Love is Wrong, Only Letting Go

After a week apart, he still looked as tall and striking as ever, laughing and chatting with the younger women in the office.

But the moment he saw me, his face turned cold, just as always.

"Cheryl, how much did my dad give you?"

I ignored him and walked toward the door.

That move clearly stung him. He caught up to me, blocking my way, his tone hostile.

"So, who was it that put on a ‘holier-than-thou’ act, swearing you wouldn’t take a penny from the Rivers Family?”

He sneered, “Turns out your target was my dad all along. Reeling him in for the big catch, are we?”

I looked at this man I’d loved for fifteen years, unable to hide my own bitterness. “Even if you’re kicking a dog, there’s no need to humiliate it this badly.”

Thomas’s face shifted uncomfortably and he quickly backpedaled. “Fine, just as long as that’s the case.”

Just then, his secretary came over with a project contract for him to sign.

Years of business experience told me immediately that this was a deal that would cost him, not benefit him.

But when I saw that Jessica was listed as the beneficiary, I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. “For the sake of a woman’s smile, you’re willing to disregard the family’s interests? Imagine how heartbroken your father would be if he knew.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Thomas’s gaze was like a knife laced with poison, sinking deep into my chest.

“We’re divorced now, so stop trying to get close by bringing up my dad every time.”

"Jessica is my future wife. There’s no need to talk about giving her a discount. If she wanted my entire billion-dollar fortune, I’d give it to her without a second thought—handing it over with both hands, no questions asked."

After he finished speaking, he signed his name on the paper and then transferred three million to Jessica’s bank account right in front of me.

Before leaving, he threw in one last remark. “Love always feels like a debt—you wouldn’t understand.”

I stood there, frozen for a long time, as memories flooded my mind like a tidal wave.

When I first entered the Rivers Family, I was broke. At the time, my half-sister was diagnosed with a serious illness and she needed three million for treatment.

The Rivers couple, already doing more than enough by adopting me, had no obligation to do more and I couldn’t bring myself to ask for anything else.

Thomas, raised in privilege with endless pocket money, learned of my situation and nodded, agreeing to lend me the money.

But the day before my sister was scheduled for surgery, Thomas suddenly backed out.

I still remember his exact words. "Sorry, I bought a gift for a friend’s birthday, so I don’t have the money to lend you right now."

Later, I ended up selling my blood to raise part of the money for my sister's treatment. It was while I was working as a waitress at a restaurant that I ran into Thomas.

He was proudly wearing an expensive diamond watch, all smiles as he wished Jessica a happy birthday.

To Thomas, I had always been nothing more than a tool to get back at his family. My sister’s life wasn’t even worth considering.

My father-in-law and he had grown distant and whenever they tried to talk, it would end in a fight after just a few words.

Years ago, he entered my room in the middle of the night, sweet-talking me into sleeping with him and afterward, he begged me to marry him—all part of his plan to sabotage my father-in-law’s intention to adopt me as his daughter.

In the end, he succeeded.

But I was the one who became trapped, desperately struggling in his hollow, elusive love.

At least now, it was still not too late to let go.

I was about to leave for interviews with several company HR departments, looking for a new job.

Amelia arrived just in time to stop me. She said, "Why work for someone else when you could be the boss of your own company?"

I thought it over carefully. After more than a decade of being controlled, I had long forgotten what true freedom even felt like.