I WISH I HAD A HAPPY ENDING TOO

Chapter 11

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice as cold as ice.

"I wanted to talk to you. I didn't know where to find you. I’ve been coming here every day, just waiting for you," he said desperately, unable to look me in the eye.

"Of course you didn't know where to find me. You don't even know where I work," I sarcastically replied.

He finally lifted his head and looked at me. I stared right back, refusing to back down, until he was the first one to look away.

"I—I know what your job is. That's where I go at night when I can't catch you here in the morning," he stammered.

I tried to lock eyes with him, but he kept avoiding my gaze, as if it actually pained him or went against his pride to even acknowledge my career.

"You go there at night?" I repeated, thoroughly confused.

He finally looked at me, his forehead creased in deep frustration. He looked like a cornered, angry tiger.

Had I said something wrong? What had I done to trigger him?

"And you're actually going to repeat it?!" he suddenly burst out. "Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to accept that the woman I love is sleeping around with different men for—"

Slap!

My hand connected sharply with his cheek before he could finish his disgusting accusation. The force of it echoed in the quiet street. All this time, this was how he truly saw me?

A paid escort? A w***e?!!

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF SOMETHING I DIDN'T EVEN DO!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs right into his face.

For the very first time in seven years, I had reached my absolute limit. I let out a sharp, cynical laugh, staring at him with pure disgust.

"Is that what Furanshin told you? Or was it your mother? That I'm a paid w***e? For all these f*****g years, you knew you were my first! The only one I ever willingly gave myself to—excluding when I was r***d, because I sure as hell didn't want that!"

And just like that, because those memories came rushing back, haunting me over and over again, the tears came spilling over, but I kept laughing like a lunatic.

"I loved you, Vin! Because I thought you were different! I let you into my life even when I was absolutely terrified of men back then! I loved you even when I saw you kissing my sister, Porin, on her birthday, even while you were courting me! I forgave you because you claimed you were drunk and thought she was me, and I believed you because we weren't official yet! But for you to accuse me of this... for you and your family to brand me as cheap and dirty... I will never forgive you for this! You got your precious friend pregnant, and yet you have the nerve to come here and throw dirt on my name? You are absolutely shameless!"

My words poured out in a furious, agonizing torrent, leaving him standing there completely frozen.

What did he think? That I had forgotten everything he had put me through? Did he think I would just sit back and take an insult like that? He knew more than anyone how much I despised that kind of lifestyle, that kind of job—being a paid woman—because it ruined my family! My Daddy! And yet he had the audacity to categorize me under it?

In the distance, the headlights of the taxi I had booked swept across the street. Before stepping past Vin, who remained rooted to the spot, entirely speechless, I gave him one last look.

"I wanted to clear up your ridiculous accusations, but it would only be a waste of my time. You've known me longer than any of them, Vin. You're incredibly stupid for believing their lies."

I made sure to hard-shoulder him as I walked past, slamming the taxi door behind me.

It was laughable, really. No wonder Tita Gina hated me—she honestly believed I was a high-priced escort. She always thought I would end up just like my Tita Lucy, Daddy's new wife. And no wonder Vin's attention had shifted entirely to s*x the moment I started working, he had already built a narrative in his head about how I earned my money, never even bothering to ask what my actual corporate job was.

I really hate you, Furanshin. I am not going to let this slide. Now I finally understood why she always smirked at me whenever I saw her with Vin. She actually thought she was superior to me.

I sobbed silently in the backseat of the cab. Thankfully, the driver was kind enough to leave me in peace. As we neared my new condominium building, I wiped my tears and thanked him for letting me cry without pestering me with questions.

"Hello?" I answered as my phone rang with Cheizeru's caller ID. I forced my voice to sound as normal as possible to keep her from worrying.

I stepped into the elevator, keeping my head down and not paying attention to the other passenger inside. But a very familiar scent of lavender that brought me peace, making me feel safe and calm, wafted through the small space. I brushed the thought aside—there was no way he lived here. He was way too rich to live in a condo! He owned a massive mansion, and his office looked like a house on the inside.

"Achii, can you do me a huge favor? Please?" Cheizeru pleaded over the line, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

I let out a weak chuckle. "What favor? Make sure it's not illegal."

"Well, it's about the buyer of your apartment. Something came up, and I can't meet him tonight because I have a date with Andres... Can you go instead? I'll send you the address," she rambled.

I cringed. Another new guy.

