6
“Damian, if it weren’t for you giving Sophia a job, she wouldn’t even be able to stay in this city. Her mother is dead, so what? It’s no big deal. Now she can’t use that
excuse to get money out of you again. If you go after her now, you’re just giving her more power. Women know women. Sophia is just playing hard to get.”
For a moment, Damian looked at Chloe as if she were a stranger. He knew how talented I was. The company’s value had grown significantly under my leadership. In
fact, it was he who had been secretly suppressing me.
A human life, and Chloe spoke of it as if it were worthless.
Damian had just been replaying our past in his mind. He hadn’t spent a single penny on me. There was no gold–digging. It seemed that every time I had a meltdown,
every time I accused him and tried to explain, Chloe’s words had misled him. The image of me as a gold digger had become so deeply ingrained in his mind. The
situation we were in now was entirely due to her meddling after every one of our arguments.
1
The words were familiar, the script was the same. But now, Damian only felt disgusted.
Without Chloe, he wouldn’t have had such a twisted view of love. By the time he realized it, it was too late.
Seeing Chloe blocking the elevator, Damian’s face turned cold for a rare moment. “Move!”
Chloe, unwilling to give up, her eyes filled with grievance. “Damian, I can’t let you…”
Before she could finish, Damian shoved her aside. “If you get in my way again, I will never see you again for the rest of my life.”
When Damian finally reached the ground floor, he ran towards the entrance, shouting, “Sophia, don’t you dare leave!”
Tignored him, got into a taxi, and left the company. By the time Damian reached the entrance, all he could smell was exhaust fumes. He felt a wave of defeat.
For the next three days, Damian searched for me everywhere. I, of course, was not idle.
I remembered a senior from college who had opened a law firm after graduation. I found her in my contacts and sent a tentative message. No red exclamation mark. Thank God she hadn’t deleted me.
Because of our past friendship, we quickly reconnected. I explained my situation to her, recounted what my supervisor had said, and asked for her help in getting my money back
I deserved it. I had been foolish in love, but now I was determined to end this relationship for good. What was mine, I had to get back. I didn’t want Damian’s money. I didn’t want to be a gold digger.
To avoid any trouble, I had my friend print out the relevant laws and regulations. With evidence, no one could slander me.
In just three days, Damian looked visibly gaunt. The first news he got of me was a court summons. He held the paper, stunned, for a long time before a self–depreca- ting smile touched his lips.
The lawsuit was not as difficult as I had imagined. After winning, the money was quickly transferred to my account. Looking at the balance, it felt surreal. My moth er was gone. This money was useless to me now. But I couldn’t let Damian get away with withholding what I had earned:
Outside the courthouse, the wind whipped through my hair.
Chapter 2
08.14
I returned to my hometown.
I opened the door to the small courtyard where my mother and I had lived. The familiar smell brought tears to my eyes again. I clutched my mother’s urn and sank to
the ground, sobbing.
I’m sorry, Mom. I couldn’t give you a better life.
I’m sorry, Mom. I couldn’t get the money for your surgery in time.
I’m sorry, Mom. You never got to see me get married.
I had so many regrets.
When I had cried myself out, I saw the small stool in the courtyard. My mother had drawn a smiley face on it for me. The stool was covered in moss from disuse. I picked it up and took it to the stream. I scrubbed away the grime, and the smiley face became clearer and clearer. It looked just like my mother’s smile.
I gently caressed the drawing on the stool and murmured, “Mom, I will live well…”
As the words left my lips, my tears fell onto the stool.
I really couldn’t live without my mother.
After composing myself, I returned to the courtyard. Keeping busy always helps to forget troubles. After cleaning the courtyard, I felt much better.
