But Ryan wouldn't listen.

He raised his hand and slapped me twice, then — out of habit — spoke to Yumi in French, “Darling, how dare he hit you—it’s outrageous! Let alone smashing my phone! Since he doesn't like me as a brother-in-law, I’ll return the favor the way you Calvessian do and teach him a proper lesson! I absolutely won't allow anyone to ruin the birthday party I carefully prepared for you! Besides, tonight I'm planning to wear a butler outfit to celebrate our 100 days together…”

Yumi glanced at me, her brows and eyes soft with warmth and replied in French, “Be good. He came all this way to see me; it's not appropriate to send him in — wait until I send him back to his country, then I’ll tear off the butler outfit for you later, okay?”

Ryan curled his lip, clearly displeased. He reached straight into Yumi’s pocket, took out her phone, unlocked it with the passcode and immediately called the police — all in one go.

Yumi did not stop him. “All right, then let your sister give him a scare. Later, when I put on a show with him, you know what to do, right?”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. I’ll teach him a lesson properly in one go! How will you repay me?” Ryan said.

“Be nice. Clean yourself up and wait for me tonight!”

Ryan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and an expectant look flashed in his eyes as if he couldn’t wait to put his plan into action. “No cheating, got it? Even if he’s your real brother, I won’t let him ruin our important day!”

I stood frozen in place.

I had gone to great lengths, traveled all the way here to give Yumi a birthday surprise — and she let that jerk slap me and worse, she was going to send me away so she could celebrate with him?

What Yumi didn’t know was that after she went abroad, I’d been working hard to learn French. I understood every pet name and teasing line between her and Ryan. Feeling me tremble, Yumi let go of my hand, shrugged helplessly and sighed at me.

“Yale, you need to stop behaving like a spoiled rich boy! Ryan can’t accept you hitting him. If the police come, show remorse and have a better attitude. But don’t be afraid — I’ll make sure you’re fine.”

The one who hit me was Ryan and yet she wanted me to apologize. It was completely upside-down.

If she was going to be unjust, then don’t blame me for being heartless. I wound up my arm and owned the charge. In a few moments I slapped Ryan a dozen times.

“First, I’m not her brother — I’m her boyfriend! Second, I don’t only beat trashy women, I beat homewreckers too!”

Ryan’s pale face swelled quickly; blood streamed from his nose. His legs went weak from dizziness and he could hardly stand.

Yumi’s reflexes were fast. She scooped him into her arms and the worry and tenderness in her eyes were plain to see. "Ryan, are you okay?"

She looked up and yelled at me, "Yale! Are you crazy? I already told you he's my dining buddy! I'll handle everything, so why did you have to hit him? Apologize to Ryan!"

Apologize? She was about to get me thrown in jail and expected me to apologize?

"In your dreams!"

I was not an idiot. If Ryan really thought I was Yumi's brother, he wouldn’t have called the police blindly.

He wouldn’t even be surprised at all when I said I was Yumi’s boyfriend.

Clearly, he knew exactly who I was. After all, on Yumi’s phone, whether it was the lock screen or the wallpaper—it was all my picture.

But that didn’t stop him from collapsing into Yumi’s arms, crying. "Yumi, how dare he hit me? My chest hurts so much…"

After saying that, he started rolling his eyes.

Yumi didn’t even bother about me apologizing; she helped Ryan into a car and drove straight to the hospital.

Before leaving, the way he looked at me was so cold and distant that I stood frozen in place for a long time.

I didn’t even know how I ended up at the hotel.

Soaking in the warm bathtub, my entire body still felt icy.

Shivering, I used my resources to investigate Ryan’s background and also checked all of Yumi’s information since she went abroad.

While waiting, Yumi kept calling me incessantly, but I rejected all her calls.

She sent me messages again.

[Yale, why are you so unruly? Why can’t you rein yourself in even after going abroad? This isn’t like back home—no one here will indulge your spoiled temper!]

[As your future wife, it’s my duty to make you fully aware that mistakes come with consequences!]

[Get lost!]

I didn’t even want to say the word breakup to her. She was not worthy.

My phone vibrated. Files about Yumi since she went abroad kept arriving. Even though I’d steeled myself, I was still furious enough to smash a wall.

Yumi had only been abroad for four months. But she and Ryan had already been living together for three months. That meant less than a month after we split, she was already with that scumbag.

I didn’t hesitate to call Anne. “Bring your mercenary squad! Right away!”

"Yes, sir!"

But before Anne could get there, the police burst in and took me away.

A real man didn’t let himself be wronged lightly, so I cooperated completely and went with them. As I stepped out, I slipped on a banana peel at the doorway and tumbled forward into a cop.

The next second, my hands were cuffed behind my back.

They forced me to the ground and a woman who looked strikingly like Ryan pressed her foot onto the back of my hand, grinding it repeatedly.

Pain shot through me and tears streamed down my face as I tried to explain. “I slipped… it was an accident…”

But the woman squatted down, pulled out a gun and slammed the butt hard against my mouth.

