Alyssa’s POV
When he passed by me, he hesitated for a moment, then still reached out and patted my shoulder.
“Alyssa, don’t be too greedy. Know when to stop.”
I slowly tore that check into pieces.
“That woman… Who is she?”
My nails dug hard into my palm. I just wanted to die knowing the truth.
But in the end, no one ever gave me an answer.
Casper protected her too well.
I wandered down the street in a daze. The dim lights at dawn stretched my shadow long.
Snow suddenly started falling from the night sky—tiny white flakes.
But the moment they touched my palm, they melted away.
Just like our three-year relationship, no matter how hard I tried, I could never hold onto it.
Three days ago, we were still standing together on the hotel terrace, enjoying the breeze. He had taken off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
I’d acted cute and thrown myself into his arms, saying I wanted to watch the year’s first snow with him.
He promised me—said he’d watch the first snowfall with me every year.
Now that it’s finally snowing, we’re already strangers.
Thinking about it carefully, maybe I don’t even have the right to blame him.
Like he said, I approached him with a purpose.
When my father kicked me out, my pride wouldn’t allow me to humble myself and apologize.
And someone as powerful as Casper… became my only option.
I don’t know when things started to change—when my purposeful approach turned into something else.
Maybe it was the time he defended me in front of everyone.
Maybe it was when he never let other women get close, but I was his only exception.
Maybe it was when someone of his status willingly lowered himself for me, acting like a clown just to make me laugh.
I fell for him…
Hopelessly.
The sweeter the memories were back then, the more shattering the pain feels now.
When I called home and asked the driver to pick me up, the housekeeper said Casper had already taken that apartment back.
With nowhere to go, I had no choice but to return to that cold, loveless home of my parents.
The moment I stepped inside, I was met with my father’s cold stare.
He didn’t even bother to lift his head from the couch.
“Hmph, so you still remember how to come back. Haven’t seen you in three years; thought you forgot where your own home was.
“Didn’t you say you’d rather die out there? What, couldn’t manage to die after all?”
My stepmother chimed in, pretending to soothe things.
“Camden, don’t say that. Alyssa is still your daughter.”
“I heard she’s been living pretty well these past few years,” she continued. “Dated some impressive boyfriend, lived in a villa, drove some fancy car—even more expensive than your dad’s.”
“Huh? You came back alone today? Didn’t bring your boyfriend?”
My father let out a mocking snort.
“A boyfriend? He’d have to actually acknowledge her first! Who knows who she’s been seeing these three years? She probably went out there and became someone’s mistress!”
All the resentment I’d buried for three years exploded at once.
I smashed everything I could see, yelling at them:
“Are you done?
“Only a cheating scumbag like you would tell your own daughter to go be a mistress!
“What? You cheated, so now you think every woman in the world is like your mistress? Are you disappointed I didn’t become someone’s side piece?”
My father’s chest heaved. The next second, he shoved a cup off the table, smashing it.
“How dare you talk to your father like that!
“Get out! I don’t have a daughter like you! Get out of my house!”
I glared at him.
“This is the house my mom left me. The ones who should get out are you two!”
“The deed is in my name now!” he shot back.
Tension filled the room. My stepmother rushed over and held him back.
“Stop, both of you. This isn’t the time to fight.
“Merida is bringing her fiancé home tomorrow. Alyssa, you’ve come back just in time. You’ll have to meet him anyway.”
