Chapter 11
“One million”
My dad shouted first.
“Two million! At least twenty million!”
My mom screamed over him, even shoving my father aside.
Rowan’s lips curled in a cold sneer, eyes sharp with disdain.
“One million each. Transfer it to your designated accounts. Now, sign.”
Faced with that astronomical sum, my parents barely hesitated. They snatched up the pens and signed the agreement as if afraid we might renege.
After signing, my dad even smiled smugly.
“Serene is still the best! That Elowen is a money-loser-useless!”
My mom nodded in agreement.
“That’s right! Back then, her father got so frustrated playing poker that he drank two bottles of fake liquor and died. What does that have to do with us? We were so kind to adopt her…”
I chuckled softly, letting my words cut through the air.
“Don’t think I don’t know. You sold him that fake liquor. You adopted Elowen, and in the process, got a car and tens of thousands left by her father. Be content.”
Their faces paled instantly. Dejected, they clutched the checks and fled without a backward glance.
The incident went viral online, and netizens devoured every detail of the chaos between the three
of us.
Elowen suffered the most damage: her cheating on the final exam was exposed, leading to her immediate expulsion. The Harrington Global revoked her second-place internship and blacklisted her permanently. Rumors swirled that she borrowed from loan sharks and even tried to frame Caius in the notorious “AB Loan” scam. He chased her down in a fury, as did my parents-after all, I had paid my alimony, and she hadn’t. But that mess was no longer my
concern.
Meanwhile, I settled into a bright office, wearing a sleek business suit, officially an employee of a Harrington Global.
I had always wondered why Rowan helped me so unconditionally, even using money I might never earn in my life.
When I got my first month’s pay, I took him out to dinner to show my gratitude.
“Remember the time your parents came to the bar looking for you?” he asked.
I nodded, recalling the chaos. They had tracked me down, assuming I was rich, ready to cause trouble.
“Serene, give me five thousand! I’m going to play poker!” my mother had demanded.
I had pushed her away resolutely.
“I don’t have any money. My salary goes to tuition and rent. Please leave-I’m working.”
Chanter 10
212
90 9%
3:39 pm pppp.
“Work? Drinking with people is also a job! Stop pretending to be so high and mighty!” my father sneered, raising a hand.
In that instant, I grabbed an empty bottle from a nearby customer and smashed it against my forehead. Bang! Shards of glass scattered, and blood gushed down my face.
Everyone froze. I didn’t flinch, staring straight at my parents.
“I don’t have any money, but I have my life. If this isn’t enough embarrassment for you, watch me bleed-or leave now.”
Unprepared for my resolve, they froze, humiliated under the piercing glares of surrounding customers, and stormed out, cursing.
I silently wiped the blood from my forehead, adjusted my hair and uniform, and continued working as if nothing had happened. The decisive, brutal scene vanished, leaving only the ordinary rhythm of my job.
Rowan had witnessed it all. Later, his gaze followed me as he spoke softly:
“In you, I see a part of myself. As a child, I was helpless, had to rely on no one but myself. As I grew, I carried family burdens, yet I still lived bravely. I admire your strength, and I feel for your resilience. Helping you is helping my younger self.”
I smiled sincerely.
“You’re only five years older than me, yet you feel like a generation ahead.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Rowan’s eyes sparkled as he returned my smile.
Later, his company went public. I stood beside him at the bell-ringing ceremony, our fingers intertwined. The matching rings on our hands pressed together-a quiet, unspoken promise.
