Chapter 4

Amid the media frenzy, Ethan leaned in close to my ear.

He whispered in a low voice, "Chloe, the Hayes family reputation is at stake. I can't let you ruin it."

"Piper called the press because she was jealous of how much I care about you."

"She's usually reasonable. Just swallow your pride and apologize to her, and this all goes away."

I was the victim crushed between their games, and now they wanted me to bow my head and apologize?

I shoved him away with all my strength.

"Why the hell should I apologize? I told you we're over! Leave me out of your sick drama!"

Right then, my phone rang. It was my mother.

I picked up, only to be met with panicked, hysterical screaming:

"Chloe! How could you be a homewrecker?! Did we raise you to be a shameless mistress?!"

Panic seized me. "Mom, no, please listen to me—"

Her breathing grew ragged and choked over the line. Then came the terrifying thud of a body hitting the floor.

"Mom?!" I screamed.

She had severe heart disease and lived alone back in our hometown. I had always kept every ounce of bad news away from her.

A sickening dread consumed me. I frantically dialed Liam.

The second he answered, I blurted out what happened, only for him to sneer coldly:

"I can't believe you're disgusting enough to curse our own mother just to get leverage on me."

"Let me tell you something: Mom is fine! And if anything happens to her, it's because a jinx like you brought bad luck!"

He hung up. Desperate, I called Chloe.

"Chloe, please, can you lend me some money? I need to get home right now, something happened to my mom!"

Chloe paused before speaking in an aloof tone.

"I saw the livestream, Chloe. You really had to make a scene on social media, didn't you?"

"I'm not lending you a dime. You acted recklessly, so you need to fix your own mess."

The line went dead. My heart froze solid.

Left with no other choice, I looked at Ethan.

"If I apologize... will you give me back my ten thousand dollars?"

Ethan frowned, looking offended. "Is money really all that matters to you? Am I worth less than a few thousand bucks?"

I didn't have the strength to argue. I swallowed my tears and begged, "I don't have a single penny left. Please. I'm begging you."

Piper strutted over, letting out a mocking laugh.

"A beggar through and through. Tell you what—get down on your knees and apologize properly. If you look sincere enough, maybe I'll toss you some cash."

The crowd closed in, eager to watch the humiliation.

All I could hear was the echo of my mother's gasping breaths over the phone.

Pride didn't matter anymore. Dignity meant nothing.

I bent my knees and slowly sank onto the cold, hard pavement.

"I'm sorry. It was all my fault."

"I was out of my line. I shouldn't have approached Mr. Hayes, and I shouldn't have hurt Miss Vance."

Piper burst into laughter. She reached into her designer bag, pulled out a stack of hundred-dollar bills, and tossed them into the air.

Bills scattered across the dirt. I dropped to all fours, scrambling to grab every single one.

"Look at her, crawling like a dog."

"She really is just an escort after cash. Disgusting."

"Chloe!"

Ethan suddenly grabbed my arm, yanking me up so hard his jaw clenched tight. "Are you really this shameless for money?!"

"Yes! I need money!"

"If you won't give it to me, don't stop someone else from doing it!"

I ripped myself from his grasp. My hands were scraped and bleeding from the gravel, but my fingers clenched the cash like a lifeline.

I pushed through the crowd, flagged down a cab, and collapsed into the back seat. Only then did my trembling hands count the crumpled bills.

Four years of love, boiled down to ten thousand dollars.

Cutting all ties with them was the best thing that ever happened to me.