That night, Miles' phone rang incessantly.
By noon the next day, Zeki, who hadn't called in a long time, dialed again.
This time, Miles finally answered.
Before he could speak, a shrill voice blasted through the receiver, "Miles, what the hell is your problem? Why are you screwing me over?"
Clearly, the argument between the two "sisters" last night had been spectacular.
Miles couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret for not witnessing the drama unfold in person.
A sly smile crossed his face as he murmured softly into the phone, "Ella…"
The warm, magnetic tone seemed to catch Zeki off guard.
Miles continued, "Can't you tell? The one I truly care about isn't Ella. It's you, Zeki."
"You…"
There was a pause on the other end, as if Zeki's brain had momentarily short-circuited.
What was going on?
Her first reaction was disbelief, suspecting Miles of playing her. From what Ella had told her, Miles was nearly bankrupt.
Even if he genuinely liked her, what could a soon-to-be pauper possibly offer? His "affection" was practically an insult.
"Zeki…"
Miles continued with a hint of vulnerability, "I've endured enough with Ella. She's petty, quick to anger, and never misses a chance to stir up drama. Honestly... I caught her with a group of men at a hotel just days ago. I'm done with her."
"Oh really?"
A mocking laugh followed.
This line was so elementary that Zeki nearly rolled her eyes.
"Despite only meeting a few times, I was drawn to your pure and sweet nature," Miles said, voice heavy with emotion. "But with Ella around, and you being her best friend, I buried those feelings deep."
"Ha!"
Amused, Zeki chuckled, curious to see what more he could concoct.
"But this time, I couldn't hold back any longer!"
His tone grew firmer, his words dripping with sentiment. "I wanted to be with you. That's why I staged this whole bankruptcy charade—to teach Ella a lesson and cut ties with her."
These days, breakups came in two forms: silent and explosive.
Though silent breakups were discreet, explosive ones were definitive, though they inevitably left collateral damage.
But Miles didn't care. In a month, the entire world would be shattered; could a breakup possibly rival the end of the world?
Could any explosion outdo the cataclysm that New Planet GH was bringing?
"So, you're saying the bankruptcy was all an act?"
Zeki's tone instantly softened, transforming into something sultry.
"Of course it was," Miles replied smoothly. "Think about it—my company's been thriving for years. Would I really just sell it overnight? Besides, you and Ella have been close for years. Have you ever heard of me having any bad habits? Even if I were to gamble, could I lose everything in one night? I'm not that foolish."
His reasoning was impeccable.
Unless Zeki knew of the impending apocalypse, she had no other explanation for Miles' drastic changes.
So, this story became plausible enough.
It was all a performance—a plot Miles had orchestrated to teach Ella a lesson.
After all, even Wu Dalang couldn't tolerate being cheated on; how could Miles?
"And now…" Zeki's tone grew even softer, "If you truly like me, then be honest with me. I don't care about your money, but I can't stand being lied to, Miles. You understand, don't you?"
Just as she hoped—if he truly wasn't bankrupt, this catch was too good to pass up.
Miles understood the implication, immediately responding, "How could I deceive you? Here, let me prove it…"
After getting Zeki's bank details, he ended the call and transferred a sum.
Ding!
On the other end, Zeki stared in delight at the 200,000 transfer notification.
She quickly accepted his friend request on WeChat, where Miles sent her a screenshot of his bank balance.
Balance: $20,370,000!
Indeed!
He wasn't bankrupt—it had all been a charade to get back at Ella.
Thinking back to her own words, Zeki's only thought now was, "Please, humiliate me all you want!"
As for the six million Ella had been scammed out of…
Not her problem!
With one more glance at the transfer, Zeki eagerly dialed Miles back.
"Why did you send me money? And so much…" Her voice was laced with a feigned sorrow, adding, "Do you think I'm that shallow?"
"No, no!"
Holding back his revulsion, Miles replied tenderly, "Zeki, I was just worried you wouldn't believe me. Besides, 200,000 is nothing to me. If you want more, everything I have is yours."
"Oh, stop it! I'm not after your money," Zeki cooed. "It's just... you're so real and handsome. But what about Ella…"
Though Miles was only pretending, he let his tone turn despondent. "If only I had proof of her betrayal. I wouldn't mind giving her the six million just to rid myself of the anger!"
Proof?
You don't have any, but I do!
With her mind racing, Zeki quickly concocted her justification for "stealing" her friend's man. "How could she do this to you? You're such a great guy…"
"Sigh…"
Miles sighed deeply. "I must've been blind to have chosen her. And now that I've found someone I truly care about, I'm still tied down by this wretched woman."
The "someone he truly cared about" was, of course, Zeki, and her imagination ran wild.
Miles might not have been a billionaire, but he was undoubtedly an elite in Chicago, far preferable to some spoiled trust fund kid.
Opportunities like this were rare, and Zeki had no intention of letting it slip by.
The thought of everything once belonging to Ella—Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Dior—now becoming hers filled her with uncontainable excitement.
She immediately declared, "Don't worry. Even if you didn't like me, I'd still help you out. Good men shouldn't be wronged!"
Feigning ignorance, Miles asked, "Help me? How?"
"Leave it to me—just some girl stuff. I'll handle it and let you know…"
Zeki's sugary tone carried a subtle edge of battle-ready resolve.
Then, with a playful lilt, she added, "Will you pick me up for work tomorrow? It's been so long since we last met that I can barely remember what you look like…"