Chapter 3

Truth be told, I loved kids. Victoria didn't. To be precise, she just refused to have a child with me.

Ever since our wedding, her family had brought up grandchildren multiple times.

Every single time, she threw a fit. Once, after a fight about having a baby, she stayed out of the country for an entire year.

After that, no one in the family dared bring it up again.

With Chloe's persistent nudging, I agreed to go.

That evening, I drove to the address she sent me.

The school building was old, clearly weathered by decades of neglect.

When I pushed open the third-floor classroom door, a confetti popper went off right above my head.

A burst of applause erupted from the room, followed by Chloe's cheerful voice: "Everyone, welcome our new friend!"

"Welcome, Miss Chloe's friend!"

A swarm of little kids rushed forward, shoving handmade cards and small trinkets into my hands. Chloe stood in the corner, beaming at me.

Having never been on the receiving end of so much genuine warmth, I stood frozen, completely at a loss, until Chloe stepped in to rescue me.

She clapped her hands. "All right, party people! The welcome ceremony is officially over. Everyone back to your seats for the talent show!"

The kids scurried back to their spots obediently.

I hadn't seen such bright, innocent smiles in years.

Whenever I came home to Victoria, the house felt like an icebox. Outside of work matters, she barely spared two sentences for me.

I had tried to break the ice countless times, asking her out on normal dates like real couples do. Every single attempt was shut down without hesitation.

Chloe pulled me over to sit beside her.

We talked about everything that night, though mostly it was her talking while I listened.

My previous life had been a monotonous loop between the office and the penthouse.

As Chloe put it, it was so mind-numbingly dull I might as well have been a ghost.

She, on the other hand, was full of life. With shining eyes, she said her dream was to build schools and become an educator who changed lives.

Watching her talk with such passion reminded me of Professor Campbell.

He had taken immense pride in mentoring his students, celebrating every single milestone they reached.

"Are your parents proud of you?" I asked.

Her smile faltered slightly. She rested her chin in her hands and shook her head. "Honestly? When I signed up to teach in a rural school, they completely freaked out.”

“They said a girl shouldn't go running off to the middle of nowhere. I had to submit the application behind their backs."

I stared at her, quietly admiring her guts.

"Life is about testing your limits, right? I refused to spend my whole life trapped on the path they laid out for me."

I never imagined that the person who would wake me up from my stupor would be a girl fresh out of college.

She was a blaze of energy, as if nothing in the world could ever knock her down.

"What about you?"

Her eyes fluttered with genuine curiosity.

"I was tired of being stuck in a dead-end routine, too. That's why I came here."

During my years with Victoria, I had erased myself completely, walking on eggshells just to protect her image and the Sterling family reputation.

"What about after? Have you thought about what you want to do once this trip is over?"

Her question caught me off guard. I lowered my gaze, unsure how to answer.

Unlike her, I didn't have a grand dream. My future felt like a blank fog.

For the past five years, my only goal had been trying to bridge the gap between Victoria and me, working tirelessly so that her circle might finally see me as someone worthy of her.

Now that I had walked away, the purpose driving my existence had vanished.

"Julian."

She suddenly called my name with total sincerity. I looked up, meeting her gaze.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, then just live for yourself first. Life is long, and you're still so young. You'll find something worth fighting for."