Chapter 2

My heart was a frozen lake. For the next three days, I handled my mother's arrangements alone, contacting the crematorium and the cemetery.

Sebastian didn't come home. In eight years together, he had never once spent the night out.

Usually, after a fight, I was the one to back down first, texting him to make peace.

But this time, since I didn't give in, Sebastian's mother―the snobbish Victoria Sterling―showed up uninvited.

She stood there in her Chanel suit, her face grim. "Nora, I know Sebastian handled this poorly. But you can't be so unreasonable. This penthouse is Sebastian's asset. What gives you the right to change the locks and keep my son out?"

She dismissed my humiliation at the police station as if it were nothing, as if my being upset made me some kind of irrational psycho.

Of course. She had looked down on me from the day we met eight years ago. In her eyes, the only one who mattered was Mia, the daughter of their "close family friends."

I still remember my first Thanksgiving at the Sterling house. Victoria said to the other guests, loud enough for me to hear:

"Nora's upbringing was very… unique. Her mother raised her all by herself, which couldn't have been easy. Of course, she might not be used to some of our family's traditions."

Her tone, her gaze, it all sent a clear message: I was low-class and had no manners.

I was so close to ending it then. I even bought a one-way ticket to the West Coast. But Sebastian chased me all the way to JFK.

He held me, his eyes red.

"Nora, please, just hang on a little longer. For me."

That moment of weakness sealed my fate.

"Mia is a simple girl. She struggles with depression, and she almost… Why can't you just be a little kinder?"

Victoria's favoritism was sickeningly obvious. Her critical eyes scanned me up and down.

She made me feel like a cheap knock-off.

I'm not kind?

All they ever cared about were Mia's feelings.

Did anyone ever give a damn that I had just lost the only family I had?

"Mrs. Sterling, Sebastian and I are over. I'll be moving out soon, so you don't need to worry."

Victoria's face turned ashen. She was about to explode when the electronic lock on the apartment door beeped.

Sebastian and Mia walked in.

His expression was cold. He had clearly heard what I said.

Mia immediately put on a sweet act, rushing over to take my hand. "Nora, don't be mad. We bought you a gift in Tokyo―a limited-edition figurine from Ginza."

The word "Tokyo" made my numb heart ache.

I had told him so many times that I wanted to see the cherry blossoms in Japan, but he always said Wall Street's holidays were too short, putting it off year after year.

I even had to pretend I didn't care, just so he wouldn't feel guilty.

I was trembling, so many words wanting to spill out.

But when they reached my lips, nothing came out.

I just shook my head and pushed Mia's hand away in disgust.

"Nora!"

Sebastian strode forward, grabbing my wrist. His voice was low, a clear warning.

"That's enough. Can't you see my mother is here? She already has a problem with you, can you try to be reasonable for once!"

Mia chimed in with her fake concern.

"Yeah, Nora, we have an elder here. Let's talk about this later."

They ganged up on me, painting me as the one at fault.

I laughed, a bitter, broken sound.

"Are you deaf? I've said it more than once―I've broken up with Sebastian Sterling! Why the hell would I care if his mother likes me or not? Who gives a shit?"

The room fell silent. Even the hum of the central air was audible.

"Sebastian! Look at the wonderful girlfriend you found! How dare she speak to me with that tone!"

Victoria's voice was shrill, her disgust for me at its peak.

"She's nothing compared to Mia! Break up with this woman immediately! I don't care if you have to pay a penalty, just do it!"

Before the words were even out of her mouth, I pulled the engagement ring off my finger and placed it calmly on the marble coffee table.

"No need to call the lawyers. We're already done."

With that, I grabbed my already-packed suitcase and walked towards the door.

Two shrieks erupted behind me as Sebastian chased after me.

"Nora, what the hell are you doing!"

He grabbed my hand, trying to force the ring back on my finger.

For the first time, I saw panic in his eyes, a hint of pleading.

"Stop this. It's been three days, why are you still mad?"