"What did you say? Breakup?" Ethan exclaimed. "No. I don't agree."
He quickly held her hand. "Is it because I overreacted about last night? I am sorry. I'll never yell at you. Don't mention breakup."
He pulled her into his arms.
"Let go of me," she protested, struggling against his hold.
He didn't release her. "You must be tired after working late. You are not thinking clearly. Take a break. Let me take you somewhere."
He cupped her face. "Let's go shopping. I'll buy anything you want."
"I don't need anything." She shoved his hands away and stepped back, creating a distance between them. "Don't come here again. Leave."
Ethan stared at her with disbelief. This was the woman who always clung to him, called him every hour, and waited for his messages. She had loved him obsessively.
Why would she suddenly mention a breakup?
"Mila, stop being childish," he said coldly, thinking she was throwing tantrums. "If you are upset about something, take your time to cool down. Don't do something that you regret later."
Regret?
She snorted. His cruel laughter and his words echoed in her ear: 'Once she transfers the shares, I'll dump her.'
Her nails dug into her palms. "I've considered it carefully. I realized we are not compatible. Breakup is the only way."
"Impossible," he exclaimed, slapping the table.
Mila flinched.
"You are my woman." He gripped her shoulders. "My future wife. You are not allowed to bring up breaking up with me."
He pushed her against the wall and kissed her forcefully.
"Mm…" Mila squirmed, slamming her fists against his chest.
Ethan grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the wall above her head, his kiss growing violent.
Mila's stomach flipped. Disgust surged through her at the thought that he might have kissed Bianca and had sex with her last night. She twisted her body even harder and stomped on his feet.
He loosened his grip.
Mila pushed him away. Before he could recover, she slapped her tightly.
Ethan staggered, caught off guard. He gasped, his hand moving to his slightly burning cheek. "You…hit me?"
"If you dare to do that again, I won't stop at a slap."
"Mila…" He scrunched up his face. "Very well. You will regret this."
He stormed away.
Mila leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Her chest tightened. Her composure cracked for a fraction of a second. Tears threatened to fall. But she controlled her emotions, blinking her tears away.
She clasped her mother's ring she wore on a chain around her neck. "No, I won't cry," she resolved. "Vega Biocorp is my mother's hard work. I won't let it fall into their hands. I'll fight."
Later that day…
Mila had just finished her shift. She had been so busy that she had almost forgotten the incident in the morning until she received a call from her father. She glanced at the screen for a moment before she answered.
"Come home for dinner tonight," her father said without greeting.
That tone. She was so familiar with it. She knew immediately that Ethan had already complained.
"I have work…"
"Be at seven," he cut in. "Don't be late."
The call ended.
Mila stared at her reflection in the dark screen. She inhaled slowly. "Fine. If you want to talk, I'll listen."
That evening, she drove to her father's place. The moment she stepped in, she felt the heaviness in the air.
Camilla sat elegantly on the sofa. Bianca stood beside her with her arms crossed, eyes full of contempt.
Her father stopped pacing when he saw her. His face was dark in anger.
"You are finally here," he snorted and sat down. But he didn't ask her to take a seat. So Mila remained standing.
"What is this nonsense about breaking up with Ethan?" Leonard demanded pointedly.
Mila pressed her lips together. She had guessed it right. Ethan had indeed complained.
Her silence added to his fury. "Answer me," he thundered.
"Yes, I broke up with him," replied Mila.
Camilla gasped, while Bianca smirked sneakily.
Leonard's face turned red. "Do you have any idea what you have done? This marriage alliance with the Shaw family is crucial for the business. The company needs their financial backing, their distribution channels, and their influence. And you called off the engagement in a whim."
Mila felt something twist in her chest. What was this act for?
The marriage alliance between the Vega and the Shaw would remain intact even if she broke up with Ethan. The truth was – Ethan never loved her. He was waiting to marry Bianca. But they needed her to marry Ethan first so they could force her to transfer her shares to Bianca.
What an irony! But she wouldn't expose them yet. She wanted to see how far they could go to force her.
"I am just a business contract?" Mila asked.
"Don't talk nonsense," Leonard snapped. "Everything I do is for this family."
"Right." Mila snorted. "If you are so concerned, why don't you ask Bianca to marry Ethan?"
Bianca's smile stiffened.
"Ethan is your fiancé. Why would your sister marry him?" Leonard exploded. The next minute, his tone softened a bit. "I have already scheduled your wedding. One month from now."
The words hit her like ice water.
"What?"
"You will apologize to Ethan and fix this childish behavior immediately."
"I won't," Mila fired back.
The room fell silent momentarily.
Leonard stared at her as if she had said something sinful. "What did you say?" He jumped to his feet.
"I won't marry him," Mila repeated, her voice trembling this time. "Not now. Not ever."
Smack
The slap echoed through the hall. Her head snapped to the side. For a second, everything stilled. Her cheeks burned. Tears filled Mila's eyes. She couldn't control her emotions anymore.
She shot him a hot glare. "Do you ever care about me?" She almost choked. "Even a little?"
Her lower lip trembled. "Since my mom died, you never looked at me the same way. You never spent time with me. You were always busy, cold. Every time I tried to talk to you, you brushed me off."
Her voice cracked.
"Then you brought Camella and Bianca home. You sidelined me, forgot about me. They became your true family." She pointed at the mother and the daughter.
Camella shot her a displeased look, and Bianca rolled her eyes.
"When I got first place in medical school, you didn't congratulate me. When I was sick, it was the housemaid who was beside me and took care of me."
Her tears fell freely.
"I kept telling myself that you were just busy, that one day you would look at me and be proud. But it never happened. You turned colder to me. Now, you want me to marry for business."
"Stop blaming me," Leonard spat. "You are saying like I am throwing you into a hellhole. I am only marrying you to the man you love. What's wrong with that?"
"I don't love him anymore," Mila said coldly. She gave her father one last look before turning and walking out.
"You ungrateful brat," her father shouted from behind. "If you dare to walk out of this house, I'll cut ties with you."
Mila didn't stop. She simply left.
"Mila…" Leonard's voice thundered inside the house.