Chapter 4
Five Million
Dragging my suitcase behind me, I returned to my old house.
My father had lived here his entire life. Every corner carried traces of his memory.
Tears fell heavily down my face as I looked around.
On the living room wall hung a family photo of us. Derrick had his arm around my father's shoulders, smiling brightly.
On the coffee table sat the cheap lighter Derrick had once given him, preserved carefully beneath a glass cover as though it were some priceless treasure.
The refrigerator was always stocked with the milk I loved and the soda Derrick liked, while my father himself drank nothing but plain water.
What hurt the most was the toolbox in the corner. It was filled with every worn-out tool my father had used while hauling freight.
To help Derrick repay his debts and make sure I could marry happily, my father had even refused to buy himself a new set of tools.
If he had been willing to spend the money, maybe the accident would never have happened.
Like a madwoman, I tore apart every photograph that included Derrick and smashed the ridiculous glass display case.
However, when my eyes landed on the newest photo hanging on the wall, my anguished screaming stopped abruptly.
In the picture, my father was wearing the baseball cap Derrick had gifted him, smiling like a child.
I couldn't bring myself to tear this one apart.
Instead, I took it down carefully and tucked it into the very bottom of my suitcase before heading back to the club to return the company laptop.
The moment I arrived, I saw Jessica casually playing with the small mechanical parts on my desk. People surrounded her, and the whispers instantly quieted when I appeared.
I assumed they were all waiting to see whether I would fight Jessica.
After all, everyone loved watching drama unfold.
Jessica lifted the bracelet in front of me, then tossed a bank card onto the floor at my feet. "Here is five million. I want you to leave this place immediately and never see Derrick again."
She looked at me arrogantly, but I merely bent down and picked up the card, then replied calmly, "Deal."
No one had expected me to pick up the card.
The looks they gave me were filled with contempt.
After all, the position of Mrs. Waterson was worth far more than five million.
Ignoring their murmurs, I quietly packed up my belongings and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, Derrick appeared. The moment he noticed I wasn't wearing my uniform, his expression stiffened. "What are you doing?"
Before I could answer, Jessica spoke first. "She's leaving."
Derrick's gaze turned cold as he looked at me. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.
I raised the bank card slightly and waved it in front of him. "Five million. Your fiancee paid me to disappear."
Shock flashed across Derrick's face. Then, he turned toward Jessica with a questioning look.
Jessica lifted her chin proudly and replied, "That's right. I gave it to her."
He fell silent with a darkened expression. Still, he didn't reprimand Jessica for what she had done.
I ignored him and turned to leave.
Then, right in front of everyone, Derrick suddenly grabbed Jessica by the throat, fury exploding from him. "Who told you to make decisions on your own?"
By the time I walked out of the building, my phone was vibrating nonstop. One message after another from Derrick flooded the screen.
'Millie, the specialists are arriving tonight. We can check on Dad immediately.'
'I told you I'd stay with you tonight. From now on, I'll never be late again.'
'I want to have a proper meal with you and Dad together.'
I wiped away the tears at the corners of my eyes and took a deep breath.
'Derrick, there is no "from now on" anymore,' I thought to myself.
Holding my father's memorial portrait tightly in my arms, I boarded a flight overseas.
Before boarding, Derrick called me over and over again. When I refused to answer, he sent message after message instead.
'Millie, why is the hospital room empty? Did Dad transfer hospitals?'
'Why didn't you tell me? Which hospital is he in now? I'll bring the specialists there immediately.'
'Answer the phone! Millie, did Dad…'
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