Eve Vaughn stared at her lit-up phone screen. The name ’Mason Lawson’ made her heart clench.

After steeling herself for what felt like an eternity, she finally answered the call.

The man’s voice on the other end was gentle. "You’re being so good today, calling me on your own. Did you miss me?"

Hearing his deep, magnetic voice, Eve Vaughn couldn’t keep the dejection out of her tone, despite her best efforts. "I... have something I need to talk to you about, Mr. Lawson."

Mason Lawson frowned slightly, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over him.

...

「In the coffee shop.」

Mason Lawson was confused. Usually at this hour, she would be whining about being hungry and wanting to eat dinner.

He had no idea what she wanted to talk about that she would so formally ask to meet at a coffee shop.

Mason Lawson had expected her to be here to charm him or ask for a truce.

But now, the young woman’s somber expression made him realize this was more serious than he’d thought.

Mason Lawson glanced at her coffee. "Coffee at this hour? Are you planning to stay up all night?"

"I..." Eve Vaughn hesitated before finally mustering her courage. "I wanted to tell you, Mr. Lawson, that the university has a new policy. Selected students can go study abroad as exchange students at a medical school."

A strange look flashed across Mason Lawson’s face. His dark, deep eyes fixed on her. "When did this happen? Why didn’t you ever mention it to me before?"

Eve Vaughn said, "My advisor just announced it today, and I’ve already applied. They’re supposedly making selections based on last semester’s final grades. My grades were the highest in my department, so if I apply, I’m sure to be selected."

Mason Lawson’s eyes darkened further. He asked, displeased, "So, you’re just informing me now?"

Eve Vaughn’s hands, hidden beneath the table, clenched into tight fists. She didn’t dare meet his eyes. "Yes," she said, her head bowed. "I’ve already decided."

Mason Lawson gritted his teeth, his words clipped. "Who gave you the nerve to make a decision like this? You didn’t even think to discuss it with me! Eve Vaughn, do you have any respect for me at all?"

Eve Vaughn’s heart hammered in her chest.

To keep him from seeing her guilt and reluctance, she forced a casual smile. "Senior Shaw once told me that Mr. Lawson wants his partner to make him the center of her universe and become a full-time housewife. Surely you don’t expect me to give up studying abroad just so my life can revolve around you, do you?"

Mason Lawson said coldly, "I refuse to believe you don’t understand that was just an excuse I made up to scare off Regina Shaw."

Eve Vaughn smiled. "Good. For a second there, I thought Mr. Lawson’s thinking was that archaic."

Mason Lawson knew she was just trying to provoke him. He truly didn’t want her to go abroad, so far away from him.

But transportation was so convenient these days, and he had a private jet.

Even if she went abroad, it wouldn’t really be a problem.

So, Mason Lawson’s tone softened a little. "How long would you be gone?"

Eve Vaughn said softly, "Three years."

The man’s slightly furrowed brow betrayed his displeasure.

Eve Vaughn didn’t dare meet his sharp gaze. Keeping her head down, she decided to get it all out in the open, determined to make a clean break today.

"And another thing," she said. "Three years is a long time. We should break up. Otherwise, I won’t be able to focus on my studies."

The moment the words left Eve Vaughn’s mouth, the man’s expression instantly darkened, becoming terrifyingly cold.

The table fell silent. The coffee in front of them sat untouched, just as it had been served.

After a long moment, it seemed to dawn on Mason Lawson. "Studying abroad? That’s all just an excuse! You’re still angry with me about Joanna Sullivan, aren’t you? Eve Vaughn, you’re allowed to be angry, but there are some things you don’t just say."

Eve Vaughn’s heart trembled, but her voice was surprisingly calm. "Miss Sullivan is your first love. It’s perfectly normal that you can’t forget her. After all, we all have a past. I’m not just being petty. You’re ten years older than me, Mr. Lawson, and I’m not even twenty yet. I don’t think you should selfishly keep me by your side. I want to go out and see the world."

Her words suddenly reminded Mason Lawson of Joanna Sullivan, who had been just as determined when she left him.

Back then, Joanna had been dead set on joining a foreign dance company, even agreeing to their unreasonable demand that she not marry or have children while she was a member.

