Chapter 2

I looked in the direction that the coach was pointing.

The couple inside was doing paired push-ups together.

I couldn't shake the feeling that they looked awfully familiar until I realized that they were Elena and her boy toy, Chris Olson.

Elena was dressed in a set of form-fitting activewear, showing off her curves. Her feet were propped on Chris' shoulders while she gripped his ankles.

They occasionally grunted as they exercised.

"You're in such good spirits, Ms. Clifford," I said as I approached them, crouching next to them so that I could get a good look at them.

They were clearly startled, especially Chris, who almost twisted his waist.

Elena shot a disgruntled look at me. Her face was flushed since she had just finished exercising, making her look as if she had just done something salacious.

She stood up and silently shielded Chris behind her. She looked down at me from the tip of her nose and demanded, "What are you doing here? Have you fed Mom's dog yet?"

I nearly burst into laughter. It seemed that, in her heart, she was still under the impression that I should listen to her every order.

From her perspective, not only did I have to feed her mother's dog for her, but I also had to watch her and Chris flaunt their affection in front of me.

I wonder what made Elena think that she had the right to humiliate me that way.

I stood up and patted my slightly sore knees, saying, "I suggest that you keep a low profile, Ms. Clifford. The two of you should just get a room if you can't keep your hands off each other. Don't do inappropriate things in a public space."

Elena flushed before the color drained from her face. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you trying to poke your nose into my business when I'm just working out? You should take a look at how much weight you've put on instead. How revolting."

I nonchalantly spread my arms and said, "You don't have to feel repulsed by me if you just sign the divorce papers as soon as possible, Ms. Clifford. Also, you should comfort your little puppy. He looks terrified."

I could feel my blood boiling when I turned around. I was nearly overwhelmed by my fury. I clenched my fists, feeling extremely annoyed at how my mood had been utterly ruined.

…

Elena stopped ordering me around after our unhappy encounter at the gym.

However, I continued to receive an endless slew of updates about her from Chris.

"Today, Elena told me that even handsome men have to watch out for themselves when they're out and about. I feel so happy that I have someone to look out for me.

"The company arranged for me to have dinner with a client. Apparently, the person's a pervert. Fortunately, Elena told me that she would accompany me."

The attached photo showed two hands stacked atop each other.

I couldn't block Chris' number just yet. I needed him to send me even more damning videos, so I could only swallow my disgust and save the photo.

…

In the past, I got into a huge argument with Dad because I wanted to join the entertainment industry. I swore that I would never return home if I didn't make a name for myself.

However, I ended up giving up on my thriving career for Elena's sake.

Now, I had to start over again from square one because of her.

My body was nearly back in tip-top condition after one month of constantly working out.

I eagerly made an arrangement to meet my former manager, Felix Valton.

Felix was over the moon with joy to see me again. After all, I still had a loyal fanbase even though I had retired from the industry for years.

After drawing up a plan for the future, he shot a worried look at me and asked, "You're not the hopeless romantic that you once were in the past, right?"

I shook my head. Being a fool once was more than enough.

I walked Felix to the door. When I passed by the hall on the way back, I heard the sounds of a commotion coming from a private room that was tucked in the corner.

The door had been left open. A familiar, feminine voice resounded from the room.

I swept my gaze over the crowd, spotting Elena when I peered into the room.

Elena looked furious as she cradled Chris in her arms.

Meanwhile, Chris looked like a spooked deer as he huddled in her embrace.

I knew the man who was standing opposite Elena. It was the CEO of Gravity Tech, Caleb Batford.

Although many years had passed since I left the Johnson family, many companies continued to seek me out to curry favor with me. Whenever they did, I would personally recommend Clifford Corporation to them, which was why the company was able to expand so rapidly in the past few years.

Elena's parents, Edward Clifford and Maria Potter, changed their tunes after they became wealthy. They claimed that I was undeserving of Elena because I was an actor and ordered me to leave the entertainment industry.

I hadn't hesitated for even a second when I agreed because I wanted to be with Elena.

I pulled out my phone and started recording the encounter between Elena, Chris, and Caleb.