Chapter 4
The people trailing behind him started pointing at me, smirking and making snide remarks.
“All that for a little money? Instead of working like a decent person, you just want to sell yourself for quick cash. Ryan, your girlfriend is way too easy.”
“She’s just a bar girl. She lets men put their hands all over her for a few extra tips. How good can she really be?”
“A woman like that doesn’t deserve you, Ryan. It’s better you broke up. No need to waste time testing-”
One of his friends nearly let something slip, and Ryan cut him off quickly.
He still wanted to keep up the act.
After all, in his mind, my “test” wasn’t finished yet.
“What are you saying? Lena just lost her head for a moment,” Ryan said smoothly.
“Go sell the house, pay off the debt, and trust me, I’ll give you a good life after this.”
I pulled my lips into a crooked smile, one that felt absurd even to me.
I was about to speak when a woman suddenly walked up and hooked her arm through his.
It was Chloe Yates, Ryan’s childhood sweetheart.
She had gone abroad years ago and only returned around the time Ryan and I first started dating.
We had almost broken up over her back then, but Ryan promised me he would cut ties with her.
That promise was the only reason we stayed together.
“Ryan, I told you she was useless from the start.” Chloe said with a satisfied tilt of her chin.
“If it weren’t for me telling you to test her, you never would’ve found out what kind of person she really is.”
Ryan reached out to cover her mouth, but it was too late.
He glanced at me, guilt flickering in his eyes, mixed with a desperation he couldn’t hide.
So the tests he had been so determined to put me through had all been her idea.
And his promise to avoid her? He had simply kept her out of sight.
Not that it mattered.
I was working myself to exhaustion for extra money, barely sleeping.
There was no way I’d have the time to catch them partying together.
“Lena, don’t listen to them. I really-”
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I cut him off, my fists clenching. I had had enough.
“Ryan Sutton, are you still putting on an act? You think I don’t know this nightclub belongs to you?”
“To pay off your debt, I went from a white-collar professional with savings to a broke girl hustling drinks for commission.”
“I went through hell for you, so now you’re going to pay back every last dollar of the hundreds of thousands you scammed
from me.”
“If you don’t, you and your precious childhood sweetheart can both wait for the lawsuit to land.”
Before I could finish, a sudden slap sent my head spinning.
Chloe glared at me with the arrogance of someone convinced I owed her something.
“Stop spouting lies. Why would Ryan ever steal your money? You’re just a filthy drink-seller, letting men grope you for tips.
What’s there about you that’s worth stealing?”
She folded her arms with a sneer. “You’d better get on your knees and apologize, or I’ll make sure Ryan leaves you.”
Chloe didn’t even know we had already broken up.
Maybe she hadn’t expected things to escalate this way, because Ryan looked a little lost, though he still didn’t stop her.
Instead, he tried to reason with me.
“You know what Chloe’s like. My parents have treated her like family since we were kids. If she doesn’t approve of you, my parents will never approve of us either. Just apologize to her, and we can still be together.”
At that moment, one of my former co-workers came by carrying several bottles of liquor for another table.
Chloe snatched one, jammed the neck against my lips, and poured.
The sharp burn hit my throat, making me cough violently.
Instinctively, I reached for Ryan’s sleeve, but what I saw on his face froze me in place.
He looked expectant, almost eager, like he was waiting to see if I would back down for the sake of staying with him.
Chloe, seeing his silent approval, became even bolder.
“Don’t want to apologize? Fine. Then drink every one of these bottles. Take a good look at yourself. You’re a penniless nobody, and you still dream of marrying into high society.”
The sound of heavy footsteps approaching broke through the rhythm of their taunts.
The anticipation on Ryan’s face faltered, replaced by unease.
Because he saw who was coming.
A group of men surrounded a tall, imposing older gentleman, and they were heading straight for us.
Ryan knew him. So did everyone else in the room.
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