She replied happily, “Okay.”
However, when they returned to Muse Peninsula, Nathan emerged from his room with a packed suitcase in hand, startling her at once. She never expected him to still hold a grudge; compared to Ace, he resented her slightly less, but he didn’t forgive her. Her voice trembling, she asked, “Nathan, w-where are you going?”
Nathan paused without looking back at her. “Dad was right about one thing. As long as I’m living with you and spending your money, I have no right to have a say. That’s why you two don’t care about what I think. This house is yours, so I won’t be staying here anymore. Starting from today, I won’t spend a single penny of yours.”
Freaking out, Jade caught up to him in a few steps and held onto his suitcase. “Nathan, don’t scare me, okay? I do care about you. I know that we didn’t handle this well, but your dad and I are divorced now. His theories don’t affect you anymore. From now on, what’s mine is yours. No one will say anything about you.”
Nathan looked at her, his eyes blazing with intensity as he questioned, “Aren’t you part of his theories as well? If you didn’t rely on your sense of superiority, you wouldn’t have gone to Halma and said so many cruel things to her! Even if we’re just friends for eight years, you shouldn’t have treated her like that, not to mention that she is my girlfriend! She loved me when I was at my lowest.
She didn’t despise me for not being knowledgeable or having no skills whatsoever, nor did she frown on me for staying in her rented house, sitting around doing nothing. I barely had enough to eat back then, being chased by loan sharks everywhere. I even contemplated ending it all! I was unconscious for three full days, during which she took care of me 24/7. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today! She loves me with all her heart and did not ask for anything from our family, so how could you point fingers at her?”
This was the first time Jade had heard Nathan talk about these things, and she was deeply shocked. “When did all this happen? Why don’t I know about it?”
Nathan knew what he was going to say next. His heart ached with pain, and his eyes reddened instantly. “Of course, you don’t know about it! Every day, you were either busy working at your office or stalking Ace Baker like catching a thief. I lived each day like a street child, drinking, gambling, fooling around with girls, and doing drugs all day with friends who were only a little older than me. Without Uncle Eugene’s forced discipline, I’d most likely end up in prison!
Only you think your son is precious. What’s wrong with my girlfriend? She’s beautiful, confident, works hard, and managed to study abroad based on her own merits. She started her own magazine without relying on anyone, and her excellence surpasses many others. And now, you’ve stripped away every ounce of her confidence! Isn’t it just because she isn’t as loaded as you are? What else is it about her that makes her not good enough for your son?”
Jade looked at him, feeling a lump in her throat. After remaining speechless for a long time, she said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know these truths, and you didn’t tell me either. I-I’ll apologize to her tomorrow, okay? Please don’t move out.”
At that, Nathan replied expressionlessly, “You should apologize indeed, but I don’t want you to bother her these days. It’d seem insincere and it’ll be as if I forced you to do it.”
As such, Jade gave in. “Alright, then. I’ll apologize to her after some time, okay? As long as you don’t move out, that is.”
Nathan asserted, “I’m definitely moving out of here. I don’t want to live in the shadow of your influence, and I certainly don’t want to be unable to stand up for myself when you meddle in my affairs!” With that, he dragged his suitcase, ready to leave.
Jade stopped him once again in a pleading voice. “Where are you going at such a late hour? I just divorced your dad. Can’t you spend some time with me?”
Nathan’s expression remained indifferent and even had a hint of coldness to it. “You were living alone even before the divorce. Now that you’ve divorced a sc*mbag like that, you should be celebrating by throwing a party. It’s really nothing to be heartbroken about. I’m going to find my girl. She has been upset for so many days and needs someone by her side as well!”
