This Life Wasn’t for Love, It Was for Payback

Bryant's POV

With that scene unfolding, Ellen turned her face away but said, “My family has always followed strict traditions. If you’re going to marry me one day, you might as well get used to it early. It’s for your own good.”

I bit down so hard I could taste blood.

I glared at her with everything I had left.

But by the eighteenth strike, everything went black.

Just before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw her rushing toward me, panic written all over her face.

When I opened my eyes again, she was sitting at my bedside. It was supposed to be her first day reporting to school.

“I postponed enrollment,” she said. “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

I shut my eyes again. I didn’t want to look at her.

“Bryant, I will marry you,” she said softly, “but you need to change your attitude. You should’ve understood my heart in our past life. This time around, I’ll give you the title you want, but you can’t interfere with me and Toby, or his family.”

I cut her off. “Just say you’re clinging to the business alliance. No need to act like you’re doing me some big favor, like I owe you something. And for the record, I’m not marrying you.”

She paused, stunned for a second, then frowned. “Don’t be childish.”

“I’m not,” I said firmly. “We’re done. You don’t matter to me anymore.”

With that, her eyes turned cold. She stood and snapped, “And you think you have the right to say no?”

She was right. At this moment, I was just a live-in son-in-law in training, groomed to be the man quietly standing behind her career.

No autonomy. No future. Just a decorative accessory to the great Ellen.

In theory, I had no right to refuse.

But then, I looked at the message from the professor still on the screen of my phone.

My eyes stung with tears, and I smiled through them.

“This isn’t your decision to make,” I said.

Without warning, she snatched the phone from my hand.

“A son-in-law should know his place,” she snapped. “You’re not allowed to use electronics without permission. I’m keeping your phone. Each month I’ll call the landline to check on you. I’ll come back to visit during winter break.”

With that, she walked out with my phone in her hand.

But just as she reached the door, hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Her mother, usually calm and composed, burst in, completely out of breath. “Ellen! Something terrible happened! You can’t go back to school yet!”

As Ellen read the message, her face fell. “What?! The stock price crashed? That’s impossible!”

Just then, something clicked in her mind, and she quickly unlocked my phone.

When she saw the professor’s message, her entire body froze.

I leaned against the headboard and gave her a slow, satisfied smile.

“Bryant… how could it be you…” Her hand trembled as she held my phone.