After Prison, My Ex Shoved Money in My Face Chapter 2

Chloe didn't know that my lowest point wasn't now.

The year we graduated, we'd planned to move to the same city. Before leaving, I had to go back to my hometown to pack.

But the moment I walked through the door, I saw a scene straight out of a nightmare.

My stepfather was pinning my mother down, one hand on her head, the other viciously swinging a fist.

Seeing me enter didn't make him stop; if anything, he hit her harder.

"You worthless hag! You're just as filthy as your son! You live off my dime, drink my liquor, and now you won't even serve me? I'll beat you to death!"

My mother's screams and my stepfather's curses blended together, assaulting every nerve in my body.

I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged forward and shoved him away.

But I was no match for him. In just a few seconds, he was back on his feet and punched me.

Mom struggled up and grabbed his leg. "Please, stop! He'll make money in the future!"

The mention of money only enraged the brute more. He broke free from my mother, then grabbed me by the throat.

In that moment, I felt like I was going to die.

As despair closed in, my hand found a fruit knife on the table. Without thinking, I plunged it into his chest.

Barely in my twenties, I suddenly had a death on my hands.

On the day I waited for my sentence, I called Chloe.

Her first words were an accusation, asking why I was so heartless.

I wiped away the tears that had already streamed down my face and, for the first time, spoke to her with contempt.

"Chloe, to be honest, I'm going abroad in a couple of days to live a good life."

"Only a fool would stay with a poor student like you."

Those cruel, forced words, meant to devastate the then-penniless Chloe, made my whole body tremble.

Her voice shaky, she warned me not to regret it, and we never spoke again.

Later, I was sentenced to five years for manslaughter. My mother took her own life a week after my sentencing.

From that day on, I lost not only my mother but also my freedom.

I regretted it, but it was too late.

Chloe was wonderful, irreplaceable by anyone in the world.

And the castle I had spent over twenty years building inside myself had crumbled.

I wasn't worthy of her.

Not anymore.

After I got out of prison, no company would hire me. I finally managed to find a delivery job.

But when my criminal record was discovered, my usually kind boss suddenly turned cold. "You kid, do you know how much trouble you'll get me into if the company finds out? Get out! Get far away!"

Who would have thought that I, a graduate of a prestigious university, wouldn't even qualify to be a delivery driver?

After that, I could only rely on the woodworking and leather craft skills I'd learned in prison, doing odd jobs, barely getting by.

The money Chloe threw at me today was almost my entire month's income.

But I didn't want to keep it.

That money, hitting my body, felt worse than a slap to the face.

Before bed, I got a call from Sam, my college roommate.

He was the only friend I'd kept in touch with after my release.

"Leo, I've invited Chloe to my wedding next month. My dad has a business deal with her, so I couldn't really avoid it."

"But you have to come. We promised each other in college."

I tidied up the money I hadn't managed to refuse earlier and replied calmly, "It's fine. I have something to return to her anyway."

Once it's returned, maybe I can finally let it go.