Chapter 3

Annie's eyes widened in alarm as she looked at me.

"Lydia... what happened? Don't tell me you weren't the one taken advantage of last night? Which bastard was it? I'll skin him alive!"

The memory of last night made my face flare crimson. I had been taken advantage of... except I was the one who made the first move.

And the "bastard" was her disciplined, self-controlled father.

How was I supposed to say that?

I stammered for a long moment before finally managing, "No. I agreed to it..."

Seeing my expression, Annie suddenly understood and lit up with excitement.

"Lydia, you've got some nerve! But this is a good thing. At least you've finally come to your senses and decided to dump that jerk Miles!"

She grew more animated by the second, gripping my arm and shaking it.

"Tell me everything. What does he look like? Is he handsome? Tall? Does he treat you well? How did you meet? And last night... was it intense?"

My face burned even hotter. The barrage of questions left me dizzy with embarrassment.

But Annie genuinely cared about me. I couldn't lie to her.

"Actually... last night..."

Just as I was about to say his name, my phone screen lit up.

It was Miles.

My heart clenched. I instinctively tried to hang up, but Annie reacted faster. She snatched the phone and put it on speaker.

Miles's impatient reprimand blasted through the speaker.

"Lydia! Why didn't you answer my calls last night? You didn't reply to my messages either. It was just a joke. How long are you planning to keep sulking over this?"

In the past, words like that would have sent me into a panic. I would have apologized without thinking.

But now, I had already decided to let him go.

And maybe... maybe I would soon marry someone else.

The thought of Dominic made my cheeks flush again, but my gaze hardened. It was time to end this properly.

I took the phone back and spoke slowly, clearly. "Miles, I made it very clear last night. We're done. You can treat that proposal like some meaningless performance, but I can't. From now on, where I go and what I do is none of your business."

There was a sharp pause on the other end. Then Miles exploded.

"Lydia! Say that again. Done? Who gave you permission to end this unilaterally? Don't forget who's been supporting you all these years. Get back here right now. Don't push me-"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Miles, I'm not something you get to keep and control. I was naive before. Not anymore."

Without waiting for his response, I hung up and decisively blocked his number.

Annie stared at me, stunned, then broke into a thrilled grin.

"Yes! Lydia! That was perfect! You should've done that ages ago. Let him rot!"

I looked at my friend, who seemed even more excited than I was, and forced a faint smile.

"Annie, I've finally escaped that misery. I'm going to let myself live a little."

Annie looped her arm through mine and chimed in.

"Exactly! We're doing whatever you want. To celebrate your escape and your brand-new life, I'm taking you out to go wild."

I nodded firmly.

Then I brought Annie to the gym.

She looked completely baffled.

"The gym? Since when do you come here? You hate working out."

I changed into workout clothes, stepped onto the treadmill, cranked the speed to the highest setting, and started running like I was trying to outrun my own thoughts.

Sweat soaked through my hair in minutes.

I clenched my teeth as images flashed through my mind. Miles's cold expression. Tessa's smug smile. Dominic's deep, unreadable eyes...

I would make Miles regret it. And I would make myself worthy of Dominic.

Over in the weight area, Annie half-heartedly lifted the lightest dumbbells available while watching me with concern as I pushed myself almost to self-punishment.

Worried as she was, she still called out encouragement at the right moments.

Just then, a commotion erupted at the gym entrance.

Miles stormed in with two of his men, his face dark.

His gaze immediately locked onto the familiar figure on the treadmill, sharp and ominous.

He strode over and slammed his hand onto the control panel, stopping the machine.

I stumbled to a halt, breathing hard.

"Lydia, you've gotten bold, haven't you? Blocking my number?"

He looked me up and down with open contempt.

"You come to a place like this to embarrass yourself? Look at you, drenched in sweat. What a sight. Come back with me."

The familiar tone of disgust cut deep. Even though I had chosen to let him go, the words still tore at me.

"I told you. We're done."

I wiped the sweat from my face, stepped off the treadmill, and tried to move past him.

Miles grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like my bones would crack.

"You don't get to decide that. Lydia, I've supported you all these years. You think you can just walk out of my control?"

"Let her go!"

Annie couldn't stand it anymore. She dropped the dumbbells and rushed over, trying to pry his hand off me.

"Miles, have you no shame? Picking on Lydia makes you feel powerful?"

"Miss Sinclair, this is between me and Lydia. You'd better stay out of it."

Miles cast Annie a sideways glance, his tone far from polite.

Although Annie was the adoptive daughter of the city's most powerful mafia godfather, Dominic, Miles, as the second-in-command of the city's second most powerful mafia family, did not think much of her.

At his signal, his men stepped forward and blocked Annie.

"You-!"

Annie's face flushed with anger, but she couldn't break free.

Miles ignored her and dragged me toward the exit.

"Come back with me. Don't make me use force."

I struggled with all my strength, but I was no match for him. I was seconds away from being hauled out.

Just then, a low voice sounded from outside the gym.

"Mr. Calloway, please release Ms. Sinclair."

Everyone turned toward the voice. Two imposing men in black suits had appeared without anyone noticing.

They were Dominic's personal guards.

Miles froze. His expression shifted.

"Mr. Calloway, the godfather has given his order. Ms. Prescott is now the godmother of the Sinclair family and under his protection. Please. Let go."