Chapter 2

Out of curiosity, I searched for the Pierce family online.

The first thing I saw was Summer's face.

Everett Pierce, the crown prince of Beijing's elite circles, heir to the Pierce family.

He and I had always been worlds apart.

The money in that box was more than I could earn in a lifetime.

After some thought, I called the number on the business card.

"Miss Evans, you've made up your mind so quickly?" the voice answered.

I made a sound of agreement. "I don't want this money."

"Not enough? That's understandable. A single injection for cancer treatment costs $120,000."

"How much do you want?"

My hand holding the phone trembled. "I'm not planning to get treatment."

There was silence on the other end for a moment before he spoke again: "Miss Evans, it's not that easy to enter the Pierce family."

"Although you've taken care of our young master for three years, that's not enough to qualify you to enter the Pierce family. Moreover..."

"Our young master already has a fiancée."

My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a rope, making it hard to breathe.

My voice shook as I replied: "I have no intention of becoming Mrs. Pierce."

"Nor will I tell anyone about Summer... about Everett Pierce's condition."

"I just"

"Simply don't want to take your money."

It felt like if I took the money, my relationship with Summer would somehow be tainted.

He paused for a moment. "Miss Evans, this is what you deserve. I'm just following orders, and you're making this very difficult for me."

I wanted to say more, but the call had already been disconnected.

The dim light illuminated the living room, with a bag of bottles Summer had collected still by the door.

I hadn't seen Summer when I came home from work yesterday either.

After searching many places without finding him, I sat on the sofa and cried hard.

Just then, Summer returned, covered in mud and carrying a sack.

Seeing me cry, he panicked immediately.

With a black eye, he smiled at me: "Sister, don't cry. Look, I collected so many bottles."

"I even outran several old men to get them."

"Sister, I can support you. Please don't be with that man, okay?"

I hugged him, feeling both angry and amused.

"If you run off like that again, I'll abandon you," I threatened.

He looked at me with reddened eyes, tugging at my sleeve, saying he could collect lots and lots of bottles.

Begging me not to leave him.

Now, he had left.

And it was he who had abandoned me.

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