My Ex-Boyfriend is a Firefighter

3

That's right.

My mom doesn't love me. She loves my brother.

Refusing to give up, I called my mom again. This time, she was clearly impatient, yelling at me over the phone, "Chantal, what's wrong with you? I'm playing mahjong, and you just keep bothering me! If I lose because of this..."

I felt a surge of helplessness, but I cut her off. "I just want my money back. You've taken almost all of my salary for the past few years."

The moment she heard I was asking for money, my mom's voice turned shrill. "What money? Chantal, I raised you for twenty-five years, and you have the nerve to ask me for money? Do you have any conscience at all? I don't have any money. Go ask whoever you want!"

Strangely, in that moment, I felt a sense of liberation instead.

"Fine. I don't want the money anymore. Consider it my repayment for giving me life. From now on, I'll remember that I have no mother."

I hung up as soon as I finished speaking, her curses still echoing in my ears. Then I blocked her number.

'It's a relief, really. My world is finally quiet. No more petty family squabbles, no more favoring sons over daughters.'

'But where am I supposed to go now?'

'I only have a little over a thousand in my bank account, and payday is still more than twenty days away. I can't bear to spend it on a hotel.'

'This thousand or so isn't enough to rent a new place, either.'

Just then, a black car pulled up in front of me, and a familiar voice called out.

"Chantal."

I looked up. It was Ian Sheffield.

He looked me in the eye, his face expressionless. "Get in."

I wanted to refuse, but a car behind us honked just then, so I had no choice but to get into Ian Sheffield's car.

I sat in the back seat.

After Ian Sheffield had driven a short distance, I finally managed to stammer, "I... I'm headed out on a business trip."

Ian Sheffield was silent for a moment before he spoke again, his voice even. "Chantal, you can't fool me."

My heart gave a painful lurch, and tears of indignation welled up in my eyes.

I hadn't felt this sense of indignation even when I cut ties with my mom, but a single sentence from Ian Sheffield was all it took to shatter my composure.

I quickly wiped my tears away. "Why would I lie to you?"