Chapter 4

Sage's POV

I stepped forward and opened the agreement.

Every word on it crushed what little dignity I had left.

"The old city district in the south has already been acquired by Thornton Corporation. Demolition starts tomorrow."

Mrs Thornton toyed with the ring on her finger, her tone casual yet cutting with every word.

"That dump you lived in for three years is on the first batch demolition list."

I jerked my head up.

"That house... is our last memory."

That thirty-square-meter old house.

It had the shelf Evan had nailed up for me with his own hands, the secondhand sofa we'd saved up to buy, and on the wall was the height chart Evan had drawn bit by bit with a pencil for both of us.

That was my only home left in this world.

"Memory?"

She looked like she'd heard the biggest joke.

"You used that filthy pigsty to hold my Thornton heir hostage for three years of his youth. You think that's a memory? I think it's the Thornton family's greatest shame!"

Mrs Thornton's eyes suddenly turned vicious.

"Sign this voluntary departure statement, take this fifty million, and disappear from Holt's world forever. That ruin I can decide to leave standing."

"If you still won't leave..."

She stood up, looking down at me from above.

"Not only that house, but you won't survive in this city at all."

I stared hard at the document on the coffee table.

My fingers trembled violently.

My last shred of resistance was crumbling.

I didn't want to take this money, but even more, I couldn't let the last traces of "Evan's" existence be crushed by bulldozers.

"Fine."

After a long while, I heard my hoarse voice speak.

"I'll sign. But I don't want the money. Please don't demolish the house."

Mrs Thornton was clearly stunned for a moment, then pushed the agreement in front of me, her face full of mockery.

"At least you know what's good for you."

After shakily signing "Sage" on the document, she left with her people in a grand procession.

The villa returned to deathly silence.

I looked at the calendar.

Today was Wednesday.

Tomorrow, Holt would announce his engagement.

I took a deep breath, changed into clean clothes, grabbed my bag, and left.

I wanted to see Holt one last time.

Not to beg him to stay, just to say a complete goodbye.

I took a cab to Thornton Corporation.

The towering skyscraper reached into the clouds. This was Holt's kingdom now.

I walked to the front desk and said softly.

"I'd like to see Mr. Thornton."

The receptionist looked me up and down.

"Do you have an appointment?"

She asked coldly.

"No... could you please make a call for me? Just say it's Sage..."

"I'm sorry, too many women come every day pretending to look for Mr. Thornton."

The receptionist cut me off without mercy.

"No appointment, no entry. Security, please escort this woman out."

I was forcefully pushed out by security.

Just as I was being pushed through the revolving door, a group of bodyguards in suits cleared the way, and Holt walked out of the private elevator.

Beside him were not only executives but also Melanie.

"Holt, shall we go try on wedding dresses this Friday?"

Melanie held his arm, her face radiant with smiles.

Holt nodded slightly. Though his expression was indifferent, he didn't refuse.

He looked up and inadvertently caught sight of me being shoved outside the glass doors by security.

Our eyes met.

I hoped he would stop.

But Holt's brow instantly furrowed.

He said something in a low voice to his special assistant Jeff, then escorted Melanie through the VIP passage on the other side and directly got in the car.

Not even a second's pause.

Jeff hurried out and stopped me as I tried to move forward.

"Miss Sage."

The assistant's tone was businesslike and cold.

"Mr. Thornton says don't run around everywhere embarrassing yourself. He has an important business dinner tonight and asks you to go home first."

Embarrassing.

This was Holt's only evaluation of me now.

I watched that sedan drive away, and finally cried.

I didn't go home.

I went to the old city district in the south.