After leaving: Love with the Heir

Rhys saved my life, so I silently admired him, following him without any title for three years.

One early morning, I received a call from Rhys, but it was Lorraine speaking.

She was a famous actress and the one Rhys always had in his heart.

"Hey, Haylee, we're in Room 003 at the Twilight Terrace Bar. Rhys is drunk. Can you come and pick him up?"

For the past three years, whenever Rhys got drunk, I had to act like a doting nanny and bring him home. It had become a routine for me.

But remembering how he once helped me, I reluctantly headed to the bar.

As I approached the room, the door was slightly ajar, and I could clearly hear Rhys's voice: "Just wait and see. Haylee will be like a cat on a hot tin roof when she hears I'm drunk, might even run a few red lights in her rush."

His friends laughed along with him.

"We all see how Haylee feels about you, Rhys. Isn't it time you thought about the future? When will you give her an answer and marry her?"

Rhys looked indifferent.

"Marry Haylee?

That's impossible!

Who would want to marry someone who revolves around them all day?

But if I ever get married, I might consider making Haylee my mistress. It would be an honor for her."

"Rhys, what does Haylee see in you?

She's been head over heels for you for three years. What is she after?"

Rhys swirled his glass nonchalantly.

"What else?

Money, of course. She wants to marry into high society.

Being with me, she can live a good life and be a rich wife. She won't lose out."

"But marrying into high society isn't that easy!

Sometimes when I'm drunk, I deliberately throw up on her, and she doesn't even get mad. She just helps me sober up.

Her eagerness is disgusting!"

Laughter and teasing erupted around them again.

Rhys's words felt like daggers to my heart.

I glanced at him secretly. He was indeed handsome, but the hero who saved me and the man before me seemed worlds apart.

I had enough and didn't want to continue like this.

My best friend once asked me, puzzled, "There are so many good men out there.Why are you so fixated on Rhys?

What attracts you to him?"

I told her, "He saved my life."

I remembered a night three years ago when a homeless man tried to assault me in an alley. I was terrified.

He lunged at me, grinning with yellowed teeth, trying to tear my clothes.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Just then, Rhys appeared like a hero from the sky.

He fought the man and told me to run.

But when I returned with help, he was gone.

The alley was dimly lit, and in my panic, I didn't get a good look at him. I only remembered a distinctive coin pendant around his neck.

Months later, I recognized Rhys as my savior through that pendant.

When I asked him, he didn't deny it.

Now, Rhys seemed like a stranger.

Feeling down, I left the bar and called him.

I wanted to test him, so I lied, saying I had a car accident and couldn't pick him up, suggesting he find a driver.

He simply replied, "Got it," showing no concern for me.

This was the man I had wholeheartedly loved for three years.

Suddenly, my expectations vanished.

Before I hung up, there was chaos on the other end, and Lorraine's voice was loud.

She spoke with a sweet yet sharp tone, "Rhys, why is Haylee so dumb?

She foolishly thinks you're her savior, her hero.

If she knew it wasn't you who saved her that night, what would her reaction be?

She'd be as if she swallowed something revolting!"

"Calling her dumb isn't wrong. She mistook the one who harmed her for her savior..."

Just as I was about to hear more, the call abruptly ended.

Rhys had been deceiving me!

He knew he wasn't my savior but let me believe it, playing me for a fool all these years!

Despite my anger, I felt relieved.

It was good to know there was no debt of gratitude between us.

After the incident, I was at a loss about how to face Rhys, so I didn't return to his place.

Distraught, I drove around Wocheyra like a lost child.

As I looked at the city's bright lights, I realized I had nowhere else to go besides Rhys's apartment.

It wasn't until the next afternoon that I returned to Rhys's place.

After just one day, the apartment was a mess.

Rhys liked peace and didn't want others around, so I always handled the cleaning.

Exhausted, I didn't have the energy to tidy up.

I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and noticed the dumplings my mom made for me were gone.

They were her last gift of warmth and memory for me.

Panicked, I turned to ask Rhys about them, only to find Lorraine there too.

Her clothes were disheveled, and her face was flushed. Seeing the mess, I could guess what they did last night.

But I didn't care about that now.

"Have you seen the dumplings I left in the fridge? My mom made them for me..."

Before I could finish, Lorraine interrupted, pointing to a small dog on the floor. "Look, the dumplings you cherished are right there."

I looked down and saw a little dog happily chewing on something.

I was stunned to see it was my mom's precious dumplings!

I was in shock, and when I came to, I was seething with rage!

"Hey!

How could you let my precious dumplings be eaten?"

I exclaimed. Those dumplings had been in the freezer for months, and I couldn't bring myself to eat them because they were the only memory I had of my mother.

And now, they were gone, devoured by a dog!

Lorraine frowned angrily.

"Haylee, it's just a few dumplings. If Molly ate them, so be it. Do you really have to be so tight-fisted?

How about I pay you back ten times the cost of those dumplings? Would that make you happy?"

"My Molly usually eats gourmet dog food. We came to Rhys's place in such a hurry that we didn't bring any.

Your dumplings? Even if they were free, Molly wouldn't eat them because she's quite picky!"

Lorraine had no idea how important those dumplings were to me.

