Chapter 3The ATM Billionaire

I watched her sprint out the door, and I found the situation absurdly funny.

So, she could feel panic. She could lose control over someone.

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and my throat felt tight.

I held the ring up in front of her father's face.

"As you can see, she has agreed to cancel the engagement. Please leave."

He started to protest, but when I told him I would sever all business ties with his company if he didn't leave immediately, he turned and fled without another word.

The next morning, I found a small digital camera on my doorstep.

I recognized it as Ava's. My curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up.

The moment I pressed play, the screen filled with a sickening image of blood and matted fur.

I recognized him instantly. It was the puppy my mother had given me before she died. The last living piece of her I had left.

The video showed my sweet, gentle Lucky howling in agony, his once-white fur stained crimson.

My heart felt like it was being shredded. Blood roared in my ears. With trembling hands, I dialed Ava's number.

"Ava, where is Lucky?! What did you do to him?!"

Her voice was dismissive. "What? Don't you like the gift I sent you?"

I forced myself to stay calm. "Where. Is. Lucky?"

A cold laugh echoed down the line. "So you do have feelings. What a shame I can't see your face right now. It must be hilarious."

"Ava, you better pray that dog is alive," I growled, "or I will make you wish you were never born!"

She cackled as if I'd told the funniest joke in the world. "You still think you're the king of New York? You think I'm scared of you anymore? Let me tell you, John, this is what you get for messing with Leo!"

My face was a grim mask as I told my assistant to drive me to the Chen residence. He stood there, hesitating, a worried look on his face.

"Spit it out," I said, rubbing my temples.

"Miss Sterling called earlier," he said quietly. "She hopes you won't do anything rash. She wants you to reconsider the engagement."

"The Astor and Sterling families are the two biggest players in this city. A merger through marriage is the logical choice. What's her issue with it?"

The assistant paused. "Perhaps… Miss Sterling doesn't want a marriage based purely on business. You know she's been in love with you for a long time. She thinks you should look at people other than Miss Chen."

I sighed. "Tell her I'll think about it."

The next sound I heard was the deafening screech of tires.

A massive truck, seemingly out of control, slammed into us from the side.

CRUNCH!

Our car was thrown several meters, rolling over once before coming to a stop.

The taste of blood filled my mouth. My vision swam. The agony racking my body was so intense I nearly passed out. Through the shattered windshield, I saw Leo walking towards me, carrying a bundle of red. A faint, dying whimper told me it was Lucky.

"Little bastard's tough," Leo sneered. "Still breathing after all that."

Lucky!

I tried to move, to get out, but my legs were pinned. Every movement sent waves of excruciating pain through me.

"Let him go…" I gasped.

"Let him go?" Leo laughed. He stomped on the hand I'd managed to stretch out of the broken window, grinding it into the asphalt. "You clung to Ava for five years. Why didn't you let us go?"

He lifted his arm and brutally slammed Lucky onto the ground. The little dog let out a choked cry and went limp, a broken heap of fur and blood.

"LEO!" I roared, my vision turning red, blood spilling from my lips. "That was my mother's—"

"I don't care if it belonged to God himself!" he spat.

He crouched down and wrapped his hands around my neck, squeezing with all his might.

"You think Ava ever loved you? You were her ATM! A walking wallet! The only person she will ever marry is me!"

His excitement grew with every word. "You're just a pathetic loser who licked her boots! A piece of trash! Your money, your family, it was all just a stepping stone for our love!"

"John, you love her so much, right? Then die for her today!"

His eyes shone with a feverish glee. He picked up a brick from the debris on the road and raised it high above my head.