Chapter 2Go Bankrupt for Your First Love

Bang!

The impact threw me forward in my seat

By the time I regained my senses, I heard Karina's nervous scream.

"Stacey, I know you're angry. Anyone would be upset after having their hard-earned project taken away. If you're still not satisfied, you can slap me twice more."

She closed her eyes and deliberately leaned closer to me. It looked like she was saying, 'Go ahead, do whatever you want to me.'

Before I could say a word, Timothy slapped me across the face.

"When is this going to end? All I did was criticize you at the meeting. Did you really have to ram Karina’s car to get back at her?”

If he had only looked back once, he would have seen the positions of the two cars. There was no way I could have been the one who crashed into her.

Seeing that I said nothing, Timothy pulled a credit card from his wallet and handed it out to me.

"Get the car repaired first. We'll talk about everything else when we get home."

As soon as he finished speaking, Karina suddenly clutched her chest and groaned. She then leaned backward against the hood of her car.

Timothy tossed the credit card at me and hurried over to support her. It pained me to see how concerned he was over her.

Then, without saying another word, he helped Karina into the passenger seat and drove her to the hospital. He didn't even look at me once.

I stood there in a daze.

Suddenly, I recalled that five years ago, Timothy's parents had died in a car accident. As the sole survivor, he suffered nightmares every night. I had stayed by his side and helped him through the darkest period of his life.

Ever since then, he never drove again, and I willingly became his personal driver.

But now, for Karina's sake, he had effortlessly overcome the trauma that had kept him from driving for years.

I silently picked up the credit card from the ground and drove home alone.

The moment I got home, I saw that Karina had posted on Instagram.

[For love, I moved across an ocean and started over.]

The accompanying photo showed Timothy standing in her kitchen wearing an apron. His head was lowered as he prepared soup.

After being together for five whole years, I had no idea Timothy could even cook.

This was ridiculous.

I liked the post. It disappeared almost immediately and was followed by a call from Timothy.

"Honey, you know the higher-ups have always wanted to bring in more talent. I'm under a lot of pressure. Once the new rocket project is fully established, why don't we make our relationship public?

"It wasn't easy for me to get to where I am today. Karina has studied abroad and probably has more resources. I'm only doing this for the sake of the project."

His explanation sounded so righteous and reasonable, yet I felt absolutely nothing.

I had been lying to myself for five years. I was truly tired of it.

When I remained silent, he assumed he had successfully appeased me and lowered his voice as he coaxed me.

"You love the pastries from Harmony Bakery, don't you? I waited in line this morning just to buy some for you. They're in the fridge. Stop being mad at me, okay?"

I opened the refrigerator. The delivery label was still attached to the pastry bag.

The recipient's name was Karina.

Perhaps the only things he could truly remember were the things that mattered to Karina.

I hung up and called my mentor overseas.

"I'm willing to participate in that project you mentioned before. I'll bring the preliminary blueprints for the new rocket with me."

To be honest, the year I graduated, my mentor had already encouraged me to go overseas with him for further study and continue researching next-generation aerospace vehicles.

At the time, Timothy had just lost his parents, and he was in terrible shape.

For the sake of staying by his side, I gave up the academic dream I had pursued for years and remained in the country with him.

A while ago, while working to secure approval for the new launch-vehicle project, I had gotten back in touch with my mentor. Once again, he extended an invitation to me.

Now that my presence meant so little to Timothy, there was no reason for me to keep clinging to him.