The metallic, bloody taste instantly filled my mouth.

She pressed the gun against my temple and hissed. “You intentionally hurt someone and you still dare to attack the police?”

I shook my head.

In response, I was punched again and again. Blood gushed uncontrollably from my nose.

Just as my consciousness began to blur, Yumi appeared, dragging a pale-faced Ryan with her.

She looked down at me from above, her face full of grief and indignation. “Yale, you hit Ryan so hard that he had a heart scare—someone has to take the responsibility for this! Don’t look at me like that. I’m doing this for your own good! After all, the world is big; there will always be people richer and more powerful than you. Not everything can bend to your will!”

“Yumi, if you treat me like this, you’ll regret it sooner or later!”

My threat only made Yumi chuckle.

She stifled her laughter and continued to lecture me from her lofty position. “Behave and be sensible and you won’t suffer losses like this again! I’ll come pick you up in ten days.”

She was surprisingly precise.

My visa would expire in ten days. That meant as soon as I got out of prison, I’d be deported. Even if I wanted revenge on Ryan, there’d be nothing I could do.

Ryan’s sister snorted coldly, dragging me into the police car like a dead weight.

Before leaving, Yumi tried to wipe the blood from my face—but no matter what, she couldn’t get it clean.

Instead, my cold, calm stare seemed to make her feel rather guilty.

"Take him away! What a hassle!"

Before the car door closed, I heard Yumi softly coaxing Ryan. “Darling, he’s been pampered since childhood. After going through such a hard time now, can you calm down? Tonight, whatever you want to do, I’ll follow your lead!”

Through the glass, I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye—Ryan pulled a small leather whip from his pocket and lightly flicked it against the back of Yumi’s hand.

“This was your idea, remember! To help you discipline that arrogant boyfriend of yours and make him behave while you’re away for three years, my sister and I have sacrificed plenty! But we agreed on this from the start — body as payment is fine, but the money must still be paid in full!”

The metallic taste in my throat surged up and I spat blood straight onto the window glass. Even through the crimson haze, I could still see Ryan’s hands roaming freely over Yumi…

In that instant, everything became clear.

No wonder that even when I’d threatened her, saying that if she left the country, I would find another woman, she had still chosen to go. It was because she was certain of one thing: I loved her.

She knew that no matter how heartless my words sounded, I would never actually break up with her. She was sure I would chase her overseas. And from the smallest hints in my words, she had already guessed I would come find her on her birthday.

So three months in advance, she found Ryan—all for the sake of teaching me a lesson for that cruel thing I said—that I wouldn’t wait for her.

Suddenly, a long needle pricked my thigh. “I hear you’re the only son of a billionaire? Haha, so what? No woman can escape my brother’s control. Don’t even think about her again!”

Gritting my teeth, I swallowed the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and obediently nodded.

In the end, the pain overwhelmed me and I fainted.

Luckily, Anne, worried something might happen to me abroad, rushed over as fast as possible.

After several twists and turns, on the third day, she managed to rescue me from a private dungeon.

Seeing me filthy and battered, she hugged me with heartbreak. But even her touch made my whole body spasm in pain.

Anne quickly rolled up my sleeves and when she saw the countless needle marks, she was furious, ready to go to war.

I hastily held her back. “A gentleman takes revenge—ten years is not too late.”

With bloodshot eyes, Anne bit her lower lip until it bled, barely restraining herself. She didn’t dare touch my wounds, treating me like a fragile doll and rushed me to the hospital.

The diagnosis revealed multiple injuries to my cartilage and thousands of needle marks all over my body.

Anne’s tears flowed uncontrollably.

I cried from the pain too. I didn’t even know how I survived those three days. Even though I said it a thousand times and promised again and again that I would have absolutely nothing to do with Yumi, Ryan’s sister still didn’t believe me.

To get back at them for me, Anne bought a whole villa for me to live in, with mercenaries armed to the teeth stationed inside and out. There were six days left before I had to return home. She said she would make everyone who bullied me pay. I didn’t object.

Ignoring her protests, I forced myself to start practicing shooting despite the pain. On the night with three days left on the countdown, just after Anne went in to take a shower, someone knocked on the door. From the security monitor I saw it was Yumi; I only opened the door after signaling the mercenaries to hide.

She eagerly locked the door behind her and rushed to embrace me. “Yale, I missed you so much…”

“Get out!”

Yumi didn’t listen — she leaned in and tried to kiss my lips. I opened my mouth and bit down with all my strength. The red lips that once fascinated me were shredded in an instant.

Yumi recoiled in pain and shoved me away. “Yale, let me explain. Sending you away was for your own good. Ryan’s family controls both the legal world and the underworld — you nearly killed him. I had no choice but to do that to protect you…”

I pulled a gun from my waist and, without hesitation, squeezed the trigger. Unfortunately, my wrist was too weak and the shot went wide. I swung the butt of the gun again and smashed it hard into Yumi’s face.

Perhaps because she’d been too confident, Yumi had completely forgotten what I was capable of.