Chapter 4The Winning Ticket: Dumping the Leech

Three days later, lying on the $30,000 genuine leather sofa in my new home, my mom was feeding me giant strawberries that cost $40 a pound. I was incredibly comfortable when a call from the contact saved as "Arthur's Mom" came in.

My mom asked if I was going to answer it.

I decisively rejected it, my tone filled with disgust.

"Mom, your daughter has over five million in cash in her pocket now. I'm a millionaire. Arthur is nowhere near good enough for me."

"Since we started dating, his mother has always treated me with contempt. Why should I offer my face for her to slap?"

My mom flicked my nose.

"You, oh you. You've finally woken up."

"Your dad and I told you Arthur was no good, but you insisted he saved you, that his character was good, and that we were prejudiced."

My dad chimed in, mimicking my righteous tone from back then.

"Mom, Dad, I just love Arthur."

"Even though he has no money now, I believe he'll give me a home for my sake!"

Hearing these words, I got goosebumps all over.

I really must have had water on the brain!

"Dad, stop it."

I transferred $10,000 to my dad.

"This is hush money. Didn't you have your eye on a fishing rod recently? Hurry up, buy it, and go fishing."

My dad swiftly collected the money, laughing heartily.

Meanwhile, after discovering her number was blocked, Arthur's mother panicked and called Arthur.

"Son, that wretched girl Chloe, she hasn't really broken up with you, has she? She's not even answering my calls!"

"Girls these days aren't easy to fool. It's rare to find one like Chloe who is obedient, frugal, and willing to spend money on our family. Don't let her run away."

Arthur's sister, Mia, quickly leaned in to speak.

"Yeah, bro. Last month you promised me you'd make Chloe buy me gold jewelry. The New Year is almost here, and many of my roommates have been showing off their gold jewelry. You can't let me lose face."

Arthur's expression was grim, but his tone remained confident.

"No rush. Give her the cold shoulder for a few days, let her sweat a bit, and set some rules for her while we're at it."

"When she regrets it, it won't just be twenty thousand; it'll be forty thousand!"

Arthur's mother and Mia started fantasizing.

"Right, she has to pay us forty thousand."

"When we get the money, bro, I want a ten-thousand-dollar bracelet."

Arthur's mother chimed in.

"Son, Mom wants a massage chair and a gold necklace."

Arthur agreed to everything.

After hanging up, he took the initiative to message me for the first time since our fight.

[Chloe, my patience has a limit!]

He expected an apology, but only saw a red exclamation mark.

I had deleted him!

He tried calling me, but I had blocked his number!

He started to panic.

Could I really want to break up?

I knew nothing about this.

I was picking out clothes for our family to wear tomorrow.

We were picking up the $800,000 Porsche tomorrow, so we definitely had to dress well.

Early the next morning, we headed straight to the Porsche dealership.

My cousin, the store manager, was waiting at the door early to receive us.

Arthur, on the other hand, went back to my rented apartment.

When he learned from a neighbor that I had moved out, he was dumbfounded.

"Bro, do you know where she moved to?"

The neighbor shook his head and added.

"Didn't you two break up? Since you've broken up, let it end peacefully. Don't pester her, it's undignified."

Arthur was stubborn.

"I'm not trying to pester her. I can easily live without her."

The neighbor sneered and closed the door.

Just as Arthur was feeling utterly lost, Mia sent him a photo.

It was a picture of me hugging my cousin intimately in front of the Porsche.

"Bro, I know why Chloe wanted to break up with you!"

"She hooked up with a sugar daddy, and he even bought her a Porsche!"

"Bro, she must have been messing around with this guy and cheating on you for a long time!"

Arthur was furious, yelling uncontrollably.

"Fuck, actually cheating on me. I won't let her get away with this!"

He zoomed in and out on the photo a few times, then angrily hailed a taxi.

"Driver, to the Southridge Porsche dealership!"

After taking photos, the salesperson drove the car outside the store.

My cousin, grateful for my parents' past care, politely insisted on walking our family of three out, saying he wanted to see us off.

I enthusiastically waved goodbye to my cousin, and he patted my head.

After saying goodbye, just as I was opening the car door to get in, a familiar furious voice exploded from a distance.

"Chloe, you shameless bitch! We just broke up, and you've already hooked up with a sugar daddy, haven't you!"

Arthur, looking like an angry groundhog, pointed at us and yelled furiously.

His voice was so loud it instantly drew the attention of everyone around.

In a flash, all eyes were on our family.

My cousin, who had served in the military when he was younger and doted on me the most,

Immediately stepped in front of me, staring coldly at Arthur.

"Watch your mouth!"

Arthur was intimidated by his aura and shuddered.

But noticing the stares from others and not wanting to lose face, he roared stubbornly.

"What's wrong with my mouth!"

He pointed at me.

"She just broke up with me yesterday, still living in a rental apartment. Today she's picking up a Porsche. Doesn't that prove something?"

"Prove what?"

My cousin demanded.

Arthur felt he was being provoked and became furious.

