Chapter 2

Ethan suddenly scoffed. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing---playing hard to get!"

"You obviously want to go to the conference, but you're pretending you don't care to force us to let you go."

My movement toward the door froze, my heart stinging from his words.

I gripped the purse strap tightly, my voice hoarse. "Who taught you that?"

Ethan hid behind Sophia, sticking his tongue out at me. "Bleh! I called you out, didn't I!"

But when he looked up, he froze.

My face showed none of the hurt I'd previously displayed when hearing such words, none of the anger at being mocked by my own son.

Only the calm of someone assessing whether something was worth taking with them.

Ethan felt a bit guilty, his grip on Sophia's fingers tightening. "You... just tell me if I'm right or not!"

Maxwell sighed, taking the purse from my hands and closing the door behind him. "That's enough. Why argue with your own son?"

"Stop playing these little games from now on. You're getting older---doing this just makes people think you're low-class."

"You spend all day at the mortuary dealing with corpses. You don't understand high society matters. I'm protecting you."

"Look, whether it's me, Ethan, or even Sophia---we're all working hard for the Maxwell family's future. And you? You're resorting to these underhanded tricks."

Listening to him, I felt increasingly exhausted. I suddenly realized the high heels on my feet were too tight.

I'd worn them specifically for Ethan's parent-teacher conference. I couldn't find the right size, so I'd forced my feet into them.

Just like this family. Looking at the identical disgust on father and son's faces, I suddenly realized I could no longer squeeze myself in.

I changed out of the heels and casually tossed them in the trash.

And this family I couldn't squeeze into---I would leave it too.

Silence spread between us. Sophia smiled, trying to smooth things over. "Summer, you should be more understanding of Maxwell. With such a wonderful husband, what are you even upset about?"

She continued, "Maxwell, don't be so angry either. Summer isn't a bad person. At least she doesn't take money to send to her family, right?"

Maxwell laughed derisively. "She doesn't want to send money to her family? She doesn't have a family to send it to!"

My heart clenched painfully. When I first got together with Maxwell, I'd told him I wasn't in contact with my family to hide my identity.

He'd held me and comforted me: "It's okay, Summer. We'll have our own family."

Back then, he was so earnest, so sincere.

But now, he was using it as a weapon to hurt me.

I looked up at him sharply, my voice cold. "Maxwell, do you know what you're saying?"

Maxwell said harshly, "Aren't I right? Your parents are dead. Without me, you'd have nowhere to go!"

Even though I no longer cared, the more beautiful the past had been, the sharper the blade piercing my heart now.

My voice was hoarse. "Is that really what you think?"

Maxwell tossed me a bank card. "Fine, it's about money, isn't it? I'm giving you money. There's five thousand in this card. Are you satisfied now?"

The card hit my forehead, leaving a bloody scratch. I said coldly, "Maxwell, you think five thousand is some grand favor?"

My gaze fell on the purse in Sophia's hands.

Maxwell had bought it to "thank" her for attending Ethan's conference.

The spending requirement to even purchase it was a million dollars.

Yet I, his lawfully wedded wife, was only worth five thousand.

I couldn't help remembering when Maxwell and I first got married, how he'd sworn to me countless times: "Summer, when I make money, I'll spend it all on you! I'll never spend a penny on another woman!"

Now, it seemed only I remembered.

I took a deep breath and reached for my purse again.

There was no point in saying anything more.

Leaving like this might be my best choice.

Maxwell's face darkened as he snatched the bag away. "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

Maxwell's temple throbbed. He threatened me: "Summer Sinclair, if you walk out that door, this family won't take you back!"

"I couldn't ask for anything better."

I pushed the door open and walked out.