He Humiliated Me On My Birthday, I Left Him

Chapter 4

My brain buzzed. I thought for sure I'd misheard him.

I stared at the man in front of me, stunned and disbelieving.

He knew exactly how sick my mom was. He knew exactly how broke my family was. He knew better than anyone how badly I needed money!

He'd watched me juggle multiple jobs every single day, even watched me pass out from exhaustion more than once.

And now? He was being so cold, so ruthless, that he was dead set on backing me into a corner with no way out.

John drawled, casual as if he was commenting on the weather. "But if you're really dead set on working, you can get a part-time job at the Jackson family's place.

"You can beg Ms. Jackson right in front of you right now. Ask her to give you a high-paying position."

Susie, standing off to the side, curled her lips into a smug, triumphant smile, gazing down at me like I was something she'd scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

John couldn't possibly not know how much Susie hated me. She'd seen me as her love rival this whole time. There was no way in hell she'd help me out now.

This whole stunt was nothing but a ploy to humiliate me. He wanted to give Susie the perfect chance to grind me into the dirt.

My eyes burned with unshed tears, my voice cracking as I spoke, "John, my mom needs money for her medical bills. What the hell do you expect me to do when you pull this crap?!"

He just let out a cold, sharp sneer. "I told you a long time ago what would happen if you didn't show up in front of me when I said to.

"I'd make sure you can't land a single part-time job anywhere. And your mom? She can forget about getting any treatment at the hospital!

"Besides, I'm the heir of the Larson family. I can do whatever the hell I want. If you don't like it, get lost! Go somewhere my family can't reach."

Susie tugged the corner of her mouth into a smug, triumphant grin. "Lily, all you have to do is kneel and beg me. Then I can get you a part-time job working for my family, you know?"

John turned his head away at that point, deliberately ignoring Susie's blatant provocation toward me. He was the one who'd backed me into a corner, and he was the one who'd handed her the perfect chance to humiliate me.

All because he wanted to force me to cave and bow to him. He was absolutely convinced I'd never leave him. That was why he could act so recklessly.

I let out a bitter, hollow laugh. "Fine. If you're gonna push me this hard, I'll give you exactly what you want. We're done. And I'll disappear from your sight entirely."

John's face darkened instantly with rage. He snarled, "Lily, don't you dare regret this!"

Susie immediately fussed over him, her voice soft and syrupy. "There, there, don't get so worked up. Anger's bad for your health. Lily's probably just throwing a little tantrum right now. She'll definitely regret this later."

Only then did John's anger cool a little. He turned and laced his fingers through Susie's hand.

The second I turned and burst out the door, I couldn't hold it back anymore. Tears poured down my face like rain.