When he saw me, he clicked his tongue with clear impatience and flung his bag at me without a second glance.
The landlord turned to him and said, "If you’re breaking the lease early, the deposit won’t be refunded. You still need to cover these two months’ rent. I mean, you two don’t exactly look broke, don’t make things difficult for me."
The moment those words left his mouth, Drew shot me a cold, cutting glare.
"You didn’t pay the rent? Waiting here to ambush me? Anya, do you have to make yourself this cheap? Throwing your little games in my face. Are you really that desperate for money?"
I answered without thinking.
"Yes, I am."
The five hundred thousand dollars my mom spent her life saving was nothing but spare change to him. But for her, it had cost everything, her life.
He scoffed and yanked a thick wad of cash from his bag, slamming it across my face.
"Here, how much do you want? Take it!"
Red bills flew across the hallway, scattering at my feet.
Just days ago, I might’ve dropped to the floor and grabbed every last note.
But now, they were worthless to me.
I counted out just enough to cover two months’ rent and handed it to the landlord. Without saying another word, I turned the key and stepped inside.
This apartment had once been our little world, where Drew and I lived together for two years. Every corner, every shadow still held the warmth of our past.
My gaze landed on the photo hanging on the wall. We looked a little awkward in it, but we were leaning into each other, our smiles wide and foolishly bright.
It was our first photo together.
Fresh out of college, he had approached me in the pantry during my internship, claiming he was an intern from another department.
I still remember the way his eyes curved when he smiled, that quiet gleam in them as he said he didn’t know much and hoped I could teach him.
He had seemed so sincere, so harmless. Even if it was all deliberate, I still fell for it, fell for him.
I truly believed we could build a future together. I worked hard, fought tooth and nail for a permanent position, trying to carve out a space for us in this ruthless city.
For two years, we held each other up, brick by brick, life by life.
But now, everything had crumbled to dust.
All those dreams were just a rich boy’s temporary fantasy, a role he got bored with playing.
A bitter sense of absurdity welled up in me, but Drew didn’t notice the shift in my expression. He walked straight to the couch and sat down like nothing had happened.
"Happy now, Anya? You finally got your money. Must feel good, right?"
"You being this obsessed with money is honestly disgusting. What happened to your dignity? You used to be proud."
"Think about it. How many times have you asked me for money these past few months? All for some stupid Mercedes. You didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. So that whole story about fighting for your future? Just empty talk, wasn’t it?"
I lifted my gaze to him. The man in front of me, dressed in a flawless suit, every detail of him polished, felt like a stranger.
He clearly had no intention of keeping up the mask anymore.
The frustration and disdain in his voice chipped away at me, piece by piece. Still, I didn’t react to his accusations. I only said quietly, "Let’s get a divorce, Drew."
A strange silence filled the space. Then, out of nowhere, he laughed.
"Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? Just to get that 500,000, you even made up that your mom had cancer. You know how much I hate being lied to. After two years together, I was completely blind. If we’re ending this, I’ll be the one to say it."
His voice burned with rage as he pulled a sheet of paper from his bag and signed it without hesitation.
"Come here. Sign it. Let’s get this over with. I don’t have time to waste on you."
So, he’d come prepared all along.
