He Called Me Difficult, I Left Him

Chapter 2

On the first day back at work after the Christmas holiday, I walked straight to the Human Resources department, my resignation letter already prepared.

The HR clerk was just about to approve my resignation when her phone rang.

When she hung up, she looked up at me, her young face twisted with awkwardness. "I'm so sorry, Miss Lane," she said. "Mr. Wells said... he won't approve it..."

My fingers tightened around the resignation paper until my knuckles burned white.

I had barely stepped out of the HR office when hushed whispers drifted to my ears. "Can you believe that homewrecker actually has the guts to show up here?" one voice murmured.

"I guess she's pitiful in a way, though," another whispered. "She's been with Mr. Wells for years with no actual status, and now she's just branded the homewrecker."

"Who knows?" a third voice added. "Probably the money he pays her is good enough to make it worth it."

I drew a sharp, steadying breath through my nose, then turned on my heel and marched straight for Ethan's office.

When she saw it was me, his secretary, Claire, fidgeted nervously before showing me in.

Ethan was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, his broad back turned to me.

I cut straight to the point. "I'm here to resign," I said.

Ethan turned to face me, his sharp dark eyes cold as ice. "You've always done what I wanted," he replied. "Why are you so dead-set on causing a fuss now?"

The Wells family had always turned a blind eye to what Ethan and I had.

I had never fooled myself into thinking my humble family background could ever measure up to his. I had always known he would have to marry someone else eventually.

But Ethan had always stood by me. He had even screamed at his own family over me and sworn he would never marry anyone but me.

Once upon a time, I had believed every word. Not anymore.

"You're getting married," I said. "What else am I supposed to do but leave? Stay here and keep being your mistress?"

Ethan pushed to his feet and stalked toward me, one menacing step at a time. "Jasmine," he said, "you've been in this circle your whole life. How can you not understand how it works? My marriage has always been nothing more than a business deal. Don't be so naive. I can give you anything you want, everything except the title of Mrs. Wells!"

I dropped my gaze, but my voice was firm when I spoke. "You can keep being the all-powerful Mr. Wells up in your ivory tower," I said. "And I can choose to walk away."

He did not get the answer he wanted, and his face grew colder and colder by the second. "Jasmine," he said, "don't you forget who paid off your family's debts for you. You think you can just wash your hands of everything and walk away? Not a chance!"

Years ago, my parents died. I was the only one who lived, left with nothing but a mountain of family debt.

My parents' creditors could not collect from anyone else, so they hounded me nonstop every single day. They even tried to force me into selling my body to pay off what my family owed.

That was when Ethan stepped in. He paid off every last cent of my debt.

I bit down hard on my lower lip. "Every penny I owe you," I said, "I will pay back. With interest."

Ethan raked a hand roughly through his hair, irritation rolling off him in waves.

Just then, a ping echoed from his phone, signaling an incoming message.

He did not even glance down at it. His dark gaze locked straight on me, unblinking. "Jasmine," he said, "don't you get it? I don't want your money!"

I tugged the corner of my mouth into a bitter, hollow smile. "Ethan," I said, "just let me go."

Seeing me so stubbornly set on leaving, Ethan actually laughed through his anger. "Fine," he said. "You want to leave? You can. Finish designing my fiancée's wedding dress, and you can walk out that door for good."

A wave of relief washed over me instantly. I agreed without a single moment of hesitation. "Okay," I said.

Ethan froze, clearly caught off guard that I would agree so easily. He was too stunned to speak, and just as he opened his mouth to say more, a loud crash sounded as a forceful foot kicked the door open.

Standing in the doorway was none other than Ethan's fiancée.