Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I always hated seeing Zackary cry. It was my biggest weakness.

No matter how much he hurt me, my instinct was to comfort him. I still loved the version of him I had built in my head.

Just as I reached out to wipe his face, his phone rang on the coffee table. I knew that ringtone. It was the one he only used for Cynthia.

He had a special tone for her so he'd never miss her calls.

My hand froze in mid-air.

Zackary checked the screen and scrambled for his shoes.

"The doctor says Cynthia's fever is spiking again. I have to go check on her."

"Jane, please don't do this. I'm already exhausted from taking care of her. Just wait for me to get back."

He tried to lean in for a kiss, but I pulled away.

He wanted to say more, but the phone wouldn't stop ringing. He gave me one last look and sprinted out the door.

That view of his back was so familiar. It was etched into my memory.

I planned to go to my apartment to catch up on work, but my mother called. She told me I had to come home immediately.

I knew they'd heard about the disaster at the engagement party.

They had practically given up on their embarrassed daughter, so this sudden summons was strange.

When I arrived at the family estate, my parents were sitting on the sofa looking as in love as ever. It made me ache.

Because their marriage was so perfect, I had assumed that if I gave enough, I'd get the same thing.

I had given ten years and gotten nothing but a headache.

As I prepared to greet them, a sharp, annoying voice cut through the air. It was Zackary's mother.

Mrs. Taylor was dressed to the nines, sipping tea with her bright red manicured nails.

"Jane, have you been upsetting my Zackary again?"

"You've grown up together. You know his temper. You should learn to be more yielding."

Mr. Taylor gave a fake cough. He pretended to restrain his wife, but everyone knew they were two of a kind. One played the villain, the other the saint.

By all logic, they should have been kissing my feet. If the Millers hadn't been propping them up, the Taylors would be living in a trailer park by now.

But because I was so obsessed with their son, they thought they could walk all over me.

They had been sucking my family dry and stealing our clients for years.

My parents were annoyed with me, but I was still their daughter. They usually looked the other way because they thought we'd eventually be family.

But I knew why they were here today. It wasn't just about the breakup. It was about money.

"Anyway, I don't want to get involved in your little lovers' spat," Mrs. Taylor continued.

"We're actually here for business. We're facing a bit of a liquidity crunch. We were hoping for a small injection of capital. After all, we'll all be one family soon."

I lost count of how many times they had pulled this move.

Ever since they decided Zackary had me locked down, they had become degenerate gamblers.

My father glanced at me. He was waiting to see if I was still a pushover.

Looking at the smug faces of the Taylors, I knew I was about to ruin their day.