Eira’s eyes darted nervously as she stammered, at a loss for words.
The villa had been purchased shortly after I lost my memory. She had coaxed me into buying it with a bank card that came from who knew where.
When I thought about it, that card must have belonged to my family, the Grant family.
She had used my money to buy the house. Even so, she had led me to believe, without a single mark on her conscience, that I was the one relying on her to survive.
“And you.” I turned to Reed. “That designer coat you’re wearing must’ve cost a pretty penny. I wonder which card it was charged to?”
Reed’s expression darkened.
I stepped closer, sneering coldly. “It’s Eira’s supplementary card, isn’t it? Don’t you know who’s been paying the bill on the primary card every month?”
Over the past five years, Eira’s career had only just taken off. Her income could not possibly cover such extravagant spending.
I had paid for everything.
I once thought it had been proof of Eira’s love. Out of love, she had entrusted her money to me. I finally realized that I was nothing but their human ATM.
Reed was rendered speechless by my question, but within a second, he straightened his back. Far from showing shame, his face flashed with defiant arrogance.
“What of it?” He snapped, frowning. “Vedran, what gives you the right to act so high and mighty? If Eira hadn’t taken pity on you and picked you up five years ago, you’d probably be wallowing in some filthy gutter right now!
“Every penny you spend, every bite you eat, is a gift from Eira! Without her, you’re nothing!”
Eira shielded Reed behind her, glaring at me. “Vedran, what is wrong with you?
“I worked my butt off to build a home for you. I trusted you with the finances! Your money is my money, isn’t it?
“I provided you with a life free from want. What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with?
“What’s wrong with spending a little now and then to buy Reed a new outfit? What gives you the right to yell at me like this? Don’t forget that I supported you for five whole years!
“Don’t think a few scrapes and bruises would make you some big shot now. Let me tell you, without me, you’re nothing!”
“Is that so?”
I watched her face flush crimson with guilt, and the last shred of lingering affection vanished from my heart. I wrenched my hand free from hers.
“Eira, we’ll soon find out who is nothing without whom.”
Eira, however, fixed her gaze on me. “Who says you could leave me?
“So what if the marriage certificate is fake? We truly lived together for five years. Isn’t it all fine as long as our feelings are real?
“Rest assured, to the outside world, you’ll always be my husband.”
“Eira, Vedran must have been deeply hurt. We should give him some time to adjust.”
As he spoke, Reed smirked viciously. He deliberately emphasized each syllable in “Eira.”
He turned to me with an air of superiority. “Speaking of which, I wore Eira out last night. Go change the sheets and wash them.
“Remember to hand-wash them. They’re silk. Don’t ruin them in the washing machine.”
As he spoke, he touched the love bites on his neck. It was almost as if he was flaunting them.
Eira also shot me a glance, silently implying it was all perfectly normal.
“Reed is right. You should find more things to do. That way, you won’t have time for more wild thoughts.”
She flashed Reed a bashful smile. “I’m not tired. Let’s continue tonight.”
