Chapter 11

"All of your stuff has already been tossed outside. Pick them up and leave." Upon seeing Janice's current state, Sarah felt a surge of satisfaction. She had always hated Janice for relying on Simon's ability to make money while thinking highly of her own capabilities. Sarah was someone who believed that women should just stay quiet and submit to their men. Janice's ears buzzed, her voice trembling as she suppressed her anger. "Simon, say that again." "I have to make you understand the consequences of disobedience. Even though I've warned you repeatedly, you still pushed your luck. Since that's the case, you need to be taught a lesson. "If you apologize, admit your mistake, and promise never to contradict me again, I might consider transferring the house back to my name." Transferring it back to his name? Then what did that have anything to do with her? The moment Simon said such a thing was when Janice believed she might have put her trust in the wrong person. She had worked diligently for years and never divided finances with Simon. They put all their money together, which was accessible through his bank account. At first, Simon never questioned her purchases. But in recent years, whenever her expenses exceeded ten thousand dollars, Simon would interrogate her endlessly. So, when he said who could prove she contributed half the money, she felt a chill wash over her, as if ice water had been dumped onto her entire body. And this was exactly why she found it hard to believe Simon's words anymore. Smiling, she sat down. "If that's the case, why not transfer the house to my name?" While she spoke, she was thinking that if Simon were reasonable, it would be for the best. However, if he was unreasonable… Unexpectedly, Simon immediately retorted, "Transfer it to your name? And why would I do that?" Why? "You have some nerve, Janice! This house belongs to my brother!" screamed Sarah. Amelia chimed in, "Janice, if you want a house, you should make your own money and buy one yourself. How can you ask someone else for it?" Janice's patience wore thin the more she had to put up with these people's disgusting behavior. Not wanting to waste a single word on them, Janice fixed her gaze on Simon. "We both know what is up. Are you forcing me to apologize just to save your so-called pride?" "Janice, how dare you?" Simon couldn't stand being opposed in front of others. Janice had clearly struck a nerve. However, she also could not tolerate Simon's shamelessness any longer. She tried to stay calm. "I will repeat myself. I paid for half of this property." Even if Simon wanted to claim it, he should at least reimburse her based on the amount she put in since they weren't married, and it wasn't a joint asset. Moreover, the villa had appreciated in value over the years. She wasn't excessively wealthy, and all the hard-earned money she had made went into Refined Threads Co. She owed Simon nothing. Simon turned hostile, sneering. "Fine. If you say you paid half, show me proof. If you can, I'll give you the money." Proof? How could there be proof? Back then, they had nothing and relied only on each other. Though poor, there was no distinction between what was hers and what was his. She had simply trusted him at the time, hoping that he wouldn't turn out to be an ingrate. But who would have thought that he would now? Reality slapped her hard in the face, causing it to sting painfully. "So, you're denying it and planning to hog the property. Is that it?" Janice asked her final question. Simon stood up, snapping, "Go ahead and do whatever you want. I'd like to see who in Greenfield City will help you when you don't have me. We shall see who's been helping whom during all these years. Know your place!" He believed Janice was merely riding on his coattails and the respect she received from business people was out of courtesy to him. Did she really think she was some big-shot senior executive? She should know her worth! Upon noticing the escalating tension, Amelia quickly brought over a glass of warm water. "Ahem, Simon, you should stop arguing with her. Janice is still a woman—she can't help being short-sighted and overly concerned with money. It's normal. She doesn't think about how hard you've worked and only fights over small things with you. Janice, you really need to change your ways." Her words greatly satisfied Simon, making him find Janice's indifferent gaze all the more hateful. The more Janice refused to submit, the angrier Simon became—so much so that his words came out like daggers, stabbing harshly into Janice's heart. "Are you still not going to leave? This place no longer belongs to you." Knowing exactly how to hurt each other, they used their familiarity to strike where it hurt most. Janice valued her home and needed one, but now, this house, which she had poured so much effort into, was no longer hers. "Get going!" Sarah threw the last of Janice's belongings at her feet—a few pieces of artwork she had created for Refined Threads Co.'s rise to fame but never sold. Now, even those had seemed worthless. Taking a step back, Janice glanced at the house she had once spent so much time and effort on decorating. It felt entirely unfamiliar. As Janice left her artwork on the ground, she fixed her reddened eyes on Simon. "You're right. I should feel like a stranger here because you never truly knew who I was." She had endured and persevered without complaint for him, for Refined Threads Co., so much so that she no longer felt like herself since a long time ago. She thought that being as virtuous and hardworking as her mother would create a happy family, but that required a trustworthy and reliable man, and Simon was not one. Janice walked out of the villa, tears silently rolling down her cheeks and falling lightly on her pants. Her chest felt tight, a numbing emptiness spreading through her that left her feeling like a walking corpse. It was almost fall. The fall rain fell steadily in the evening as though it celebrated the end of a long, suffocating summer. Janice walked until she was exhausted. She then stood by the roadside, lost in thought. She had nowhere to go. That day, Simon had reassigned her position, and the secretary sent her a message saying her office had been cleared out. And now, she didn't even have a home. Anger no longer sufficed to describe how she felt at this moment. As her engagement ring slid from her finger, it fell silently onto the wet ground, quickly swept away by the relentless rain and wind and disappearing into the stormy night. Soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold, she was illuminated by the headlights of an approaching vehicle. It was Simon's car. He sat inside, his face devoid of any concern. He rolled down the window just slightly as if afraid the acidic rain might stain his expensive shirt. "As long as you're willing to apologize, I will forgive you this once. Don't be ungrateful, Janice. Without me, could you even establish yourself in Greenfield City? How much is your pride worth?" Even now, all he cared about was her apologizing as he refused to admit he was wrong. He believed everything he did was justified because Janice had defied him and needed to be taught a lesson. To him, she merely got what she deserved. Janice walked ahead, unwilling to say another word to him. The phone in her hand buzzed, pulling her back to reality. It was a call from her younger brother. She quickly adjusted her tone before answering. "Hello?" "Is this Jacob Smith's sister? This is Dapville Hospital. Your younger brother has been in a serious car accident, and we need you to come immediately to sign some papers," the hospital staff said urgently. Janice's mind went blank. Jacob had been in an accident… Her legs moved on their own as she rushed toward the parking area, desperate to find her car. However, Simon drove his vehicle directly into her path, blocking her way. "Janice, apologize to me! If you do, we can go back to the way things were!" Janice didn't hear anything he said as her thoughts were entirely on Jacob. Unexpectedly, Simon got out of the car and grabbed her arm, his grip unyielding as if possessed. "Where are you running off to? Who is more important to you than me?" "My brother got into an accident. Get out of my way!" Janice shouted, shoving him with all her strength. In the next moment, Simon's cold and heartless words that could shock anyone pierced through the rain. "Your brother is worthless. He's already so grown up, yet he is still studying. He's just a useless piece of trash. What's there to care about?" Janice froze in shock. She abruptly turned around and, using all her strength, slapped Simon across the face. In the pouring rain, her eyes lost all warmth. What was left was only cold detachment.