"Neal, what did you just say?

"Say it again?"

I looked at her calmly and repeated. "Lisa, let's break up."

"Just because of a spontaneous trip, you want to break up with me?"

Lisa bit her lips lightly.

"Are you out of your mind, or did you get hit by a door this morning?"

I replied coolly, "My mind is fine. I thought about this for a whole week before deciding."

Lisa frowned slightly. "I need a reason!"

"There's no need. Let's part on good terms."

No sooner had I spoken than Billy Tompkins stepped forward, righteously declaring, "Neal, do you think of Lisa as some stray cat or dog you can just pick up and discard?

"You need to explain yourself!"

Looking at his vicious expression, my inner rage burned fiercely.

If it weren't for his idea of a spontaneous trip, my mom wouldn't have died in that flash flood trying to bring an umbrella.

"Billy, this is between Lisa and me. It has nothing to do with you!"

"Of course, it has to do with me! Lisa and I have been like brother and sister since childhood. Her business is my business!" Billy declared self-righteously. "Even if you're her boyfriend, I won't allow you to mistreat her!"

Hearing this, Lisa's eyes showed a hint of gratitude, and she looked at him with a touch of admiration.

"Billy..."

"Lisa, I've always said Neal Mannino isn't good enough for you. He's just an ordinary employee in your company. He doesn't deserve to be your boyfriend.

"If it weren't for that accident three years ago, he wouldn't even be in your life. Having you as a girlfriend is his best luck, and he doesn't appreciate it at all. It's disgraceful!

"Lisa, since Neal doesn't cherish you, you shouldn't waste your time on him. Break up with him.

"There are plenty of fish in the sea.

"You are outstanding, and you have so many admirers. After you break up, I bet he would regret it!"

He was talking excitedly, and I just stood there silently, watching Lisa.

As I was unmoved, Billy got angry and said, "Neal, I'll give you one more chance. Why do you want to break up with such a good girl as Lisa?

"What did she do wrong?"

I remained silent.

"Alright, you think my words are nonsense, huh?"

Billy rolled up his sleeves and shoved me hard.

Caught off guard, I stumbled, nearly falling.

Fortunately, I held onto my mom's photo tightly, so it didn't fall to the ground.

After regaining my balance, I glared at him.

"Don't push it!"

"It's nothing compared to how you've treated Lisa!" Billy sneered. "She's a kind and good-hearted girl. Do you know how much it hurts her for you to break up with her?"

Then, he punched me in the face.

I was hit so hard that my eyes went dark and my vision became blurred. The photo frame covered with a black cloth slipped out of my hand and fell heavily to the ground, breaking into two pieces.

Seeing my mom's image, they fell silent.

Lisa and Billy were stunned.

"Billy, I'll kill you!"

I yelled, eyes red with fury, as I lunged at him.

However, I was intercepted by Lisa's two burly bodyguards, who held me firmly in place.

Without a doubt, protecting Billy was an order from their employer.

Lisa looked at me, disbelief in her eyes. "Neal, is this... Tess' memorial photo?"

"Are you blind? Can't you see for yourself?" I shouted.

"Watch your mouth!"

Billy rushed forward and slapped me hard, causing my head to ring and my mouth to bleed.

Lisa screamed. "Billy, why did you hit him?"

Billy retorted, "Lisa, he dared to shout at you. He deserves it. He's a worthless piece of trash without proper upbringing!"

I glared at Billy and wanted to fight him, but I was restrained by the bodyguards.

In my rage, I spat blood at him, staining his face.

"You son of a bitch! I'll destroy you!"

Billy was furious and picked up a brick from a nearby flowerbed to strike me.

"Stop!"

Lisa intervened, grabbing the brick from his hand. "Billy, don't be impulsive!"

"Lisa, I'm doing this for you! That bastard is so ungrateful. He should go to hell!" Billy shouted.

Lisa took a deep breath and waved her hand. "Let him go."

The bodyguards released me. I glared at Billy and quietly picked up my mom's broken photo.

Lisa tried to help, but I pushed her away.

Billy, seeing this, got angrier. "Neal, Lisa is helping you. Don't be ungrateful!"

"I don't need it!" I retorted.

Carrying the broken photo, I walked away.

Billy tried to follow, but Lisa stopped him.

"Enough, Billy. Neal needs some time alone. Just go home."

"Lisa, I..."

"Take Billy home," Lisa ordered the bodyguards.

"Yes, Miss," they replied.

Back home, I immediately found some glue and tried to mend the broken photo.

As I worked, Lisa came in.

She knew I was still angry and didn't say anything. She just sat quietly, watching me.

After a while, she couldn't help but ask, "Neal, why did Tess suddenly pass away?"

As I glued the photo, I replied, "Remember this glue?"

Lisa hesitated, then shook her head. "No, I don't."

"It's from when my mom saw your high heels were coming apart. She bought this glue and tried to fix them.

"But after she fixed them, you didn't thank her.

"You just threw them away, saying you don't keep broken things.

"Even if it's fixed."

Lisa's face turned awkward. It was clear she had forgotten.

"What you threw away was not just a pair of shoes, but also my mother's kindness.

"You threw away more than a pair of shoes. You threw away my mom's kindness. She cared too much about you, which is why she believed your lie about hiking, went up the mountain in a storm, and died in the flash flood." My eyes were red with anger. "Lisa, you and Billy caused her death!"