Chapter 2

My hands trembled violently as I signed the agreement.

A satisfied smile finally touched Serena’s lips. She passed the document to Austin behind her.

With a smug grin, Austin waved the contract in the air.

"Thank you so much, brother."

"I'll bring my mother over to live in our family manor officially. She's going to be so thrilled."

I was too disgusted to look at him. I turned my head toward Serena.

"Now, let Benny go."

Serena nodded and signaled the bodyguards to release the dog. She bent down, reaching out to help me up.

Suddenly, a panicked shriek erupted from Austin behind her.

"Ah! Help!"

"Something's wrong with my wheelchair!"

As he screamed, his electric wheelchair shot backward at high speed.

In the blink of an eye, the heavy wheels rolled directly over Benny’s frail body before slamming into the wall.

"Ouch! My legs hurt so much!" Austin cried out.

He was still able to cry about pain.

Benny, whose paws were still chained, had nowhere to run. He took the crushing weight of the motorized chair straight across his fragile torso. With one muffled whimper, he stopped moving.

Serena didn't even look down. She stepped right over Benny's body.

Rushing over, she scooped up the pale-faced Austin, soothing him tenderly:

"I'm here. Don't worry, I'm taking you to the ER right now."

Then, she hurried away.

I crawled toward Benny on my hands and knees. Blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth.

I grabbed the vet by the arm and roared:

"Save him!"

"He isn't breathing! Aren't you a doctor?! Save him right now!"

The vet checked Benny's nose, then shook his head at me.

"Mr. Vance, he's gone."

Buzz.

A deafening ringing exploded inside my head.

I don't even remember how I made it through that afternoon. I carried Benny's limp body to the pet crematorium like a walking corpse.

I had no real family left.

My mother died early. My father was a cheating scoundrel.

All these years, there were only two souls I poured my heart into: one woman, and one dog.

Now, Benny was dead, and Serena had betrayed me.

Standing beside the blazing incinerator, a chilling frost crept deep into my bones.

The phone in my pocket buzzed twice.

A text from Serena:

[It was just a light bump. I heard Benny whine, so he should be fine, right?]

[Austin, on the other hand, was terrified. I need to stay at the hospital with him tonight, so I won't be coming home. Since the agreement is signed, drop tomorrow's court case right away.]

[Don't be sad. From now on, I will love you twice as much.]

I didn't reply.

Holding Benny's urn, my eyes dropped to the ring on my finger. What an absolute joke.

Love?

To hell with her love.

Serena knew full well how much this would hurt me, yet she chose to do it anyway.

That wasn't a mistake. That was a choice.

Between hurting me and loving me, she chose to inflict harm—deliberate, calculated harm.

Some things can never be forgiven.

That afternoon, I didn't drop the lawsuit. Instead, I spent the entire night packing my bags and moved out of our shared house.

I slipped off the engagement ring that once symbolized our love.

I tossed it onto the coffee table.

The ring was trash. Serena's love was even worse.

My phone buzzed again.

A notification from the airline:

[Dear Mr. Liam Vance, your booking for Flight UA8785 to San Francisco has been confirmed. Departure: day after tomorrow at 10:15 AM. Safe travels!]

Another buzz. An unknown number:

[Mr. Vance, we looked into it. Austin was never in any car accident abroad.]