Chapter 2 - At the End of the Rope

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

At this moment, a sound more piercing than the slammed door rang through Cole Stone’s ears.

“Cole Stone, were you kicked out? I knew that you couldn’t make it like me.”

A man in a custom-made Armani suit and Omega watch walked over with a bouquet of ninety-nine fresh roses in his hand.

He glared mockingly at Cole Stone.

He was James Lewis…

Jane Smith’s ex.

James Lewis’s vigorous appearance was a huge contrast to the pathetic Cole Stone.

Cole Stone clenched his teeth. “You’re the one behind all of these?”

“Don’t say it that way.” James Lewis grinned. “Jane Smith contacted me on her own. She said that her brother needs money, but you don’t have any. Naturally, she could only come to me for help.”

“I didn’t go after Jane Smith and gave you the chance. You’re the one that didn’t make use of it.”

“You bastard.” Cole Stone clenched his fists and glared with red eyes.

James Lewis took a step back exaggeratedly. “What? You want to hit me?”

“Oh, I’m so scared! Cole Stone!”

James Lewis raised his hand arrogantly and patted Cole Stone’s face.

“What a shame… Oh, I’ve just remembered that I’m your boss’ friend. A damned beggar like you is afraid of hitting me because you don’t want to get fired, right?”

Cole Stone clenched his teeth in rage.

James Lewis provoked Cole Stone even more. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Jane Smith is rather good in bed. Although she can’t be compared to those young models, she’s still usable.”

“Hahaha.”

James Lewis laughed out loud.

Looking at Cole Stone’s terrible state, he felt even better.

“You f*cking bastard.”

Cole Stone cried out and threw a punch at him.

James Lewis already knew that Cole Stone would attack him so he immediately dodged.

He then mocked. “You can’t even hit me, trash.”

But James Lewis was rather weak compared to Cole Stone.

As he dodged, he slipped and fell onto the ground. He groaned. “Ow…”

Just then, the door opened…

Jane Smith rushed out with a terrible look on her face. “What happened?”

James Lewis immediately held his stomach and said, “I greeted him and he went straight for my stomach.”

Jane Smith did not say anything and slapped Cole Stone on the face.

Slap!

The sound of the slap rang loud and clear.

Jane Smith shouted in anger. “You disappoint me!”

Cole Stone’s face swelled. He was in utter shock.

James Lewis maligned him and Jane Smith actually believed him without hesitation?

He never thought that Jane Smith could be so cruel.

There was glee in James Lewis’ eyes.

Cole Stone took a deep breath and scoffed. “Okay, since you’re being like this, why should I give you any face?”

Cole Stone’s eyes were red and fierce.

Seeing this, Jane Smith became more enraged. “What? You want to hit me?”

“Touch me if you dare, my brother and James Lewis will not let you off!”

Cole Stone roared. “I can handle these two weaklings with just a punch!”

“Why don’t you try?”

James Lewis was upset. Who are you calling a weakling?

He was sure that Cole Stone would not dare to make a move against him!

Cole Stone turned his head and glared at him. “Hehehe, I’ve never met someone who actually wants to die…”

Since James Lewis framed him, he might as well hit him for real!

Before James Lewis could react, Cole Stone delivered a heavy kick.

“Thud!”

The loud crash sounded through the corridor.

James Lewis fell defenselessly. His face distorted as he cried out. “Ah!!!”

He did not expect Cole Stone to actually hit him!

Right in front of Jane Smith too!

Jane Smith panicked. “You…”

“I—what?!”

Cole Stone shouted, “Say more, and I’ll destroy you both…”

Jane Smith finally felt fear.

She never thought that the goody-two-shoes Cole Stone would actually get physical with them.

Just then…

“My dear son-in-law, what happened to you?”

Susan Collins rushed out and held James Lewis up tenderly.

She turned her head and scolded. “Didn’t I tell you to get lost? Why are you still here?”

James Lewis was kicked to the point where he had lost all courage.

He did not say anything else and cowered.

He did not have his bodyguard with him, how could he win against Cole Stone?

Cole Stone looked at the fuming mother-daughter pair and the cowering James Lewis.

He coldly scoffed. “Jane Smith, since you’ve already sold yourself. Let me give you a piece of advice: nurture your talents and upskill. James Lewis has just said that you can’t even compare to any random young models.”

With that, he turned and left.

Jane Smith’s face turned blue and she shouted. “What do you mean I sold myself?!”

However, Cole Stone ignored her and disappeared.

James Lewis grimly stared at Cole Stone’s back.

He was filled with malice and hatred. “You dared to hit me? Just wait—”

…

Cole Stone bought a new house.

The gym sent him a message.

“You are fired. You were absent for 3 days. You will receive no compensation for this month.”

Cole Stone was not surprised.

He laughed at himself. “My career of 3 years and my lover has gone just like that. I’ve been a fool all this time.”

“My parents spent all their savings on me and took loans from all of our relatives. They worked tirelessly every day from day to night, and it was with our efforts that I finally managed to save up the deposit for this house.”

“But in the end, it was all for nothing.”

Cole Stone laughed miserably.

At that moment…

He received a message. “—the principal and interest of the housing loan amounting to $1274.37 will be deducted by 28 February, please deposit $1069.91.”

He received another message from his friend from university. “Brother, your sister-in-law has been urging me to do this… Can you return me the $1000 first? If you can’t, $500 is fine too.”

There was a message from his payment app. “—$397.09 will automatically be deducted from your savings balance on 9 February, you can log in—”

Notifications continuously popped up.

Cole Stone’s blood slowly ran cold.

How was he going to pay off all these?

He was at the end of his rope.

Cole Stone received a voice message from his mother.

He opened it.

His mother was nagging at him as usual.

“Cole, are you sleeping? Do you have enough money to spend? If you don’t, you can tell me. I still have some cash on me. Being married is a big deal, don’t be careless at any step.”

“Oh, I still have a set of gold accessories with me. I’ve been saving up since you started going out with Jane. I’m planning on giving them to you during your wedding…”

Cole Stone teared up.

“Your father quit smoking to save money. Although he scolded you the other time, it was for your own good. He did not want you to carry so much burden for your wedding, please don’t blame him.”

“He went to borrow money from your second uncle. You know your father’s temper too, he is too stubborn. Your second uncle is sharp with his words too, they’ll end up in a quarrel sooner or later.”

Cole Stone’s hand shook as he gripped his phone.

“Our pig farm is doing well. The price of pigs has increased, don’t worry about us.”

“You need to eat more vegetables and fish. Don’t stress yourself out and don’t work too much. If there’s anything, tell us. Don’t bottle it up.”

“Mom is going to sleep now.”

The voice message ended.

Clang!

His phone fell onto the floor.

Cole Stone leaned against the wall.

He held his head with both his hands and bit his lips as mournful whimpers leaked from his mouth.

His eyes turned red as tears began pouring out like rain…