Chapter 4

[The paparazzi caught the proposal ceremony, and now all of the netizens are trashing Mr. Madron, calling him a jerk.]

[The company's stock is plummeting. If this continues, it'll go bankrupt!]

When I got home, my phone wouldn't stop buzzing with messages from my colleagues. The proposal ceremony had drawn a crowd, and competitors of Lucas were eager to seize the opportunity to destroy him. They wanted to make sure Lucas could never recover, keeping the market all to themselves.

Skye, who'd just returned from abroad, had pushed Lucas into this reckless proposal. He'd thrown all caution to the wind, and now, his irrational actions were giving his competitors the perfect chance to attack. They were all over him, calling him despicable. I suspected it was a form of revenge, but honestly, I didn't feel any satisfaction. I was exhausted and just wanted to rest.

Just as I was about to close my eyes, Lucas called again.

"Nadia, I need your help."

The Madron Group was in the middle of a major PR crisis. There was going to be a press conference tomorrow, and I had to show up.

"You just need to say you're the other woman, and Skye, she's the one who's been with me for the past seven years."

His voice was calm, almost too calm, as if he was talking about something trivial.

When I didn't respond right away, he added, "After it's over, I'll pay you $2 million for the emotional distress. I've already talked to your parents, and they agreed."

He knew exactly how to manipulate me. Every time he wanted me to do something I didn't want, he'd drag my parents into it. They cared more about money than anything else. I knew it was useless to resist, so I reluctantly agreed.

"Fine," I said, biting back my frustration.

I hung up and saw a message from my new company, confirming my job application. They'd approved my overseas transfer to Florence. I immediately responded and was relieved when the manager confirmed.

The next afternoon, I showed up at the press conference in a wedding dress. Flashbulbs exploded in my face as nearly a hundred reporters crowded in front of me, all hungry for gossip.

"Miss Cooper, how could you be so shameless? You, the other woman, dare to show up in a wedding dress?"

"What do you have that can compare to Miss Ingram? Is this how you justify destroying their seven-year relationship?"

Their questions just kept getting worse. It was clear they were all being paid by the Ingram family to make things difficult for me.

Lucas's face turned even more pale as he signaled for a break. I cut him off, finally speaking up.

"I am the one who's been with him for seven years," I said. "I haven't done anything wrong. They are the ones who've wronged me."

Lucas looked at me, disbelief in his eyes.

"Nadia, how can you twist the truth like this?"

Skye, always the drama queen, clutched her head as if she couldn't take the pressure. Her performance was flawless, as usual. Lucas immediately rushed to her, checking her temperature, completely ignoring me.

"Nadia, don't go too far!" he snapped. "The one who's been with me for seven years is Skye. Skye is the only one I love."

The cameras turned to them, and I stared back at the two of them, coldly. I could see the guilt in Lucas's eyes, but it didn't matter. As soon as Skye frowned, he'd give in to her completely.

"Seems like Mr. Madron and Miss Ingram really are in love."

"Everyone knows who the real other woman is, the gold digger!"

The reporters' accusations flew at me, trying to paint me as nothing more than a gold digger. Skye's smug smile only made everything worse.

I took a deep breath and finally said, "I signed a contract with the Madron family seven years ago. As long as I had a child in that time, I'd become Lucas's wife."

I placed the neatly folded contract on the table, and a hush fell over the room. The reporters began snapping photos like crazy.

"So, for these seven years, you've been working hard to have a baby?" one reporter scoffed. "All of this, just for money and status?"

The humiliation was almost too much. Skye's grin widened, but I didn't care.

"I had an abortion," I said, keeping my voice calm. I pulled out the abortion papers and spread them on the table.

The room went completely silent. It felt like the world had frozen.

"She loved him, all these years, without expecting anything in return!" one reporter murmured. "How could she abort the baby if she didn't love him?"

"He's a total scumbag! He forced his fiancée to have an abortion!"

Lucas went pale, sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Nadia..." he choked out, grabbing me by the shoulders. "What did you do? How could you make that decision without consulting me?"

"Because…" I looked him in the eye and said the words I had held back for so long. "I don't love you anymore."

I turned away from him and walked out, ignoring the chaos behind me. Lucas collapsed on the floor, looking like a ghost.

I went back to my hotel, packed my things, and got ready to leave for Florence. Finally, I could escape this hell.

The airport was bustling with travelers. I set my suitcase down, checked my ticket and passport, when my phone rang. It was Lucas.

"Nadia, you're really leaving the Madron Group to work abroad? Are you crazy?" he shouted, clearly furious. "This is your last warning! Don't make me regret this when you come crawling back, begging for my forgiveness."

For the first time, I didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt. I was finally free.

"Lucas, I don't love you anymore. Please stop interfering with my life. It's getting really annoying."

His voice faltered. "There's been a misunderstanding, Nadia. Please… come back, let's talk about this."

I took a deep breath, and for the first time, I felt at peace. "No, Lucas. I'm done."

I hung up and took my first step towards a new life.