Crash and Burn: A Love Story

Mom looked at my car in disdain.

"What kind of junk car are you driving? Look at what they drove off in. It was a Maybach! How grand indeed. A car like that costs hundreds of thousands!"

I smiled wryly. Mom had no clue I paid for that Maybach. She'd probably faint in anger if she found out.

During the drive, I dared not meet her gaze. I was scared I'd fail to hold my tears back. She kept chastising me the whole time. She said I wasn't getting any younger and hoped I could find someone to spend the rest of my life with.

When I first got together with Harrison, I'd happily called Mom up and shared the good news. She immediately booked a plane ticket to come and meet him, her future son-in-law. However, he said he was busy that day and had to go on a business trip the next day. He used all kinds of excuses to refuse to see her. He even refused to answer my calls.

Mom stuck around for two weeks, but even so, she never got to meet him. In the end, she had to leave in disappointment. She even reflected on herself, wondering if she'd scared him off with her impatience.

From then onward, she never mentioned wanting to come over to see him. Nevertheless, during the festive season, she often hoped that I could bring him home with me. Alas, he adamantly refused each time.

This continued until half a year ago when Mom finally lost her temper.

She interrogated me, asking me if I'd faked a boyfriend to avoid her nagging me about getting married. Why else would I not be able to show her my boyfriend after four years?

In the end, she gave me an ultimatum. If she still didn't get to meet my so-called boyfriend, I would have to comply with her demands and go on blind dates with the guys she picked out.

I got into a huge fight with her over that. I even refused to talk to her for months.

This situation went on until two months ago when my dad passed away in a car accident. I begged Harrison to return to my hometown with me, but once again, he disappeared like he always did, with nothing more than a text to excuse himself.

"My aunt broke her leg. I need to head back to take care of her, so I can't accompany you."

After seeing such a ridiculous excuse, I finally gave up and went back to attend Dad's funeral alone.

It was a sudden tragedy. Unsurprisingly, Mom fell into a state of grief and sorrow.

Seeing how upset she was, I steeled myself and told her to fly over to meet me soon. I promised she could meet Harrison then.

I assumed that as long as I cajoled Harrison and garnered his pity, he would agree to meet Mom. However, he eyed me coldly and flat-out rejected me.

"Vivian, I've told you many times that I'm not used to interacting with older people. If you continue to force me like this, let's just break up."

This was what he always did. Whenever I went against him, he would threaten me with a breakup. Once that happened, I would always apologize in fear and agree to all of his unreasonable demands.

The loving relationship I thought we had was merely the product of my foolishness. He didn't love me and couldn't even be bothered to pretend.

It was time for me to get out of this situation too.

Mom became even angrier when she saw my tiny rental when we got home.

"Vivian, even if you can't find yourself a decent boyfriend, why must you rent such a terrible place?"

Smiling bitterly, I said nothing.

This was Harrison's rented apartment.

Previously, figuring that it was closer to my office, I asked if I could move in with him. He was reluctant at first and only agreed to it once I offered to pay the rent for him.

When he came over to help me move my things and saw the apartment I owned, which was over 2,000 square feet in size, his eyes gleamed.

He remarked that the apartment was in a good location, and the assigned parking lot it came with made it convenient for heading to and fro work. Then, he tentatively asked me if he could stay here whenever he had to work late.

I agreed without hesitation and immediately added his fingerprint to the smart lock on the door.

Who would've thought he'd end up staying almost entirely at my place? He rarely ever returned to his original rental.

After taking a tour of the place, Mom eyed me in contempt. "Vivian, I don't see any signs of a man staying in this place. I knew it. You've been lying to me all along."

Having heard what she said, I looked around as well. Only then did I realize that at some point, Harrison had moved all of his things out. I guessed I was so used to being alone here that I never noticed.

I brushed Mom off and told her to get some rest before heading off with my car keys.

As soon as I got to my apartment, I spotted the Maybach in my parking lot. Harrison was back.

Feeling upset, I went upstairs and scanned my fingerprint at the door, but it didn't unlock the way it usually did. Instead, it beeped to signify that my fingerprint scan had failed.

I refused to give up. I tried a few more times, but I still couldn't get the door to open. Left with no choice, I tried to key in the password instead, but it had been changed as well.

My crushing sense of defeat turned into rage, and I pounded the door.

"I know you're inside, Harrison! Get out here!"

I kept shouting until my throat was strained before the door finally opened ever so slightly.

Harrison scowled at me, his gaze making it seem as if I were his mortal enemy.

Keeping his voice down, he threatened me, "Are you crazy, Vivian? Must you insist on causing trouble for me? If you insist on keeping this up, we should just—"

I couldn't resist interrupting with a sneer, "We should just break up, right? Sure! If you get out here and explain things properly, we can call it quits right here, right now!"

Harrison probably never expected me to be this determined this time. He stared at me in disbelief. Just as he was about to speak, I heard a coquettish voice calling out behind him, "Who is it, Harrison? Why are you opening the door to our house for no reason?"

He was so flustered that he stammered through his reply. "I-It's no one. It's just an old tenant of mine. She's not right in the head. She thinks she still lives here."

Ignoring my fury, Harrison shoved me away and warned, "Get lost! If you ever disturb us again, I'll call the police!"

As I stood outside the door, I began to tear up at how pathetic and laughable I was.

I slaved away at work all day and night to buy this apartment, but now I can't even get through the door.

In Harrison's eyes, I was nothing but a fool he could use as he pleased.

I realized how quick it was to lose all feelings for a person.

Glancing at Anna, the young woman Harrison was doing his best to protect, I smirked and took my phone out.

"Let's get the police involved then. I hope you haven't forgotten that I'm the one who lent you this apartment. Let's see who the police will arrest!"

Ignoring the panicked look on Harrison's face, I clenched my jaw and called the police.