Chapter 1

Three years ago, at a product launch, I punched my ex-wife Victoria's then-boyfriend, Blake, so hard he went deaf in one ear.

I was detained. Victoria filed for divorce the next morning.

From a jail cell, I learned she'd married him.

My friends knew how possessive I was, and they expected me to reclaim Victoria the moment I got out.

Instead, I disappeared.

Until my name was called out at a bustling tourist spot.

"How many skewers do you want?" I asked politely, "And do you want extra spice?"

Victoria's eyes welled up. "You...you even forgot I never eat spicy food?"

...

My voice remained perfectly even, a flat professional courtesy. "Apologies. We serve hundreds of people a night. Safer to ask than to assume."

For a moment, the only sound was her sharp, indrawn breath, followed by the restless shuffle of the queue behind her.

"Are you going to order or not? This is the TikTok spot. Move it or lose your spot."

Victoria stared at me for a long time, her eyes aching, before she finally lowered her head and quickly ordered a few skewers.

"No spice."

I offered a polite smile. "Seven to ten minutes. Please wait over there."

With that, I bent my head, focused on the grill. Every movement was precise and efficient.

Victoria stared at my cracked, swollen hands, then suddenly snatched the skewer right out of them.

"Alex! Stop doing this!"

I snatched the skewer back, a deep frown creasing my forehead.

"Ma'am, please don't interrupt my work. There are many other customers waiting."

The customer in line behind her sounded annoyed. "Are you out of your mind? You're stopping the owner from making a living, do you want him to starve?"

Victoria looked as if she'd been stung.

"What do you guys know? Alex is completely wasting his talent here! You couldn't possibly understand his ambitions."

The customers eyed me with amusement.

"What, his old flame?"

"I used to have big ambitions too, but now I drive a taxi every day."

"Right? I wanted to be a billionaire, but now I'm buried under loans."

Victoria looked at these people as if they were idiots, her eyes filled with disdain.

"There's no reasoning with you people."

She turned back to me, her eyes shining with fervor.

"Alex, I...I believe you're not doing this willingly. The code and programs you developed are the most brilliant things in the world. If you wanted to, you could make millions in a snap. Why are you wasting yourself here?"

Before I could answer, her eyes reddened with self-reproach.

"Is it because of me?"

"I know what happened back then hit you hard, but I never imagined you'd fall into such despair, to end up like this..."

Her eyes were filled with pity, as if I was doing something utterly degrading.

My gaze remained calm. "Ma'am, if you don't want to eat, I can cancel your order. Please don't interfere with my business."

Victoria froze completely, her eyes a mix of disbelief and sorrow.

She sat back down, tears welling up.

"Who said I'm not eating? I want to eat."

I turned and continued to finish the skewers in my hand.

Victoria ate while shedding tears, her eyes frequently darting towards me, hoping I would comfort her like I used to.

But I only slightly frowned, then refilled her tissue box.

"Ma'am, if you need help, there's a police station about five hundred yards away."

At my words, Victoria finally couldn't bear my indifference. She covered her face and ran off.

It wasn't until I was about to pack up my stall.

Victoria, who had been hiding in the shadows for a long time, suddenly spoke.

"How long have you been doing this?"

She pulled out a stack of cash and placed it in front of me.

"I'm here on vacation. If you spend two hours showing me around, you'll earn more than you do with this stall."