Chapter 4

"Starting right now, I’m freezing your credit cards and revoking your access to the house keys. Without my money, you’re nothing but a stray dog in this country!"

With those final words, Victoria didn't look at me again. She rushed to help Julian up.

She screamed at the stunned employees standing around:

"What are you waiting for? Call an ambulance!"

"No, forget it, we'll take my car to the hospital. Hurry!"

The crowd quickly swarmed out of the office, leaving me alone.

I stood there, rubbing my bruised shoulder where Victoria had shoved me, and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Look at yourself, Ethan.

This is what five years of devotion and crossing the ocean got you.

But it was fine.

This made leaving so much easier.

I knew Victoria was a woman of her word. She would definitely lock me out.

I didn't even bother going back to the villa to pack.

Since she claimed she "provided" for me, anything bought with her money would only disgust me now.

Fortunately, since I had gone to the immigration office earlier, I had my passport and ID on me.

That was all I needed.

I hailed a cab and went straight to JFK airport.

Deep down, Victoria probably knew Julian was faking his injury.

But she still wanted to test my limits.

Just like her friends said, she had supported me for five years, giving me a luxurious life. She assumed I would always be obedient, no matter what.

Even if she cheated or lied, she expected me to accept a quick apology and move on.

After all, she was the breadwinner.

Thinking of this, Victoria pursed her lips and went ahead to freeze my credit cards and lock me out of the villa's smart system.

She sent me a text on Snapchat:

"Have you learned your lesson yet?"

"Come to the hospital and apologize to Julian. I might consider letting this go."

But Victoria forgot one thing. Back in London, I had a family, a career, and friends waiting for me.

I never begged her to support me. I only gave up my life because I loved her.

So when I saw the message, I only found it hilarious.

I glanced at it and cleared the notification.

Three hours passed. The sun went down, and the sky turned pitch black.

I still hadn't replied.

This was unusual.

Without a green card, I couldn't open a US bank account, meaning I had no personal savings.

New York wasn't the safest place at night, and I rarely carried more than a hundred dollars in cash. I couldn't even afford a decent motel.

Victoria figured that even if I was angry, I wouldn't risk my safety.

Uncomfortable with the silence, she sent another message five hours later:

"I've unblocked your card and the house keys. Just go home."

"Don't wander the streets. It's not safe. We can talk about this when I get back."

I still didn't reply.

Another hour passed, and Victoria was starting to lose her mind.

She checked the bank statements; my card hadn't been used once.

She checked the security cameras at the villa; I hadn't returned.

With no car, no money, and nowhere to go, wandering the streets of New York alone at night was incredibly dangerous.

Victoria's heart raced with panic.

She couldn't sit still. She paced the hospital hallway, her thumb hovering over the screen. After typing and erasing several times, she sent one last text:

"Stop playing games. Come home."

Still, no response.

I was currently standing at the boarding gate, scanning my ticket.

I calmly read her message, blocked her number, deleted her from Snapchat, and turned off my phone.

I walked down the jet bridge without looking back.

As the plane accelerated down the runway, I watched the glittering skyline of New York grow smaller and smaller until it completely vanished into the clouds.

There were no tears, no regrets. Only absolute relief.

Goodbye, Victoria.

We will never see each other again.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, my complete silence was driving Victoria insane.

Just as she was about to swallow her pride and call me, her phone rang. It was her close friend, Chloe.

"Hey Victoria, I just landed! I wanted to surprise you, so I didn't ask for a ride. Didn't you say you and Ethan would show me around once I got here?"

"But hey, I think I just saw Ethan at the airport. He was boarding a direct flight to London."

"Did he go back home?"