“The footage turned out great. I’ll wire you all the payment soon.”
“Just got word from the nursing home—the old hag killed herself. Tough to the end, I’ll give her that. But imagining Vance bawling his eyes out? God, that’s satisfying. Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that he once helped build the company from scratch, Cindy would’ve dumped him ages ago.”
“He thought he could cling to the president’s seat? Then he better pay the price. Vance is a pathetic bastard. His daughter was a little bitch, and his mom was an old bitch. Now he doesn’t have to worry about who’ll take care of his daughter anymore—the old hag has gone to babysit her in hell. Hahaha!”
Rage exploded in my chest.
I stormed forward and slapped Eugene across the face.
The crack echoed.
Cindy rushed over and, without a word, shoved me hard. I lost balance and fell face-first onto a cactus on the bar counter—my hands were instantly covered in blood.
“Vance, are you done with this crazy act?!”
“Cindy...” Eugene said pitifully, “I don’t even know what I did wrong. As soon as Mr. Santos showed up, he hit me. Is it because you planned to celebrate our 100-day anniversary tonight? Is he jealous?”
“I get it. He thinks I’m beneath him. I’m just a poor student, nobody in his eyes—just your family’s servant. Maybe I should just leave and go back to school…”
Cindy grabbed his arm and turned to me, disappointment in her eyes.
“Vance, when did you become so petty and superficial?”
“Eugene is an orphan. He’s worked hard for everything he has, never once knowing what it’s like to be loved or protected. I’ve loved you for years—was that not enough? And now, over something this small, you hit someone out of jealousy?”
I laughed, cold and hollow.
“Petty? You think I’m the petty one?” My voice trembled. “Do you even know? My mother is dead—killed because Eugene sent men to torment her. They—”
Slap.
Her palm landed square across my face, drawing blood from the corner of my mouth.
Cindy’s voice was like ice. “Vance, how many times do I have to tell you—don’t use that tone when talking about Eugene.”
“You already blamed him for Louise’s death, just to drive him away. And now you dare curse your own mother too? Is there a shred of decency left in you?!”
Seeing her so easily, so naturally stood on Eugene’s side—I no longer had the will to argue.
Her heart had turned long ago. Nothing I said would ever matter again.
“...Fine,” I said, pulling out the resignation and divorce documents. “Sign these. I’ll leave. You’ll never have to see me again.”
She didn’t even look before scrawling her name and flinging the papers in my face.
“I know you’re bitter about Louise’s death. You want to lash out, buy whatever closure you think you need—I’ll sign it all.”
“But you humiliated Eugene again and again in public. Unless you kneel and apologize, I can’t promise your daughter’s ashes won’t suddenly go missing from the crematorium… or end up fed to the dogs.”
I shook with fury and heartbreak.
I no longer recognized the woman I once loved.
“...You win, Cindy.”
Swallowing every ounce of my dignity, I dropped to my knees before Eugene.
“I was out of line today. I’m sorry.”
Before I could even rise, he pressed my head down and slammed it into the floor—once, twice.
“Come on, Mr. Santos, you know what a real apology looks like. Only blood makes it sincere.”
Blood trickled from my forehead.
Cindy looked like she wanted to intervene, but Eugene leaned into her with a wounded whimper.
“Cindy, look at my face... do you think it’s bruised? He hit me in the face. Who does that?”
In the end, Cindy said nothing. She took Eugene’s hand and led him back to the office.
Soon, the unmistakable sounds of lust echoed from inside.
I ignored the looks from passing employees, stumbling out of the building like a ghost.
Just then, a long black Bentley limousine pulled up in front of me.
Its doors opened, and out stepped over a dozen sharply dressed women in suits—faces from both East and West.
A line of impeccably dressed women bowed in unison before me.
“Good day, Mr. Santos. We are the Perkins Corporation’s elite legal team—at your service.”
