I Àm The Richest Heir

2

“Yeah, maybe you should just go,” George interrupted loudly, showing a lack of empathy and just wanting to strengthen his position. He felt powerful in this situation as if he saw Mike as his enemy.

Mike felt a twinge of hope and disappointment. He knew he wouldn’t let this situation control his emotions. In his heart, he vowed not to let anyone belittle his existence.

“Lauren, if you want to talk, I’ll be waiting outside. Whatever you decide,” he said, trying to leave the room with dignity. Even though he felt small or depressed at times, he would never let his feelings be seen by others.

As Mike walked out, he felt a refreshing breeze on his face, encouraging him to make the right decisions in his life. No matter who was around him, he knew that all his pride and journey depended on the steps he made himself.

Mike entered the room angrily, staring at his girlfriend Lauren who now seemed to be trapped in an uncomfortable situation. He felt betrayed, his heart churning as he remembered how much he had tried so hard for the two of them—spending so much energy, time, and hope to build this relationship. Yet, at the same time, Lauren refused to hug him, instead choosing to cuddle with a middle-aged man who looked ugly in her eyes. Why?

The pain in Mike's heart deepened as he watched the interaction between Lauren and George. "How could you give your warmth to someone else?" he asked himself in anger. He felt his sacrifice was not appreciated and his tongue had burned all his patience.

Lauren, on the other hand, noticed Mike's angry gaze and seemed embarrassed at first. However, as time went on and the tension in the air grew, the anger dominated her more. The disappointment she felt turned into a surge of anger. “Why are you talking like I have no choice?” she replied, her tone showing how upset she was.

Mike was taken aback by her response. He had only wanted to express his hurt feelings, but it only made Lauren angrier. “Are you saying that because you feel trapped in my life? Or because you feel like you’ve fallen out of the eyes of others?” Lauren added, starting to compare Mike to the man.

“But, you know it’s true! This man… he has everything—money, connections. You are just a poor college student struggling! What can you give me?” she said, shocked as the words left her lips.

A bitter taste filled Mike’s mouth, his heart-wrenching at the statement. “Lauren, so it’s all about money? And looks? I’ve worked so hard for us, but it seems like none of it means anything to you,” he said with disbelief, sadness, and anger gnawing in his voice.

Lauren felt a wave of anger pierce her heart. She wanted a better life, and the middle-aged man’s presence offered very tempting promises. “Maybe you should see reality, Mike. Life isn’t always fair. You keep getting in my way. We can’t live on love alone!” she shouted, unable to hold back her feelings any longer.

The battle of emotions between them grew increasingly heated. Mike felt like the world around him was crumbling. Why should their relationship be threatened just because of the difference between what he could offer and what Lauren seemed to want?

“So, you choose him because he can pay for all your needs? Is our love supposed to be measured by something like that?” he asked, looking at Lauren with eyes full of despair.

Lauren, even faced with reality, couldn’t help but compare herself. With great difficulty, she ignored everything Mike said and chose to blame all the burdens on her.

“Sometimes, love just isn’t enough, Mike. I need security too, and I’m tired enough of fighting alone. He offered that,” she said, adding to Mike’s pain, and his heart was stunned to realize that the love he had hoped for had simply disappeared.

Mike knew his ex couldn't be forced to want him. He turned around, shrunk his head, and felt the hardest thing he had ever felt. "If that's what you want, I can't force you to laugh or love when we share everything," he said, as tears were about to pour down his face.

One step back made him feel even heavier. On this journey, he hoped to get all the love from Lauren, but it felt so far away now. Wearily heading for the door, Mike realized that sometimes letting someone go is the right step, even if it hurts so much.

Lauren continued to praise George, giving him attention that made Mike almost disbelieve. Every word of praise from her lips was just salt that added to the wound in his heart. George didn't seem to show any fear when he faced Mike; instead, with confidence, he expressed pride in his closeness to Lauren, even kissing the girl in front of him.

Seeing all of this made Mike's anger boil even more in his chest. He felt like the whole world was turning against him. However, he couldn't do anything there, he could only clench his fists tightly, trying to hold back his emotions.

“Look, you ruined my food,” George accused, his scornful gaze focused on Mike. “If you don’t leave now, I won’t hesitate to report you to the hotel management. You’re just a poor deliveryman who doesn’t know his place.”

Mike felt his blood boil. He wanted to fight back, but it didn’t seem like the right place. However, as he watched Lauren support George, all his patience began to crumble. “It’s not my fault that you didn’t respect the people who cared about you in the first place,” he said, his voice full of emotion.

Suddenly, Lauren turned to Mike, her face showing anger. “Mike, you should apologize to him! He deserves more respect than you!” Lauren scolded as if she really didn’t care about Mike’s feelings.

“Apologize? Why? Because he can give you money?” Mike asked, feeling a deep pain in his heart. “He’s no better than me!”

Taking a step forward, Mike was ready to throw a punch at George. As he stepped closer, he felt the courage and anger that had been compressed all this time begin to overflow, and the image of how disappointed he was with this relationship became his spirit.

Seeing Mike who dared to step forward, George looked a little scared, his steps back in a daze. However, Lauren immediately blocked Mike, blocking his steps. “Mike, don’t! You can’t do that. I’ll call security if you do!” she shouted, showing her dissatisfaction and unwillingness toward Mike’s actions.

With shame and disappointment ensnared his heart, Mike finally turned around. “You know, I actually wish I never came here,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion as he faced the harsh reality.

He walked away, the feeling of pain and annoyance still lingering in his heart. Without a last word, Mike felt broken inside, as if all the good things he tried to do had come back to haunt him, making him feel like a loser. On his way out of the hotel, Lauren and George’s faces were imprinted in his mind, indicating that sometimes love can end in the most painful way.