"Fine, fine. I'll go, since you were the one who handled the posting anyway," I agreed, sniffing slightly. I couldn't hold back my runny nose anymore.

"Wait—are you crying? I mean, did you cry?" her voice instantly filled with concern.

"No! Something just got in my eye, so my nose started running," I lied, stepping out of the elevator.

The man with the familiar scent stepped out right behind me. I didn't bother looking back to see who it was. I was too exhausted to care.

"Okay! If you say so. I have to go get ready now. Thank you so much, Achii! Mwah!" she said before hanging up.

When I finally glanced back, the man had already slipped into his unit—which, to my surprise, was right next door to mine. I heard a cat's voice inside his condo the moment he went in. A familiar smell and the familiar meow of a cat. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Now I was even hallucinating Sutehan's scent and Grumpy.

This is bad.

Perhaps I had just gotten too used to him being there whenever I cried, or maybe his memory was literally haunting me because I was a mess yet again.

A moment later, Cheizeru sent over the details of the restaurant. The buyer was clearly wealthy, considering they had booked a table at an incredibly upscale, expensive establishment. It made me wonder—why would someone with that kind of money be so desperate to buy a tiny apartment? They had even doubled my initial asking price just to secure it. It was definitely giving off a mysterious, almost suspicious vibe.

In front of the bathroom mirror, I tried to practice a fake smile, but the sight of my own reflection only brought fresh tears to my eyes.

"Great. My makeup is going to be completely ruined," I muttered to myself.

I didn't know how I was going to pull off a polite smile for the buyer tonight. The thick concealer managed to hide my dark circles, but nothing could mask the profound sadness and swelling in my eyelids.

If I postponed the meeting now, it would be incredibly rude, the reservation was already set, and it was nearly 8:00 PM.

Why was Vin like that? How could he believe those toxic rumors over the woman who had been his girlfriend for seven years? Damn him. I didn't think I could ever find it in my heart to forgive him or Furanshin. I wanted them both out of my life, but here I was, having to redo my entire face because my tears had ruined the first layer.

This was supposed to be a fresh start, but I was carrying all of Vin's toxicity into my new chapter. No wonder things felt heavy. It felt like a curse rather than a blessing. It was a sign that I was destined to have a miserable love life forever.

How am I even supposed to have a family of my own someday? What a waste of a life if no one is ever going to truly love me. Then again, I was never the one destined to give him a child anyway, he had already settled that behind my back.

Ultimately, I decided to wear a pair of dark sunglasses to hide my swollen eyes. I was probably going to look like a madwoman wearing sunglasses inside a dimly lit restaurant, but it was better than letting a stranger see my pathetic, tear-stained face.

I wore a simple white camisole top underneath a sharp, black double-breasted blazer, paired with white wide-leg trousers and matching white heels. I had always dressed modestly and professionally, yet Vin still chose to believe those disgusting lies. Ugh, Vin again. Stop thinking about him.

I walked elegantly into the restaurant, scanning the room until my eyes landed on the reserved table. A man was already seated there, his back turned in my direction. Such a familiar back and build—gosh, why do I keep thinking about him? Even earlier in the elevator!

"Good evening. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting—"

The words died in my throat. As the man turned around to face me, my entire body froze.

‘Right, I was right! It was indeed Sutehan.’

He was looking up at me, a warm, breathtaking smile playing on his lips. He looked exceptionally handsome in a tailored white coat. I stared at him in utter bewilderment, quickly looking around the restaurant to make sure I hadn't walked to the wrong table. But the reservation card matched.

"Good evening, my lady," he greeted, his eyes locked onto mine. He tilted his head slightly, trying to read the expression behind my dark sunglasses.

"I... I think I have the wrong table," I stammered, instantly pulling out my phone to double-check.

I was about to dial Cheizeru's number when Sutehan's voice cut through my panic.

"You're at the right table, Darling. I am the buyer of your apartment."

My head snapped up, my eyes widening behind my glasses.

"You? But how did you even—"

"By stalking you," he interrupted with a soft chuckle.

Ah. Cheizeru had tagged and mentioned me in her f*******: post about the apartment, which meant it had appeared directly on my timeline for everyone to see.

"And why on earth would you buy my apartment?" I asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from him, still completely baffled. "It's tiny. You could easily buy a place five times that size, especially with the ridiculous price you offered."

Sutehan adjusted his posture, leaning forward slightly before raising his hand to catch the waiter's attention.

I watched him closely, my heart beating in a strange, erratic rhythm.

What on earth was this man playing at?