Chapter 6
“Jake, if you hadn’t given Emma that job, she couldn’t even stay in DC.”
“So her mom died. Big deal. Now she can’t use that excuse to squeeze money out of you anymore.”
“Going after her now just gives her leverage. Trust me–women understand women. Emma’s playing hard to get.”
Jake stared at Madison as if seeing her for the first time.
He knew exactly how talented I was.
The company had increased its market value significantly under my leadership.
Meanwhile, Jake had been actively holding me back behind the scenes.
A human life–treated as worthless in Madison’s mouth.
Jake had just been reflecting on our relationship history.
He truly hadn’t spent a penny on me; there was never any gold–digging.
It dawned on him that every time I’d tried to explain myself or called him out, Madison had twisted his perception.
The “gold digger” image of me had become deeply rooted in his mind.
This whole situation was created by Madison’s manipulation after each of our arguments.
Familiar words, familiar tone.
But now they made Jake’s stomach turn.
Without Madison’s influence, Jake wouldn’t have developed such a warped view of relationships.
By the time he realized this, it was already too late.
Seeing Madison blocking the elevator, Jake’s face turned cold–something that rarely happened.
“Move.”
Madison wasn’t ready to give up, her eyes filling with fake hurt.
“Jake, I can’t let you-”
Before she could finish, Jake shoved her aside.
“Get in my way again, and I’ll never speak to you for the rest of my life.”
When Jake finally reached the ground floor, he sprinted toward the entrance, shouting:
13:06
My Ex’s Secret Kid? LOL, I Chose the CEO Who Faked Crazy for Me
34.4%
Chapter 6
“Emma, don’t you dare leave!”
I ignored him, calmly got into my car, and drove away from the company.
He reached the entrance only to find lingering exhaust fumes, a crushing sense of defeat washing over him.
For the three days since I left the company, Jake had been searching for me.
But I hadn’t been idle either.
During college, I’d known a senior who had opened her own law firm after graduation.
I found her in my contacts and tentatively sent a message.
Thank God! She hadn’t deleted me.
Thanks to our previous friendship, we quickly reconnected.
I explained my situation to her, repeating what the HR manager had said.
I asked if she could help me recover the money.
It was what I rightfully earned.
I might have been lovesick before, but now I was determined to cut all ties.
What belonged to me had to be recovered.
I didn’t want Jake’s money–I never did–but I refused to be called a gold digger.
To be safe, I asked my senior to print out all the relevant laws and regulations.
With evidence in hand, no one could gossip behind my back.
In just three days, Jake had visibly deteriorated.
When he finally got news from me, it was in the form of a court summons.
Jake stared at the document for a long time before he could process it.
His lips twisted into a bitter, self–mocking smile.
The lawsuit wasn’t as difficult as I’d expected. After winning the case, the money was quickly transferred to my
account.
Looking at my balance, I felt a strange sense of unreality.
Mom was already gone–this money meant little to me now.
But I couldn’t let what I’d rightfully earned be withheld by Jake without explanation.
34.6%
Mo
Chapter 6
Outside the courthouse, the wind tousled my hair.
I returned to my hometown.
I opened the small house where Mom and I had once depended on each other.
The familiar scent triggered tears once again.
Helplessly clutching Mom’s ashes, I crouched on the floor and sobbed.
Mom.
I’m sorry for not giving you a better life.
I’m sorry I couldn’t gather enough money for your surgery when it mattered most.
I’m sorry you won’t see me get married.
I had so many apologies left unsaid to my mother.
After crying myself out, I noticed the small stool in the yard.
It still had the smiley face Mom had drawn for me.
The stool was covered in moss from years of disuse.
I picked it up and walked to the nearby stream.
With a brush, I scrubbed away the grime, stroke after stroke.
The smiley face gradually became clearer.
It looked just like Mom’s smile.
I gently traced the pattern with my fingers, whispering:
“Mom, I promise I’ll live well…”
As the words left my lips, my tears fell onto the stool.
I missed her so much…