"What else could it mean!"

"You adulterous couple. You were messing around behind my back, putting a green hat on me. You are the scum of the modern era!"

As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of the gleaming Porsche, and the jealousy and anger in his eyes deepened.

To vent his feelings of inadequacy, he turned his crosshairs on me.

"Chloe, you really make me sick. Selling yourself for a car!"

"Three years of our relationship, and it can't compare to a car, can't compare to the money this adulterer gives you. You truly disappoint me."

He pulled a $66 blind box toy from his pocket.

"To think I was going to try and get you back today. I specifically went to your favorite blind box store to buy the one you wanted most. I didn't expect this is how you'd repay me!"

Perhaps his acting was too good, because the people around were already pointing and whispering about me.

Some people who couldn't stand it actually spoke up for Arthur.

"Young lady, you shouldn't be so mercenary. He was with you for three years; doing this is too uncool."

"Yeah, money can be earned again, but true feelings are rare. Be careful you don't regret it when you're older."

"Exactly. A man's money isn't that easy to get. If he's just playing with you, he can just take the car back!"

There was also an influencer at the scene who had just picked up her car.

Sensing this would get views, she immediately started live-streaming us.

My mom couldn't bear it anymore and wanted to retort, but I beat her to it.

I crossed my arms and looked at Arthur.

"Do you have evidence that I cheated?"

I looked around at the crowd again.

"Is the cost of spreading rumors this low now? Just by yelling that I'm cheating and playing the part of a deeply devoted lover, he can nail me to the pillar of shame?"

As they met my gaze one by one, they suddenly realized that from start to finish, it was all just Arthur talking; there was absolutely no evidence!

"Yeah, young man, you can't just make things up without evidence."

"Right, didn't you say she cheated? Hurry up and show us the evidence. Otherwise, this is spreading rumors, and you'll be legally responsible!"

Arthur seemed to have anticipated my question.

He confidently held up his phone.

The photo was exactly the one of me hugging my cousin.

"Chloe, you're hugging him right here in the store. What else is there to deny?"

Seeing the photo, the crowd's expressions changed again.

But I burst out laughing.

I even opened my arms in front of everyone and deliberately said to my cousin.

"Cousin, I didn't get enough of a hug just now. Let's hug again."

My cousin instantly understood my intention.

After hugging me, he specially ruffled my hair, saying dotingly:

"Alright, whatever you want."

Arthur jumped up and down in anger.

"Look at this! This adulterous couple isn't hiding it anymore. They're actually being affectionate right in front of me. So shameless."

The people around also cursed us, including those on the influencer's live-stream chat.

[Despicable. Scumbag and bitch. So shameless.]

[Exactly. Feeling sorry for the guy for three seconds. Why can't good men be matched with good women?]

[I can tell from a glance that this woman has a bad face. Looks like a slut.]

I wasn't angry at all. Instead, I blinked and asked the crowd.

"Can cousins hug?"

The crowd was confused.

But someone still answered.

"Of course."

I spread my hands innocently.

"Well, there you go."

"He's my cousin. Why can't we hug?"

"And," I held up my phone, swiping through photos.

"My cousin hugged everyone in our family, not just me."

"But you."

I glared coldly at Arthur.

"You only showed the photo of me and my cousin. What's your intention!"

Arthur was momentarily stunned but didn't believe it.

"Just because you say he's a cousin doesn't make it true. What if he's a 'sugar daddy' brother? Don't try to brush me off with this."

Our two families took a big family portrait every year we had time.

I directly pulled out the photos from over the years.

Seeing us together in a photo at 5 or 6 years old.

Now the onlookers believed it.

"You know, their facial features do look quite similar."

"Indeed, the more you look, the more they look alike."

The bystanders started looking at Arthur with disapproval.

"Young man, you're in the wrong here."

"Yeah, how can you spread rumors wildly without figuring out their relationship first."

"Exactly, you have to apologize for this."

"Right, hurry up and apologize."

As more and more people condemned him, Arthur's face turned red, and he said stiffly:

"Sorry, Chloe, I misunderstood you."

He quickly took out the blind box again.

"Please accept my apology gift and let's get back together."

"I really don't want to separate from you; I love you very much."

His confession made our whole family physically sick.

My dad, who had been holding back for a long time, was the first to step forward.

"Don't mention love. Our Chloe can't bear your love."

My mom took over.

"Dating you for three years, our Chloe lost a layer of skin, her money drained by your family. You latched onto her like leeches. Don't even think about pulling the same trick again."

Arthur didn't expect the boomerang to hit him, and the crowd actually started attacking him.

Looking at the scrutinizing gazes around him, terrified that I would spill everything, he quickly said he wanted to talk to me alone.

Onlookers generally encourage reconciliation, so they suggested we settle our issues ourselves.

Arthur thought I would agree quickly to save his face.

But I shook my head.

"We have no feelings to discuss privately."

"Instead of wasting time cornering me, you'd be better off gathering the money you owe me..."

"Chloe, enough!"

