Chapter 3

For Vivian, he had severed ties with his parents. He had even blamed their breakup entirely on me.

Back in college, Vivian had a terrible reputation due to rumors about an affair with her academic advisor.

When she started dating Lucas, his parents were vehemently opposed to her.

Yet Lucas was convinced I was the one poisoning his parents' minds behind their backs.

Back then, he had cornered me, his eyes blazing as he warned me:

"Even speaking Vivian's name is a disgrace coming from your mouth."

After Vivian left and we got together, I never spoke her name again. Besides, I had heard she was already married.

"Why is she working here?"

I couldn't help asking.

Lucas didn't even look up from his desk.

"This company belongs to the Vance family. Just like the house you grew up in."

The cruelty between the lines was unmistakable.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and changed the subject. "Are we going to visit your parents tonight?"

His tone turned instantly cold.

"You don't need me there to put on a good show for them," he scoffed. "They've always liked you better anyway."

After my mother died, Lucas’s parents took me in.

To be exact, I was raised by them.

Because I was living under someone else's roof, I was always careful, well-behaved, and desperate to please.

My own mother had barely given me any love; she spent her entire life chasing after a man, and in the end, she died out in the desolate plains where he lived.

Lucas’s mom and my mom had been childhood best friends. Out of sheer pity and love, she showered me with affection, sometimes even more than she gave Lucas.

Lucas despised my calculated politeness. He said I was fake.

Snapping out of the memory, I coaxed softly,

"Let's go together, please?"

"No. I have a meeting. Just leave," Lucas said, flat and unyielding.

As I walked out of his office, I passed Vivian heading inside.

Figures. In his world, I was always the one being kicked out.

I drove over to his parents' house alone.

The moment they saw me, their faces lit up with warm smiles.

Knowing how much I loved spicy food, his mom had prepared a table full of dishes coated in chili and spices.

My doctor had strictly forbidden spicy, irritating foods.

Sure enough, after just a couple of bites, a violent coughing fit seized my chest.

His mom rushed to pour me a glass of water. "What's wrong, Layla?"

"I'm fine, Auntie. I guess it's just been a while since I had spicy food," I wheezed, desperately suppressing the tickle in my throat.

"It's because you're always catering to that boy Lucas, isn't it?" his dad sighed.

Lucas hated spicy food ever since he was a kid. When I first moved in, he even went on a hunger strike because his mom kept cooking spicy meals.

Later, I lied and told everyone I didn't like spicy food either.

Before leaving, I told them not to worry and promised to take good care of Lucas.

His mom waved her hand.

"He's a grown man, he won't starve! You need to look after yourself, sweetheart. Eat whatever you want. You look like you've lost so much weight."

Fighting back the tears pricking my eyes, I promised, "I will. I'll eat well from now on."

On my drive home, another car rear-ended me. The driver stormed out and slammed his fist against my window, shouting something.

"What?" For a terrifying second, I couldn't hear a word. His mouth was opening and closing violently, his face twisted in fury.

"I've been honking at you forever! Are you deaf?! If you don't know how to drive, stay off the damn road!"

The sound suddenly flooded back. That was why the street had felt so quiet—my ears had shut down again.

I hurried out of the car, apologizing profusely.

The driver grabbed my arm aggressively.

"I asked if you're deaf! How are you gonna pay for this?"

A crowd started gathering. In the end, I transferred him some cash on PayPal just to make him leave.

My hands were shaking too badly to keep driving. After hesitating for a long time, my thumb finally pressed Lucas's name on my screen.

Ring after ring. Finally, a connection. Vivian’s voice came through. "Mr. Vance is busy."

Four sharp words, and she hung up.

I carefully pulled the car over to the curb and called an Uber home.

Once the front door clicked shut, I finally let myself cough.

Crimson blood sprayed from my lips, trickling down my chin in a steady stream.

I collapsed onto the floor, letting out a shattered, animalistic sob.

If Lucas were beside me right now, it wouldn't hurt this much.

I wanted so badly to tell him I was dying.

I wanted him to hold me and let me say, Lucas, it hurts so much.

My trembling fingers typed out a text to him before I could stop myself:

"If I disappeared, would you miss me?"

To my surprise, the "busy" CEO replied within seconds:

"If you want to leave, do it already."