darken in shock.

That meal ended in a tense, awkward silence. My dad drove me to another hotel.

"Come on. I want you to meet someone important."

Having been given a second chance at life, my dad's first priority was to strengthen me—hence my three-plus months of interning out of town.

When we entered the private room, my dad's longtime friend, Benji Harmon, and his family were waiting. They had been partners with our company and had helped us significantly in my previous life.

"Ah! Finally, you're here!" Benji greeted me with a beaming smile. "Jack, you're getting more handsome every day! Right, sweetie?"

He motioned for me to sit next to Carmen Harmon, giving her a knowing glance.

The lively young woman raised an eyebrow and smiled at me.

After the meal, my dad and Benji playfully insisted that I escort Carmen home.

I glanced helplessly at my dad, who only smiled and waved me off.

Carmen didn't object, so I politely opened the passenger door for her.

I had been childhood playmates with Carmen, but she went abroad to study. Then I met Chloe, and for several years we had lost contact.

The car ride was silent for a while, until Carmen finally broke the awkwardness. "I heard you're going to join your father's company?"

I glanced at her as we waited at a red light. The neon lights outside cast a glow across her profile, making her look even more stunning.

"Yes. That's right," I nodded.

"Then I look forward to working with you." She extended her hand.

I froze for a second. "What do you mean?" But instinctively, I took it.

"Who knows? We might end up on the same project."

Carmen blinked and let a mysterious, teasing smile curve her lips.

The next morning, I went to the company with my dad.

After work, I found Chloe and her parents showing up at our door, bearing several neatly wrapped gifts. The moment they saw us, her parents smiled from ear to ear. Even Chloe, uncharacteristically attentive, fussed over whether I was tired from work. The whole family seemed like different people.

Flattery without reason is either treachery or theft.

My dad and I exchanged a silent understanding and chose to ignore them completely. The smiles on Chloe's parents' faces froze.

"Jack, how was your day at the office?" Jacob asked cautiously, arranging the freshly washed fruit platter.

I glanced at him briefly. My dad had almost kicked him out yesterday—I had stopped him.

Just firing him would have been far too kind.

Our exchanged look made Jacob press his lips together and lower his head, giving him the perfect excuse to slip back into his role of sycophantic service.

Chloe bristled instantly.

"Jack! I've been putting up with your attitude long enough! I came here today ready to apologize for yesterday, but look at how you're acting now?" Her anger, sparked by Jacob's pitiful expression, immediately swung toward me. "If you keep this up, I don't see any future for us!"

I let out a cold chuckle. She was bold because she thought she had me wrapped around her finger—that no matter how upset I got, the threat of a breakup would always make me cave.

Mrs. Parker patted her daughter’s arm with feigned admonishment.

"Chloe, watch your tone!"

Then she turned to my dad.

"Mr. Olson, young love can be so dramatic—things get said in the heat of the moment. But these two have been together quite a while. Perhaps it's time we started discussing an engagement."

Mr. Parker nodded in agreement.

"That's right. I know my daughter—once she's settled down, she'll mature beautifully."

My dad smiled faintly, took a slow sip of his tea, and gave a deliberate nod. The Parkers beamed, certain they had his approval.

But then my dad shifted his gaze to Jacob.

"Jacob, you and Chloe have grown close lately. How about you two get engaged instead?"

The room fell silent. Every face in the room—except mine and my dad’s—shifted instantly.

My mom and sister panicked.

"Honey! Chloe is Jack's girlfriend!"

"Dad, why would you even suggest that?!"

My dad shot them a sharp look and smirked. "What, are you questioning the judgment of a CEO? Jacob is sharp and presentable. Seems like a fine match to me."

Mrs. Parker could no longer hold back. She stood up, visibly irritated.

"Mr. Olson! Chloe and Jack are in love—you can't just tear them apart! If you feel your son isn't ready for marriage, fine. But using the housekeeper to humiliate my daughter? If your family looks down on us, then I will absolutely not allow this marriage to move forward!"

Jacob paled at her words, his eyes glistening.

Chloe, watching him, felt a sharp pang of pity. She frowned and turned to me, voice low and warning.

"Jack, is this really how your family sees us? What you're doing—"

I cut her off.

"Yes."

Chloe froze, clearly not expecting such a blunt answer. Her sentence trailed off weakly.

"You… Jack, I have my pride too! If that's how it is, then we're done. Today."

"Fine," I answered calmly.

Until I spoke, the Parkers had assumed I was just venting—which was why they felt so bold. They never expected me to agree to the breakup outright.

The moment I said "fine," their confident facade shattered completely.