Chapter 11

"Sharon, don't push it! I don’t owe you anything. You have no right to meddle in my life!" I snapped and glared at Sharon. Sharon froze, clearly not expecting such an aggressive attitude from me. Javin wrapped his arm around her protectively and returned the glass. "Kaelan’s just an ungrateful snake. He’ll do anything for money! He just took 500 grand from us, and now he’s acting almighty. Now that he’s latched onto someone else, he's as arrogant as ever!" I clenched my fists. Javin had the nerve to mention the money. I had planned to borrow it, but they insisted on giving it to humiliate me. Even then, I had to fight tooth and nail for it. I never wanted their money. I’d pay back every cent, with interest. "Kaelan, you disgust me," Sharon spat after finding her voice again. "I thought you’d change after five years in prison, but you’re just as pathetic as ever." She looked at me with utter disdain, like I was nothing more than an insect under her shoe. That feeling of isolation, the memories of being misunderstood and betrayed, surged back like a tidal wave, leaving me suffocated. May couldn’t take it anymore and stepped up beside me. "You call him disgusting? What about you? You spread lies without knowing the truth. You should have a taste of your own medicine!" Sharon’s brows furrowed in irritation as she turned her hostility toward May. "What does this have to do with you? You’ll do anything to beat me, huh? Even going after a man I’ve dumped!" May snorted, unimpressed. "Get over yourself. Only you would mistake trash for treasure. And as for that guy you keep around, I wouldn’t take him even if you gave him to me for free!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me away. "Let’s go. No point wasting time with this crazy pair." "Kaelan, don't you leave!" Sharon yelled after me, her voice frantic. But I didn’t stop and strode out with May. We walked until we arrived at a nearby hotel. May did the check-in procedure. Then, she handed me a room key. "Take a shower first. I’ll come by later." I took the key and thanked her. After showering, I realized I had no clothes to change into and was standing there in just a bathrobe, unsure of what to do. Then, there was a knock at the door. I opened it, and May gaped at me in surprise. Our eyes met, and the moment grew awkward. She quickly looked away, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. She handed me a bag, coughing lightly. "I just bought these. I wasn’t sure about your size, so they might not fit perfectly." A wave of gratitude washed over me, warming my heart. I took the clothes from her and thanked her sincerely. After that, we started discussing the business deal. "Artificial intelligence is going to explode in the future. Five years ago, I was deeply involved in research in this field. Lately, I’ve been studying the market. It’s still not fully developed, so it has huge potential." We worked through the details of our partnership, hashing out every aspect until the sky darkened. It was only then that we finalized the agreement. "Kaelan, don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can to support you," May said, her eyes filled with emotions I couldn’t quite read. I shook my head. "May, the fact that you’re willing to work with me is already more than enough. The rest I’ll handle on my own. I’ll prove to you through my actions that you made the right choice." With her support, I knew I’d grow faster than ever, but I couldn’t rely on her forever. I needed to stand on my own to repay everyone who had helped me through my hard work. May looked at me with admiration. "Kaelan, I know you’ll succeed." Just then, my phone rang, interrupting our conversation. It was a call from the hospital.