Terrified I would reveal the $400,000 issue, Arthur raised his voice to stop me, the threat in his eyes becoming increasingly obvious.

This scene was captured by the influencer.

The netizens were frightened.

[Wow, this guy's eyes are terrifying. It looks like he wants to kill someone.]

[Exactly, just like an abusive man. Living with someone like that must be terrifying.]

[Am I the only one curious about what can't be said?]

I ignored his threat, enunciating every word:

"Don't interrupt me!"

"Did you think that would shut me up?"

I looked at the crowd, pointing at Arthur.

"Dating for three years, this man gaslit me, making me spend $400,000 on him and his family."

Seeing I was about to blurt it out again, Arthur panicked. He clenched his fist and aimed it at my face.

My cousin caught his fist and encouraged me to keep talking.

I nodded, raising my voice again and pointing at Arthur.

"The man in front of you is poor and stingy. In three years of dating, he played the victim and made me spend $400,000 on him."

"Meanwhile, he spent less than $10,000 on me in three years. I spent my own money, and he still gaslit me!"

With that, I played the recording of Arthur demanding I return the mink coat and use the money to buy things for his family.

"What kind of woman is as extravagant as you, spending twelve thousand on a single piece of clothing?!"

"Do you have any idea what that twelve thousand could do?"

"My mom is complaining about back pain; five thousand could buy a very nice massage chair. Another five thousand could buy a gold necklace for my sister, and the remaining two thousand could be used for holiday groceries!"

"And you actually used it to buy clothes. You are truly a spendthrift!"

As the recording ended, the crowd's gaze on Arthur shifted from neutral to contemptuous and disdainful.

"Disgusting. A grown man not working hard to earn his own money, but staring at the money in a woman's hands!"

"I have to say, this girl is too kind. Faced with such trash, she didn't even beat him up, just broke up with him directly."

"Exactly, letting him live off her for three years, he got off way too easy."

Someone demanded Arthur return the $400,000 he spent right now.

"Right, hurry up and return it, or we'll report you to your company!"

"Exactly, pay up, or we'll make you trend online!"

Seeing the angry crowd about to lose control, Arthur was scared.

After scanning the Porsche, he suddenly got an idea and abruptly raised his voice, pointing at me.

"Chloe, you say I lived off you, but how much better are you?"

"Since this man is just your cousin, the person who bought you the Porsche must be someone else."

"Are you still trying to hide it?"

He spoke with absolute certainty, looking as if he had personally seen me being kept by a sugar daddy.

He clearly forgot the punishment for speaking carelessly just a moment ago.

Hearing his same old rhetoric, many people in the crowd couldn't sit still.

I don't know who picked up a small pebble and threw it at him first, but more and more people joined in.

"This guy has a filthy mouth, hit him!"

"Yeah, if we don't teach him a lesson, he won't know how to speak in the future."

Arthur yelled in pain, covering his face and exasperatedly trying to run away.

Seeing him like this, I covered my mouth and snickered.

When he was slandering me, why didn't he think about the consequences?

But it was too late now.

As soon as he started throwing mud at me, I had already called the police.

And now, two police officers were standing right behind Arthur.

Sure enough, when Arthur turned to run, he was dumbfounded to see the police.

In the few seconds he was stunned, the police stepped in front of him and showed their badges.

"You are suspected of slander, defamation, and picking quarrels and provoking trouble. Please come with us to assist with the investigation."

Arthur frantically shook his head in denial.

"No, I didn't. I didn't mean to. This is all a misunderstanding."

He turned to look at me, his eyes full of pleading.

"Chloe, I was wrong. I shouldn't have misunderstood you, nor should I have treated you poorly. Please, give me one more chance."

"I swear I'll turn over a new leaf this time and will never treat you poorly again."

I raised my middle finger and shook it left and right.

"No, your character has no guarantee with me. I don't believe you!"

He hastily added:

"What about the money? Then I'll return the four hundred thousand, is that okay!"

"Even if I have to borrow it, I'll give it to you immediately!"

Getting him to return the money was the best outcome.

Without hesitation, I pulled up my QR code for receiving money and held it in front of him.

"Transfer it. Not a cent less of what you owe me!"

"If I'm in a good mood, I might just forgive you!"

Arthur, acting like he was grabbing a lifeline, desperately scanned the code and transferred the money.

First transaction: $50,000 from Chase hit the account.

Second transaction: $100,000 from Citibank hit the account.

Third transaction: $50,000 from Bank of America hit the account.

In 10 minutes, he coughed up all the money in his left and right cards.

But it was still short by $200,000!

"What are you standing there for? Didn't you say you'd borrow to pay it back? If you don't have enough, ask your mom, ask your sister!"

Ultimately, after much pleading and pestering, he squeezed the final $200,000 he owed from his mother.

As the $400,000 arrived, I no longer wanted to waste time with Arthur.

After making him write a letter of guarantee in front of the police, promising not to pester me again, our family of three got into the Porsche and left.

In the rearview mirror, Arthur stared at my car, his fists clenched tight.