Andy, let's break up."that single sentence shattered all the hopes, memories, and expectations I had with him. The words kept replaying in my mind over and over. I didn't even know the reason for the sudden breakup. Lost in thought, I didn't notice when it started raining.
Summoning the last bit of energy, I asked him why. But all I received was a cold, distant stare before he turned away, leaving me to drown in both the rain and my own despair.
I must have looked pathetic. I didn't want much—just a sign of assurance that he was still there for me. I wanted love, care… a place to belong. But all my efforts had been meaningless.
Without a second word, without even sparing me a final glance, he walked away—just like everyone else eventually did. I don't remember how long I stood there, staring blankly at the fading lights of New York.
---
Unbeknownst to me, while everything was happening, a low-key luxury car was parked across the street, its driver silently witnessing everything. Feeling awkward at the sight, the driver shifted uncomfortably before asking the person sitting in the back,
"Sir, should I bring an umbrella for the young lady?"
Before the boss could answer, a fleet of speeding cars arrived and parked beside her. Several bodyguards stepped out with umbrellas, shielding her from the heavy rain. They escorted the soulless-looking girl back to the car, and soon, they sped off.
The man in the back seat watched as the girl was taken away. A strange glint flashed in his eyes.
"I'll meet you soon… crybaby," he hummed slyly.
The driver felt goosebumps just from seeing his boss's sly smile, like he had found a new toy.
***** Adrian's Mansion *****
"Andy, you've played enough, and I don't want to see you this way anymore.
"You don't need to think about him anymore. That boy was never sincere with you. He only found a girl from a slightly better background and dumped you," her grandpa muttered.
Andy was still lost in her thoughts, her gaze locked on the floor-to-ceiling window in her bedroom.
She was the only granddaughter and heiress of Ash Corps. After her parents passed away when she was four, she was raised by her grandfather. She grew up under his care until she turned seventeen and went abroad to study. While overseas, she fell in love with a man from a poor background. Wanting to experience a simple life, she pretended to be poor herself, and for three years, they supported each other.
But everything changed when he met an heiress from a slightly wealthier family. Greedy for power, he disregarded their three-year relationship and ruthlessly broke up with her.
Andy, the heiress of a powerful conglomerate in China and Asia, had lowered herself for a man and ended up discarded like a broken shoe. It was unacceptable. She clenched her fists—she wanted to rise, to prove herself, and to show him that he would regret his choice.
"Grandpa, I want to undergo training and take over Ash Corps," she said calmly as she watched her grandfather's weary face.