Rejected By My Ex, Desired By His Father

"So six years was too much for you now? You got tired of me, Mr. Newman?"

At the accusation, Brandon Newman only swirled the wine in his glass, almost completely unfazed.

"Joslyn, over the past six years, I gave you everything I could. I paid for your education overseas. I showed you the world. I gave you a good life. Can't we end this peacefully and leave each other some dignity?"

The woman seated across from Brandon was stunning enough to draw anyone's attention. She had long hair, red lips, and sharp, striking features. No one could look away from a beauty like her.

At that moment, her eyes lifted slightly, the chill beneath them making her seem even more distant and untouchable. She was Joslyn Clark, Brandon's girlfriend for the past six years.

A trace of mockery entered her voice. "You were the one who said you'd never marry anyone but me. You were the one who proposed in front of everyone at graduation. And now you're talking about ending things peacefully? What was the point of all those promises?"

Brandon's body stiffened, and for the first time, real pain showed on his face. "A family like the Newman family cares about status. My adoptive father would never allow someone from your background to marry into our family."

Back when he had pursued her, he swore status and family background would never matter between them. Now, those same things had become the reason he was leaving her.

"Joslyn, what we had was real. Let's just leave it in the past, alright? I'll transfer the riverfront apartment in the western district to your name, and I'll give you another five million dollars. Take the money and live well. If you ever need help, you can still call me."

Joslyn leaned back in her chair and listened to his detached voice while a dull ache slowly spread through her chest.

From nineteen to twenty-five, she had spent every year of her youth with him.

She'd believed six years together would earn her at least a little sincerity. In the end, she'd simply trusted the wrong man.

"So this has nothing to do with your adoptive father. Clare Simpson came back, didn't she? You told me you'd never lie to me, Brandon. And now you can't even tell me the real reason you're leaving."

Brandon's expression changed again and again before he finally gave up trying to hide it.

"I'm sorry, Joslyn. Clare had her reasons for leaving back then. Now that she's returned, I can't fail her again."

Joslyn wanted to laugh. At how foolish she'd been. At Brandon's hypocrisy. But the pain pressing against her chest swallowed every other emotion.

"I don't want the apartment. Give me the equivalent amount of money instead. The five-million breakup settlement plus the property's market value should add up to at least tens of millions, right? I want twenty-five million dollars. Transfer it before noon tomorrow. If the money isn't in my account by twelve, I'll send every chat log from the past six years straight to the tabloids."

Brandon immediately reached for her wrist. "Joslyn, it doesn't have to come to this. If you needed money, you could've told me. I would've given it to you."

Joslyn pulled her hand away and put on her coat. "Twenty-five million to protect your image as the devoted man who stayed loyal to his first love all these years? That's a pretty cheap deal. Believe me, you're getting the better end of it."

Brandon stood where he was and watched her walk away. For a split second, an odd emptiness settled in his chest.

Still, he quickly brushed the feeling aside. She was only a woman who had stayed beside him for six years. If she wanted to leave, then so be it.

Clare had finally returned, and the misunderstanding between them was over. He had waited years for her. He couldn't lose her again.

As for Joslyn, after six years with him, the money he gave her would be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

In his eyes, he had already done more than enough.

After leaving the restaurant, Joslyn wandered slowly along the riverside. She had always been proud to the bone. The tears she'd forced herself to hold back finally slipped down her face.

It was six years, not six days. It was almost the whole of her youth, torn away in the span of one conversation. How could she not feel shattered?

Her phone buzzed with a bank notification soon after. Twenty-five million dollars. Every cent had been transferred. Joslyn lowered her phone, wiped the tears from her face, and looked toward the glittering skyline across the river.

Dafson's night view was dazzling, filled with endless lights and towering glass buildings. This was the city she had fought so hard to become part of.

Six years ago, she had fought her way out of a small rural town and earned a spot at the prestigious Dafson University. Her parents' reaction back then had been painfully straightforward. "What's the point of a girl studying so much? You should get married while you're still young. Your brother's about to enter his senior year in high school, and his tutoring fees cost a fortune. We're already struggling, so figure it out yourself."

