Chapter 7

That sharp, cold look Ryder would get, yet fragile as shattered glass, was all too familiar to me.

In my previous life, every time I clashed with him for Julian’s sake, he would look at me exactly like that.

Back then, bound by the original plot, my mind was solely focused on Julian.

I only found Ryder’s dramatic airs incredibly annoying.

Now, my heart ached, and I instinctively retorted:

“No, it’s not.”

But he didn’t look at me again, only at Julian, his voice chillingly cold:

“If you look down on me so much, then show some real capability. You’re not embarrassed, dragging my fiancée into this charade just to get treatment for your own mother?”

Julian gritted his teeth, a flicker of humiliation in his eyes.

“You, Foster, don’t think you’re so great.”

He clenched his fist, his voice cold, “One day, you’ll pay for what you said today.”

Ryder ignored him and walked away without looking back.

I was about to chase after him when Julian grabbed me:

“…Aria.”

He looked at me, his eyes slightly downcast, his voice a little hoarse,

“Aria, it’s all my fault, don’t be angry anymore.”

When his chilling fingers closed around my wrist, I thought of everything in my previous life and felt like a cold, venomous snake had coiled around me.

“Don’t touch me! You’re disgusting!”

Thrown off guard by my sudden rejection, Julian looked utterly stunned.

Clearly, he couldn’t believe it.

After all, in the past, no matter how angry I was, as long as he softened his tone even slightly, I would give in without question.

“Aria…”

He was about to say something else, but I forcefully cut him off:

“Since you’ve always felt my money was an insult, then transfer the eighty thousand dollars I spent on your mother’s medical treatment to my account within three days.”

“Let me see just how much backbone you really have.”