Chapter 2The Power Outage

"That's impossible."

"There's no way Liam is going to agree to that."

"He won't agree to me, but he will absolutely agree to his mother." Chloe said confidently.

"Because blood is thicker than water. She'll force him to bow his head."

"As for me, when the time comes to win him back, I'll be so persistent he'll be moved to tears and accept me again."

"Liam really is blinded by love. He deserves to wear the crown of the ultimate cuckold."

"Wrong." Chloe corrected them.

"He is only like that with me. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't tolerate it."

Chloe swore up and down, incredibly confident, having absolutely no idea that I had just heard every single filthy secret.

I silently pulled my wedding ring off my finger. As I walked past a trash can in the hallway, I threw it directly inside.

David was walking toward me carrying a mango cake. As we crossed paths, he abruptly stopped.

"Liam, are you here to see Chloe?"

Hearing that intimate nickname... if I hadn't just uncovered their disgusting secret, it would have made my skin crawl even more.

"Something came up at work. I can't stay. Just tell her I stopped by."

"Does this mean you finally forgive us?!" David's face lit up.

"This is amazing. Chloe is going to be so happy when I tell her."

A cold, sarcastic smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. I didn't stay a second longer.

Once I stepped out of the hospital doors, I pulled out my phone and dialed my boss's number.

"Sarah? You mentioned the company had an overseas project opening up?"

"I changed my mind. I want to take it."

"Are you sure?"

"The contract requires you to be abroad for three years. Didn't you specifically say you couldn't take assignments that took you too far from home?"

In the past, I really did think being too far from home was a bad idea. I was afraid there would be no one to take care of my mother, and I was terrified Chloe would be angry.

But now, knowing that the two women I prioritized most had conspired to absolutely destroy me, my mind was fractured.

I had to make a decision. From this moment on, my career was my only objective. Everything else was dead to me.

"My home is suffocating me."

When I said that, my voice cracked, heavy with emotion. Sarah definitely heard it.

She was a smart, empathetic woman. She knew exactly what to ask and what to leave alone.

"Submit my name for the project. I absolutely have to go."

"Alright," Sarah replied softly. "Take care of yourself, Liam."

After I hung up the phone, I finally noticed a string of transaction alerts lighting up my lock screen.

My entire life savings totaled three hundred thousand dollars. In a single instant, two hundred and fifty thousand had been withdrawn.

I immediately dialed my mother's number. She was the only other person who had access to that card.

"What exactly did you just buy to instantly wipe two hundred and fifty thousand dollars from my account?!"

Knowing the truth about what she had done, my tone was completely devoid of respect.

My mother definitely sensed my anger, but she clearly felt she had done absolutely nothing wrong.

"I had my reasons for spending it."

"Do you really need to be this furious? When you were a little boy, you promised me."

"You promised you would make lots of money for me to spend."

"I only spent two hundred and fifty thousand, and you're already throwing a fit?"

Her tone was so incredibly casual. Only two hundred and fifty thousand?

For normal, working-class people like us, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a lifetime of savings.

"I used it to buy a condo. David said he wanted to buy a place to rent out for passive income."

"Isn't that exactly what you want for him too?"

"The condo was bought, but he still needed money for furniture, so I helped him pick some things out."

Before I could even respond, she angrily hung up the phone.

I rushed to the nearest bank branch, formally reported the card as stolen to freeze the account, and then immediately withdrew the remaining fifty thousand dollars in cash, rendering the account permanently dead.

I am a good son. But I am not an idiot.

Why the hell should David use my debit card to buy a condo? My money didn't fall from the sky.

He stole Chloe from me, and now he wants my money too?

Less than an hour later, my phone rang. It was my mother.

"Liam, you really have some nerve."

"Why the hell did you freeze my card?! David and I just ate at a restaurant and now we have no money to pay the bill!"