Joanna breaking their engagement had been a source of shame and a dark memory for Mason Lawson.

And now, even Eve Vaughn was starting to have similar ideas.

His gaze was dark. "And if," he said, enunciating each word, "I don’t agree?"

Eve Vaughn’s knuckles were white from how tightly she was clenching her fists. Finally, she summoned her courage, looked up, and met his dark, menacing gaze. "Then will you marry me? Mr. Lawson, marry me right now. Can you do that? If you can’t, then don’t ask me to stay."

She knew he couldn’t do it.

’Logically, she also hoped Mason would be cruel. It was the only way they could make a clean break.’

’Only when Mason breaks things off with me can he take back everything that belongs to him in the Lawson family. Only then can he go back to being the untouchable, imperious Mason Lawson who bows to no one.’

A hint of anger touched Mason Lawson’s stern face. "Eve Vaughn, are you threatening me?"

’Wasn’t that just a threat?’ he thought. ’Marry her if I want her to stay?’

Mason never imagined that Eve Vaughn would one day use such terms to blackmail him.

He realized he couldn’t understand the young woman he once thought he knew so well.

Eve Vaughn knew he wouldn’t agree.

’It seems I’ve achieved my goal,’ she thought. ’Because Mason chose the right path.’

But the faint sadness in her heart refused to fade.

Eve Vaughn gave a bitter smile. "You see? Mr. Lawson has no intention of marrying me, even now. So what does that make us? A girl’s time is precious. Why should I waste my youth on you?"

Her words made Mason Lawson feel as if he’d been nurturing an ungrateful wretch all this time.

The normally composed man gritted his teeth in resentment. "Your time is precious? My time is even more precious. It wasn’t just you who invested time and energy in this relationship. So, all this time, you think being with me was a waste?"

Eve Vaughn couldn’t speak, afraid that the moment she opened her mouth, he would hear the sob caught in her throat.

So she just gave a cold "mm-hmm" in response.

Mason Lawson nodded, sneering. "Eve Vaughn, you’re really something else. You used me to defeat your uncle and aunt, and now you think I’m a waste of your time and want to cut me loose? So you have a new target? Who is it? Wesley Shaw, the one who dropped you off the other night?"

Eve Vaughn never thought she would one day be so misunderstood by Mason Lawson.

But this was what she wanted. He would only let her go if he hated her, and only then would he regain Old Mr. Lawson’s trust.

Yet, in this moment, her heart ached so much she could barely breathe. It felt as if even the shallowest inhalation was an agonizing effort.

Despite the pain, she put on a brave face. "It’s not Wesley Shaw, but it will be a man who can give me a future."

Mason Lawson’s temples throbbed with anger. How could he stand being played like this by a young woman?

She was trying to take control of their relationship!

The feeling of his dignity being utterly trampled reached its peak.

Mason Lawson’s voice was frigid. "Eve Vaughn, you think too highly of yourself! Do you really think you’re irreplaceable?"

With that, he stood up. His tall, imposing figure strode quickly out the door and disappeared from her sight.

Her vision blurred. Eve Vaughn rubbed her eyes furiously, but she couldn’t stop the tears from finally spilling over. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

...

「The Aegis Club.」

In the VIP booth, the nuts and snacks on the table were untouched. The bottle of liquor in front of Mason Lawson was nearly empty.

Eric Kendall couldn’t stand to watch anymore and snatched the glass from his hand.

Mason Lawson leaned back on the sofa and shot him a look. "Give it back."

"No!"

Eric Kendall sighed. "Hamilton Hale and Jonah Spencer aren’t here today. If you get completely wasted, I can’t carry you out of here by myself!"

A corner of Mason Lawson’s mouth quirked up in a dismissive smirk. He lit a cigarette and said, "When have you ever seen me get completely wasted?"

Eric Kendall sighed. "It’s about Eve Vaughn, isn’t it? If you ask me, you were too good to her. You spoiled her rotten, and now she’s audacious enough to want to be Mrs. Lawson. All women are the same—give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile! You offer them a little, and they demand the world!"

Mason Lawson’s expression was grim. One arm rested on the back of the sofa, his other hand holding a cigarette, its tip glowing crimson in the dim light.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette. "Actually," he said in a low voice, "I did consider it. Just not now."

