Chapter 2

Shane responded to my angry scream with an innocent expression. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bellway. I just wanted to press the button for you.

"You're not thinking of lodging a complaint against me, are you? Unlike you, I'm just a realtor. I can't fake my way into getting a luxury apartment. But sure, scold me however you like…"

Seeing the pain etched on my face, Christina felt bad and crouched to caress my foot. She chimed in, "Zachary, let's drop it. He probably didn't do it on purpose. I'll hold you when we walk."

My chest thudded in pain from the fury, but I tried my best to keep my temper in check. After all, I came here to look for a newlywed home. I needed to be happy after Grandpa finally approved of me and Christina.

Nodding stiffly, I endured the pain as we shuffled to the show unit. However, upon stepping into the space, the pain in my foot flared up again.

I needed a place to sit and rest, but Shane immediately stopped me. "Mr. Bellway, please wait a minute!"

He hurried into the bedroom and grabbed a few towels which he spread across the couch cautiously. "Mr. Bellway, these furniture pieces are considered 'affordable luxury.' Gotta be careful around them, don't you think? Please don't misunderstand. I do this with all my clients; it's a rule."

After a pause, he dropped a funny-sounding comment. "But the men from prestigious families would know the social rules. I guess you need to catch up on your etiquette lessons."

His final remark set me off. I shot up from the couch. "What are you implying?"

Christina turned toward us with a frown. Under her gaze, Shane immediately put on an ingratiating smile.

"Mr. Bellway, it's a misunderstanding!" he exclaimed. "I'm just envious of you for winning the heart of such a perfect wife! It's rare for men to marry into a rich family nowadays! I am jealous of you."

Christina came over and crouched by my feet. Then, she patted me on the back of my hand. She suggested, "Let's get some ice cream after the apartment viewing. How does that sound?"

She continued, "Don't be mad. You look more handsome when you're not mad."

Holding the towels, Shane looked at me in shock. "Mr. Bellway, did I say anything offensive? If so, please accept my apology. I didn't do it on purpose…"

I stared at Christina with an odd feeling rising in my chest. However, I brushed it off, considering Shane was just a mere realtor. "Whatever."

Christina nodded at me demurely before dragging me to view the show unit—a 5,400-square-foot duplex with lavish decor. Even the tableware was worth tens of thousands of dollars per set.

When I was fully immersed in the viewing, Shane bumped into me again, causing me to fall chest-flat onto the dining table. Following that, the tableware crashed onto the floor, the shards scratching my leg and causing it to bleed.

I snapped my head around. Before I could confront Shane, I watched him frantically stopping Christina from heading my way. "Ms. Wellington, steer clear! The shards are dangerous! And Mr. Bellway, you should've been more careful…"

I addressed him icily, "But you were the one who bumped into me."

Head hung low, he stole a pitiful look at Christina. "Ms. Wellington, I certainly did not… Why would I shove him? The tableware alone would cost me a month's pay!"

I pointed at the security camera on the ceiling and grabbed his collar. "Your words don't matter. Let's check out the security footage!"

Shane shook his head vehemently and tried to break free. "Mr. Bellway, please mind your manners! Let go of me! I might have bumped into you because I didn't see you standing behind me, but you shouldn't have purposely stood behind me in the first place!"

While speaking, Shane bent over to pick up the shards on the floor, all while giving Christina the puppy-dog eyes. He made it look like I was the one who had wronged him.

Fuming, I kicked the shards on the ground. "I can't believe this is the attitude of realtors nowadays!"

Christina immediately gave me a hug to soothe my anger. "Zachary, don't worry. I trust you. The tableware isn't an issue. We can afford to pay up."

Trying to change the subject, she added, "By the way, I took a look around. This duplex is just nice for our newlywed home."

Shane's fingers trembled at the mention of our newlywed home. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his voice shook as he said, "But Mr. Bellway, I think… the sugar mommy who bought you two apartments was pretty nice to you too.

"Mr. Bellway, if my memory serves me right, you have more than one sugar mommy. Are they aware of each other?"