She didn't cry, and she didn't argue. She quietly left home, applied for student loans, and worked three part-time jobs just to get by.

A few months after classes began, she met Brandon during a debate competition.

He was wealthy, attractive, and born into privilege. After seeing her once, he started pursuing her relentlessly. Flowers, expensive gifts, luxury cars waiting outside campus, endless care and attention. Everyone around them envied her.

At first, Joslyn felt overwhelmed by it all. But she understood the situation soon enough. She wanted to climb higher. She wanted wealth, status, and influence. She wanted to establish herself in this city and never be looked down on again.

Brandon had money, power, and looks. More importantly, he treated her well.

Why wouldn't she accept him?

For six years, Brandon brought her into a world she never could've reached on her own. She had seen what life looked like at the top.

But there was one thing she had always understood clearly. Everything she possessed came from the title of being "Brandon's girlfriend."

The moment she lost that identity, she would go back to being nobody.

That was why she had fought so hard for scholarships, built her social media accounts from the ground up, and forced her way into one of the top architectural design firms after graduation. Most nights, she worked until past midnight.

Just as Joslyn slipped her phone back into her pocket, another message arrived.

"Joslyn, it's Mom. Your brother's getting married. The girl's family wants him to buy a house in Dafson. We really can't come up with that kind of money. You've done well for yourself in Dafson, and you probably know plenty of rich people by now. Can you help your brother?"

Joslyn was already exhausted. Without a trace of emotion, she blocked the number, deleted the conversation, and kept walking until she turned into a quiet side street.

This was Dafson's old district. Towering sycamore trees lined both sides of the road, and dim amber streetlights cast faint pools of light across the pavement.

Using the money she'd earned from content creation, along with some financial help from Brandon, she had bought a small apartment here.

Two figures stood anxiously outside the apartment building, glancing around every few seconds. A man and a woman.

The moment Joslyn recognized them, her heart dropped. The couple waiting downstairs were her parents. The same parents who had cut ties with her for six whole years.

It was as if every disaster in the world had decided to descend on her tonight.

"Joslyn!" Her mother, Beverly Clark, spotted her immediately and hurried over to grab her arm. "You're finally back! I've been calling you over and over. Why weren't you answering?"

Joslyn's father, Vince Clark, hurried over as well, rubbing his hands together as he forced out an awkward smile. "Joslyn, we know we treated you badly before, but we're still family. Families can't stay angry forever, right? Your brother really can't postpone this wedding anymore. The girl's pregnant, and if they don't get married soon, her family might call off the engagement..."

Joslyn pulled her arm free from Beverly's grip and stepped back, her gaze turning cold. "Weren't you the ones who said it was better to pretend you'd never had a daughter like me? So what gives you the right to come asking me for money now?"

"Oh, we only said those things because we were angry back then!" Beverly hurriedly wiped away her tears. "You're my daughter. How could a mother stop loving her own child? Joslyn, I know you've done well for yourself in Dafson. Please, just help your brother this once. I'm begging you..."

"I don't have any money," Joslyn interrupted coldly. "I'm just an ordinary office worker. My salary barely covers my rent and living expenses each month."

"Who are you trying to fool?" Vince suddenly snapped, his voice rising. "I've already asked around. Your boyfriend is from the Newman family-the richest family in Dafson. Just a little money from him would be enough to buy your brother a house!"

Joslyn almost laughed from anger. "For six years, you never cared whether I was dead or alive. The moment you heard I was dating someone rich, you rushed over to squeeze money out of me. You've really thought this through."

"Watch your attitude!" Vince's face turned red with rage. "We raised you all those years, and this is how you repay us? You ungrateful girl. You've got money to spend on yourself, but you won't help your own family? Do you even have a conscience?"

Beverly broke down crying as well. "Joslyn, please. Just help your brother this once. If he can't get married, I won't be able to keep living either..."

"I said I don't have any money, so stop wasting your time." Joslyn shoved past them and walked straight into the building.