I turned to Rhys, trembling with anger, and shouted, "Rhys, this is too much!

Lorraine might not understand, but you know the significance of those dumplings. They were the only thing my mom left me before she passed away.

How could you let Lorraine cook them for the dog?"

Rhys shrugged it off. "Haylee, they're just dumplings. Do you have to be so tight-fisted?

You're making a big deal out of it just for money, right?"

He casually tossed me a gold card. "Here, take it. Buy as many dumplings as you want. Are you happy now?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Rhys, someone like you deserves to end up alone!"

As soon as I said that, Rhys's face darkened.

His voice was low and menacing, clearly angry.

"Haylee, enough is enough. Stop making a scene. I have a temper too. If you keep this up, I'll kick you out, and you'll never see me again!"

I was furious, glaring at him. Suddenly, without the filter of seeing him as my savior, he was just an ordinary person.

Without another word, I turned and left.

As soon as I stepped out, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, a sense of relief I couldn't describe.

Behind me, Lorraine's voice rang out, gloating, "Rhys, you should stop Haylee. If she really leaves, who will be your devoted admirer?"

Rhys scoffed confidently, "Don't worry about her. She'll come crawling back in less than three days."

I left without taking anything, leaving behind all my belongings and feelings for Rhys in the apartment to rot away.

Realizing Rhys wasn't the person I was looking for, I didn't want to waste any more time on him.

Without any attachment to Rhys, I felt no ties to this city. So that night, I took the earliest flight back to my hometown.

When I got home, my dad asked about my relationship status. I told him I was still single.

He planned to set me up on a blind date.

"Your mom is gone, and one day I'll be gone too. I just hope you'll have someone to take care of you."

Looking at my dad's wrinkled face and the concern in his eyes, I agreed.

Before the blind date, I added the guy, Austin, on Whatsapp.

As soon as I added him, I saw he posted on Facebook: "Happy."

On the day of the blind date, I arrived at the venue and was stunned.

Who would have thought I'd meet Oblary's renowned heir, Austin!

Rhys might have been good-looking and well-built, but years of indulgence had dulled his charm.

Austin, on the other hand, exuded sophistication in every move, with a great physique-a true epitome of a handsome man. Rhys paled in comparison.

As soon as we sat down, the waiter brought out a variety of dishes. Austin, ever the gentleman, served me food.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I ordered a bit of everything."

He placed a peeled shrimp in my bowl, "I heard the shrimp here is excellent.

You should try it."

Looking at the peeled shrimp in my bowl, I was a bit surprised. "Thank you."

I remembered dining with Rhys, always catering to his tastes. He never peeled shrimp for me.

When I asked him to, he'd grumble that I was being difficult.

It's true-comparison can be a harsh reality.

In the dim light, I looked at Austin's profile, feeling a strange familiarity, as if I'd seen him before.

Then I noticed the coin pendant around his neck, and the feeling intensified.

I couldn't help but ask, "Have we met before?"

He smiled, "It's only been three years, and you've already forgotten me?"

Austin looked a bit hurt.

He said, "Remember three years ago?

On Blossom Street, I helped you fend off a bully.

I took him to the police station, but when I came back for you, you were gone."

Hearing this, I was stunned, standing there motionless.

My emotions were too complex to describe.

I pointed to the pendant around his neck and asked, "And this pendant...?"

Austin touched the coin pendant and said, "Oh, this? It's just a regular pendant. Lots of people have one."

I felt a bit embarrassed, smiling awkwardly, "What if I told you I mistook someone else for my savior? Would you believe me?"

I was lucky. After all the twists and turns, I found the person who truly saved my life.

Austin and I drank a bit, chatting about everything under the sun. We felt like we'd known each other forever.

Austin propped his chin on his hand, looking at me with a dreamy gaze, and asked, "Su Su, would you be my girlfriend?"

I was a bit tipsy and replied, "Sure."

Austin beamed, "Su Su, you can't take it back now!"

That night, Austin drove me home and stopped downstairs.

"Su Su, get some rest."

As he was about to leave, I impulsively grabbed his sleeve.

"Thanks for bringing me back. Um... do you want to come up for a bit?"

As soon as we entered, Austin kissed me passionately.

His kiss was assertive and skilled, making me weak all over.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning into him.

Clothes scattered on the floor, he lifted me and carried me to the bed.

After spending a few carefree days with Austin, I felt incredibly happy, but it was time to focus on my career.

Before getting involved with Rhys, I was quite popular online as a renowned artist.

But I was low-key, never showing my face online.

I spent my days painting, feeling fulfilled, and eventually forgot about Rhys.

Life in the small town slowed down. I spent my days painting, walking the dog, and gardening, feeling content.

But I never expected to run into Rhys and Lorraine here. We came face to face.

Lorraine, clinging to Rhys's arm, smiled like a blooming flower.

She looked me up and down, her tone unpleasant.

"Haylee, why are you dressed so plainly? Now that you're not with Rhys, are you only able to buy cheap stuff from a discount shopping app?

You look so pitiful."

I rolled my eyes at her, not even bothering to respond.

"I'm not like you, dressing up to show off every day."

"You!"

Lorraine was momentarily speechless, her face turning pale with ang