Eric Kendall scoffed. "Well, you can keep on considering it! Listen to me, you can’t spoil women. You have to treat them like kites, keep the string in your hand. When you want to pull them in, they come in. When you want to let them out, they go out."

Mason Lawson said grimly, "But now, the string is broken. I never realized how strong-willed she was."

Eric Kendall retorted, completely disagreeing. "What do you mean, broken? After all the money and energy you’ve invested in her, she thinks she can just call it quits? Has she repaid you for any of it? As long as you don’t want it to be over, where does she think she can run? The girl probably thinks that studying abroad will put a shine on her, that she can just burn her bridges once she’s crossed the river."

It was as if Eric’s words were a sudden wake-up call for Mason Lawson.

’If Eve Vaughn wants to go abroad, then I’ll just have to block that path! Leave her with nowhere to run!’

With that, he immediately summoned Neil Kane.

"Go find out who donated the funds for this Rivaster University student exchange program." After all, the students’ living expenses and tuition abroad were all covered by the school.

Without a sponsor or investor, it was unlikely the university would put up that much money on its own.

Eager for an answer, Mason Lawson added, "I’ll give you half an hour."

After Neil Kane left, Eric Kendall clicked his tongue. "It can’t be easy being your assistant. Look at the time. Still slaving away for his boss."

Half an hour later, Neil Kane was back.

"Mr. Lawson, the investor who initiated the study abroad program is the Lawson Group."

Mason Lawson was stunned.

The Lawson Group?

If it was the Lawson Group, how could he have heard nothing about it?

Clearly, someone had deliberately gone over his head.

And the only person in the entire Lawson Group who could make a decision like that over his head was Old Mr. Lawson.

In an instant, it all made sense to Mason Lawson.

The gloom that had plagued him all evening suddenly began to lift.

The next second, he shot to his feet, grabbed his jacket, and said to Eric Kendall, "I have to go."

"Hey! Wait up!"

Eric Kendall stared at his retreating back, completely speechless. "What’s with him?" he muttered. "Drags me out here in the middle of the night, and then just takes off."

...

When Mason Lawson returned to the Lawson family estate, The Third Madam heard from a servant that he was drunk and hurried out to see what was going on.

Seeing Mason Lawson reeking of alcohol, The Third Madam frowned. "It’s a good thing Old Mr. Lawson is at the hospital. If your father saw you this drunk, there’s no telling how angry he’d be!"

Despite her words, The Third Madam knew exactly what had happened. ’Eve Vaughn must have broken up with him.’

Otherwise, given his usual temperament, he would never have come home this drunk.

The Third Madam rejoiced inwardly. ’It worked!’

’That girl, Eve Vaughn, is no longer an obstacle to Joanna Sullivan marrying into the Lawson family.’

The Third Madam coaxed, "You should go to your room and get some rest. I’ll have a servant make some soup to help with the hangover and bring it to you."

Mason Lawson headed for his room, his steps unsteady.

He wanted to confront his mother right then and there, but he’d had too much to drink and worried he wouldn’t be able to control his temper.

So, he went to his room, deciding it was best to wait until he was sober tomorrow to find out exactly what The Third Madam and Old Mr. Lawson had done to Eve Vaughn.

Not long after, there was a knock on his bedroom door.

Mason Lawson assumed it was the maid with his soup, but to his surprise, the person who entered was Joanna Sullivan.

She wore a white silk nightgown, her eyes shimmering with a gentle yet seductive charm.

"What are you doing here?"

Mason had been drinking heavily, but he wasn’t so drunk that he couldn’t recognize who was in front of him.

Joanna Sullivan set down the soup and explained gently, "Auntie has been so worried about you she’s lost her appetite. She asked me to come and stay with her for a few days to keep her company. When I heard you came home drunk, I was concerned, so I came to check on you."

Mason turned his back on her, clearly not wanting to look at her. "Leave the soup," he said coldly. "You can go now."

"Mason..."

Joanna Sullivan called his name, her voice wavering with emotion.

She walked up behind him and wrapped her slender, pale arms around his waist. "Tonight," she pleaded, "just let me stay here with you, okay?"