Chapter 4

When Summer returned home, she saw my eyes red and swollen from crying.

She hugged me tightly, her eyes full of guilt and heartache.

"Mason, I'm sorry."

"When my dad died from illness, I had to return to Harbor City to inherit the family business. Your background was too humble—the family elders would never let me marry you."

I couldn't listen anymore. I pushed her away forcefully.

"So you married someone else? Summer, what were these seven years of long distance for?"

Summer looked down at me condescendingly, her eyes regaining their calm.

"Mason, I'm the heir to the Summer family. I have my responsibilities. Gilbert and I are well-matched. Our marriage benefits both families."

"Gilbert said as long as you behave yourself, he can turn a blind eye and let you stay by my side."

I looked up at her, tears rolling down my face.

Summer reached up to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Mason, we've been together so many years. I won't treat you badly. If you want to stay in Harbor City, I'll arrange for you to join the company as my assistant."

Instead, I slapped her. Under her shocked gaze, I grabbed my suitcase and rushed out the villa door.

As I left in a taxi, Summer sent me a voice message.

"Mason, don't be childish. Not just anyone can work at Summer Corporation. I'm giving you three days to think it over."

Then she transferred me a hundred thousand dollars.

Before, to maintain her persona, her red envelopes never exceeded a thousand. Now she casually sent a hundred thousand.

I didn't reply, returning all the money.

After renting a place and settling in, I opened my phone again.

The trending topics had exploded.

Someone had posted video of me at the company entrance online.

In the video, my evasive gaze looked especially pathetic.

The trending topics all accused Summer of cheating, the kept man boldly showing up.

I was clearly Summer's legitimate boyfriend, yet I'd become the despised homewrecker, the kept man.

I posted our entire relationship history and chat records online.

The timeline clearly showed I'd been with Summer long before she married Gilbert.

Public opinion reversed again. The entire internet condemned the cheating woman.

Summer called several times. I hung up directly.

A few minutes later, Gilbert posted their marriage certificate on social media, saying the couple's relationship was harmonious, accusing me of staging everything for attention.

Summer Corporation's PR team personally stepped in, pointing out the chat records were "faked," threatening to send me a legal letter for defamation.

Marketing accounts spread wild rumors, calling me a kept man challenging the legitimate husband.

The post's comment section completely collapsed.

"Male homewrecker's counterattack fails, even gets a legal warning—hilarious!"

"Still gotta hand it to the real deal—a few words and he crushes this arrogant kept man!"

"Being a homewrecker, destroying someone's family, then trying to gain attention from it—absolutely disgusting!"

...

My private messages filled with abuse. Some even cursed me to die.

Half an hour later, the post disappeared and my account was banned.

For the first time I understood how laughable I was in the face of absolute power.

My phone rang again and again. When I didn't answer, they kept calling.

Reluctantly, I pressed accept.

The caller wasn't Summer—it was Gilbert.

"Mr. Cross," his laugh held contempt, "let's talk."