Chapter 3

The intern was stunned, but quickly pieced things together. "CEO Ashley is unbelievable!" she blurted out angrily.

I gave her a gentle smile, told her to keep up the good work, and turned my back on the place I had bled for over the years.

Leaving didn't make me feel light as air.

A star litigator who commanded respect across the entire state, and I had exactly three dollars and sixty-five cents left to my name. Nobody would believe it if I told them.

I sighed and hesitated before dialing an old college classmate.

The second Bianca heard I broke up with Ashley, she was thrilled. She immediately offered to drive through the night to pick me up, recruit me to her firm, and give me a full partnership with equity.

I told her not to go through all that trouble—all I needed was two hundred bucks to buy a bus ticket.

Over the years, I had gotten used to taking long-distance buses on business trips just to save money for Ashley's firm.

To my shock, Bianca sounded heartbroken. She instantly wired two million dollars into my bank account, told me to book the most expensive first-class flight for tomorrow morning, and said she was heading to the airport right now to wait for me.

I smiled bitterly, an ache blooming in my chest.

She was so generous. Miles more generous than Ashley had ever been.

I spent the night in a cheap motel. Scrolling through Ins, I saw Julian’s party videos from the wedding, showing Ashley laughing so brightly. I quietly tapped the 'like' button.

The next day, I boarded my first-class flight right on time.

When the plane landed and I stepped out of the arrivals gate, Julian’s voice suddenly rang out.

"Ethan? Why aren't you working on the case? Why are you stalking us?" he asked in shock.

"I was wondering why you were so generous as to like our video last night. Turns out you were tracking us down!"

I turned around. Ashley and Julian were standing there, their fingers intertwined, wearing matching wedding bands and glowing with newlywed bliss.

What a perfect match.

Seeing me, Ashley sighed with annoyance, let go of Julian’s hand, and walked up to me.

"Ethan, didn't we agree to take some space? I'm going on a honeymoon with Julian to make sure his parents are completely fooled."

"If you keep tailing me like a creep, it's exhausting. Besides, didn't I send you a case to handle?"

Julian crossed his arms, whining, "Ethan, I don't even mind that you and Ashley were legally married. Can't you be a man and give us some private space?"

"Why are you following us? Are you going to watch us in bed, too?"

Seeing Julian get upset, Ashley quickly consoled him before glaring at me.

"Look, Ethan, you've seen me. Now go back. You know Julian doesn't like having you around."

"Wait... where did you get the money for a plane ticket? Did you stash secret cash behind my back? You've got some nerve!"

I kept my face completely blank. "First, I am not following you. Second, this ticket was a gift from a friend."

Ashley rolled her eyes impatiently. "Still lying? What friends do you even have in New York?"

Julian piped up smoothly, "Wait... did Ethan take out a predatory loan or something?"

At that, Ashley blew a fuse like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "How humiliating! I'll transfer you the cash right now. Don't you dare let your sketchy debts drag our firm down. Now get lost!"

Looking at the utter disgust written across her face, I found it absurdly hilarious.

When I first found out our marriage certificate was a fake, I hadn't exposed her lie.

I foolishly thought that maybe, just maybe, with enough time, the fake would eventually turn real.

It wasn't until she hired Julian, showered him with favoritism, and openly fooled around with him day in and day out that I finally woke up.

A lie was a lie. It would never become the truth.