Chapter 2

Out with the old, in with the new, as one would put it.

Ted had no idea when he left Lunacorp, but he clearly saw how people were looking at him and what they were commenting among themselves.

None of them blamed Luna for divorcing him, as all of them put the blame on Ted for being a loser who did not deserve Luna at all.

Whatever had happened to this world, really?

Ted headed downstairs and was going to get his car when he remembered that Luna had bought it too.

He smiled bitterly, shaking his head and handing the keys over to a security guard, telling him to return it to Luna.

He said that he did not want anything from Luna, and he would keep that promise.

While he was not as wealthy as Luna, he had never spent a dime of her money.

In fact, he was the one who had financed Luna's family initially.

As he looked back now, the past was nothing but a memory.

Things remained the same, but the people had changed.

As he walked home, he felt dampness on his cheek and looked up to see snowflakes slowly floating down overhead.

It had been years since Melville had seen snow, but it was snowing now.

-

Meanwhile, Luna's family was gathered at No. 18, Lake Garden Villas.

Luna's mother, Wendy, was pacing around anxiously, as if she was the one going through the divorce.

"So, is there any news yet?" she huffed. "Josie said that Luna finally made up her mind to divorce that loser—it should be done by now, right?"

Luna's father, Thomas, was smoking cigarette after cigarette with a troubled look in his eyes, and he sighed. "Is this really appropriate? Ted's a good kid and he really took good care of us. Wouldn't Luna get scorned for this?"

If men who abandoned their wives once they got rich were hated, would the same not happen to women?

However, Wendy was snapping coldly at him right then, "We don't owe him shit! We've long since repaid whatever we owed him! And over the years, when has he not been leeching off us?! You and your nonsense, old-timer! It's Ted York's own fault for being a loser—how is that our daughter's fault?!

"Don't forget—it's everyone else who's been saying that he doesn't deserve our daughter! So many people have been persuading Luna to divorce that loser, so you don't have to worry about what others say. Hell, they'd be applauding her."

Dean, Luna's twentyish younger brother, chuckled as he lay on the couch just then. "Mom's right—I've been so fed-up with Ted for so long now. He's in his thirties, but he doesn't have a job and has always leeched off Luna. On top of that, he keeps lecturing me!

"Hah! I would've slapped his face off if he wasn't my brother-in-law… but it's over now! If he dares to run his mouth in front of me again, we'll see what I'll do to him!"

Thomas sighed in turn—he was constantly bullied by his wife, but he also had to agree with what she was saying.

Still, he pointed out, "I mean, what if Ted refuses? It would look bad if they took it to court."

"He dares refuse?!" Wendy snarled right then, her eyes flashing murderously. "What does he want? Claim every dime that my daughter has worked blood and sweat to earn?! He really wants to leech off a woman for life! Hah! He can dream on—if that's what he really wants, then I have money, and it's just one life!"

Thomas frowned right then. "Watch it. Don't ever say that again, or we'd get in trouble if people hear about this."

Wendy knew that she had misspoken too, but what did she have to fear when she was in the safety of her own home?

Snorting, she huffed, "Who's going to tell on me? You? Whatever—everything I said is the truth, and don't forget that people would kill for just over a couple mil. And my daughter's rich, so quit behaving like a loser… Either way, she will divorce Ted. And if that loser screws around, I'll show him!"

Before Thoams could speak, the phone rang.

Wendy quickly answered and was soon laughing endlessly.

As she hung up, she exclaimed excitedly, "It's done! Ted signed it!"

Thomas smiled too—when everything was said and done, he would still support Luna's move to divorce Ted.

Dean, who was beginning his career as a rich playboy in Melville, sprang up from the couch, his eyes twinkling.

On the other hand, Wendy was frowning after her initial excitement. "But Josie also said Luna is paying a lot in alimony. It's not just their car and the villa—she's even paying him millions and giving him the restaurant down central street! And it's money! Our money!"

Even before Thomas could speak, Dean was roaring in furious disapproval, "What?! The villa too?! That's almost ten million we're talking about!! Definitely not the villa, and not cash either! As for the restaurant, there's no chance in hell! That place rakes in so much every day! It isn't right! That's our money—our family's money!"

Dean turned toward Wendy, his eyes suddenly teary. "Mom, you're always complaining that I'm freeloading, right? Then let me be the manager of that restaurant! Forget you and Dad—Luna wouldn't let any of us work at Lunacorp and only gives us money from time to time. Why is she giving Ted so much at once?! That's unfair! I can't deal with this… No! This isn't happening!

"We're Luna's family, Mom! You gave birth to her and raised her, but she's dumping everything to someone outside the family! I don't care—you must do something about this!"

Wendy was livid too and gritting her teeth as she looked at her son. "You're right. There's no reason for some outsider to benefit from us. I won't agree to this either."

On the other hand, Thomas sighed again.

He felt pained too, but he was more or less rational as he reasoned, "Stop it already. It's not like we need that money. It pains me to see it gone too, but Ted's already signed the papers, so less trouble is always better, or we'd get more than what we bargained for."

Wendy promptly snapped at him, "You're such a loser! Why do we even keep you around?! How generous of you, handing off dozens of millions just like that?! You must be crazy!

"Come on, Dean. We're going to see Luna—I doubt she'd fight against me over some loser she just divorced. Let's see if she still considers her mother!"

Dean's eyes lit up at first, but he cringed at the idea of seeing Luna. "W-Would she really listen? Wouldn't she get upset?"

Wendy paused for a moment but soon gritted her teeth. "She'd never dare! I gave birth to her—why wouldn't I dare lecture her? And her behavior has made me very upset! Hell, if she refuses, I'll make her give you something too. Don't worry—what's hers is mine, and what's mine is yours! And Ted York wants to take it away?! Dream on!

"Come on—we'll talk to your sister first, and then Ted! How dare that loser take so much money from us! He'd better hand over everything without a fight, or he won't be alive to spend it!"

With that, Dean happily followed Wendy outside, emboldened by her support and his own self-important attitude.

Thomas was left alone, frowning and sighing.

However, none of them was aware that Ted never wanted anything from Luna—he just went back to pack up his belongings.

After all, he had been staying there for two years and had plenty of personal effects, which could not be packed up and moved that soon.

The seemingly empty luxury villa was filled with sweet memories, but it only brought Ted pain now.

As he sat on the couch, Ted lit himself a cigarette despite having quit smoking for years.

Even as smoke swirled around his cheek, a tear seemed to trickle down…

That was when a million dollar sedan stopped outside the guarded villa compound.

A bodyguard alighted, asked where Ted lived, and did not stop the car from driving into the villa district.

Naturally, the security was not going to stop anyone traveling in such an expensive car.

Most importantly, they could recognize that it was owned by the Grahams, a very important family here in Melville.

The Grahams also owned shares in the security firm they owned, so would they not be asking to be fired if they stopped their boss' car?

Although the bodyguard got Ted's address, he was hesitant as he glanced at the youth in the backseat. "Sir, wouldn't Master Graham be upset if he finds out that you came looking for Mr. York?"