Chapter 3

So, they weren't as united as I thought.

I pulled out my phone's transfer records. Under Liam's angry gaze, Mom slumped there like a cat caught by its tail.

"Mom's income is low, and you haven't really worked hard since you graduated. Everything costs money these days, there's no extra left."

"It's all your sister's fault. How can she be so irresponsible? Doesn't she know to save money for her brother to buy a house?"

I quickly seized on the key phrase.

"Oh, so buying a house for Liam is "my" responsibility? So, did you also pay for Uncle's new house last year?"

I had just blurted it out as a guess, but it hit Mom right where it hurt.

She frantically explained, "I was just helping your uncle out; he'll return it eventually."

Liam's face turned red with anger. "You actually gave him money? What about me then? How can I get a wife if I can't pay the down payment tomorrow?"

Mom's crying, Liam's shouting—the house instantly turned into chaos.

I broke the deadlock.

"Our old house is worth something, isn't it? Why don't we just sell it to cover Liam's down payment? As long as his fiancée likes it, it's fine. What's the big deal? Mom can just move in with you two, right?"

Mom quickly objected. "No way, this is the only house I have left!"

Liam, however, thought for a moment and then agreed to the suggestion.

"Why are you so unwilling? If you hadn't given all that money to Uncle, would I be in this position, having to sell the house? Besides, you'd get to live in a big house with me and enjoy life. You could take care of us, and when I have a son, you could help raise the kids. It's a great deal, isn't it?"

Mom lowered her head, silent.

Liam showed a never-before-seen level of initiative. He immediately contacted a real estate agent and listed the house.

Seeing that it was a done deal, I quickly made an excuse about a business trip and rushed back to my company that very night.

It wasn't entirely an excuse. The company had offered me a great opportunity before; if the new project was completed successfully, I'd get a promotion and a raise.

But the project wasn't in my current city, and I had hesitated to accept because I wanted to take care of my family.

Now, I didn't hesitate to contact my boss, hoping to go on that new project. My boss readily agreed.

"I thought you'd be stuck in this city forever. Finally had a change of heart?"

I smiled and replied, "I'm in the prime of my life; I have to live for myself."

The guilt from years of being manipulated by Mom had long vanished. How could I give my all to people who didn't deserve it?

They were sucking my blood while mocking me as a fool.

Even my life seemed so insignificant in their eyes.

Before boarding the high-speed train to a distant city, I looked back one last time at the city where I had lived for so many years.

Among the myriad of lights in the night, I had never found a single glimmer that belonged to me.

I thought this matter would no longer concern me, but no sooner had I arrived at the new project than I received a call from Liam.

"Ava, Chloe knows she has to wait a bit longer, and she's not even talking to me anymore. What's even worse is that jerk, Dylan, my colleague, is taking advantage of the situation! Seeing that we're having problems, he's actually trying to pursue Chloe. What a scumbag!"

"You work in real estate, don't you? Hurry up and find someone to sell our house quickly!"

Dylan? Wasn't that the guy who was going to buy a house and get married to Chloe in my previous life?

That guy always seemed to intervene at surprisingly convenient times.