The Canary’s Escape

Chapter 1

I’m Chloe’s sugar baby.

A year ago, things went south when Ethan refused to pay for my mom’s astronomical medical bills.

I found his best friend, Alex, to be my next provider, cutting ties with Ethan completely.

I figured Ethan would be just fine without me; after all, a rich guy like him has no shortage of money or women.

But last night, I ran into him at the club when my friend and I were picking out male dancers.

01.

“Chloe, these dancers are top-notch, are you sure you don’t want one?”

My best friend, Sarah, asked me at the club.

“Not interested.” I mumbled, scrolling through my new iPhone.

Sarah pouted. “Still fighting with your fiancé?”

“Alex is a good guy. Didn’t he even sell his house to help pay for your mom’s medical bills when she was sick?”

“Even though she didn’t make it, at least he tried. He’s way better than that Ethan guy.”

“He’s been so caring towards you all these years. One whisper of a period cramp, and he’d have hot ginger tea at your doorstep.”

“It’s normal for rich guys to have some gossip, just turn a blind eye to it, can’t you?”

Ethan, the one Sarah was talking about, was my sugar daddy.

We were together for seven years. Even though it was just a transaction, Ethan was always generous with me.

Except a year ago when my mom got seriously ill and needed five hundred grand for treatment. I begged Ethan on my knees, but he claimed he didn’t have the money.

Ethan was the heir to the Hayes Corporation. He could spend tens of thousands on a night out, tip a hostess thousands on a whim.

*Creak*

The door to our private room opened, and a line of male dancers walked in, politely bowing and greeting us.

My thoughts were interrupted, and Sarah’s attention shifted from my issues with Alex to the eye candy in front of us.

Suddenly, Sarah shook my arm frantically, whispering, “Chloe, isn’t that Ethan? What’s he doing here? Did his family go bankrupt and he’s become a dancer?”

“No way. The Hayes family is loaded. Even if the whole world went bankrupt, they’d be fine.” I replied, but my eyes couldn’t help but glance towards the corner.

After Ethan rejected me, I tried to sell everything he’d given me to cover the medical expenses. But it took time to sell those things, and my mom didn’t make it.

Even though Alex sold his house and gave me the five hundred grand later, it was too late.

My mom died.

Not on the operating table. Because we didn’t have the money, she didn’t even get the chance to be on one.

I missed Ethan so much.

During the past year, every single night of those three hundred and sixty-five days, all I could think about was…

…making him suffer.

But when my eyes landed on the figure in the corner…

…seeing his desolate figure, his thin face, the hate I felt towards Ethan dissipated.

So when Sarah, in a vengeful mood, asked Ethan to stay while the other dancers left, I didn’t object.

“Ethan, it’s Chloe’s birthday today, have a drink with her!”

Ethan stared at me, frozen.

Sarah got annoyed. “Is this how your dancers behave? Get your manager!”

Ethan’s gaze remained on me. “I thought her birthday wasn’t today?”

It was surprising that Ethan still remembered my birthday. Adversity makes people’s memories sharper, I guess. The once high and mighty Ethan Hayes could remember my birthday now.

I raised my glass, giving him a small smile.

“It’s not today, but it’s my rebirth day. It counts as a birthday.”

“A year ago, I saw through a scumbag. Here’s to my rebirth.”

02.

I downed my drink in one gulp.

I showed Ethan the empty glass.

Ethan frowned slightly, but still didn’t touch his drink.

A strange anger surged within me. I pulled out a thousand dollars from my purse and stuffed it into Ethan’s hands, almost as an insult.

“A thousand dollars a glass.”

“Not enough? How about ten thousand?”

Ethan remained motionless. I felt like I was punching cotton.

The alcohol was hitting me. To get even, I told Sarah to call the other dancers back in.

This time, Ethan finally moved, picking up his glass and drinking it all down.

The alcohol tinged his ears red, and I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. I slammed my card on the table.

“Keep drinking. Drink until I’m satisfied.”

There were only five glasses in a bottle. Ethan couldn’t take it anymore after the third bottle. He threw up violently in the bathroom. I also felt like I had gone too far and was about to leave, but Sarah stopped me.

“Now that we’ve finally run into him, shouldn’t we get back at him for everything?”

“Besides, Ethan’s tolerance is so high, maybe he’s just faking it. I’ve seen this trick many times. Male dancers want more money but don’t want to drink, so they use this method. Chloe, don’t go soft on him.”

But I didn’t think Ethan was faking it.

He had a sensitive stomach. During the seven years we were together, no matter how late he came home from business dinners, I’d always cook him a bowl of millet porridge to soothe his stomach.

Ethan’s weak stomach had been nursed back to health by my countless bowls of porridge.

I wondered if anyone had cooked porridge for him this past year, reminded him to take his medicine on time…

Ethan came back, his face pale after throwing up. I wavered for a second.

But Sarah whispered in my ear, “Chloe, don’t forget how your mom died. If it wasn’t for Ethan’s callousness, she might still be alive!”

Sarah’s words snapped me back.

A year ago, my mom was helplessly lying in her hospital bed. I knelt before the doctor, begging him to operate on her first, promising that I’d gather the money.

He refused.

They even moved my mom’s bed to the corridor, leaving her to die.

Later, when I finally scraped together the money, my mom had already left this world…

Tears welled up in my eyes. Sarah saw my distress and opened all the bottles on the table, piling them in front of Ethan.

“Drink! A hundred grand a bottle!”

Ethan looked at me, as if waiting for me to soften.

But I wouldn’t soften.

My heart had hardened into stone the moment my mom died.

I gave him a smile, my words colder than his had ever been.

“Drink. A hundred grand a bottle. Fifty bottles is five million.”

“If someone had given me this opportunity a year ago, I would have drunk till I vomited blood.”

Ethan didn’t say anything, his brows furrowed.

The next second, he picked up a bottle and chugged it.

Cheers erupted in the room.

“Go, Ethan!”

Sarah gave me a knowing look. “See? I told you he was faking it.”

“More! He has to drink till Chloe’s satisfied!”

Sarah shoved two more bottles into his hands. Ethan drank them all without a word.

I could see his face turning red, his brows knitting together in pain.

“Stop drinking. How much do you want? I’ll give it to you.”

I pushed the remaining bottles aside. Ethan raised his eyebrows. “Feeling sorry now?”

I pursed my lips. “Watching you drink makes me sick.”

Ethan’s face fell. I knew I’d hurt his pride.

But I had lost mine a long time ago.

Why should he still have his?

But Ethan had more backbone than me. Even reduced to being a male dancer, he wouldn’t accept charity. He bypassed my hand, grabbed another bottle, and was about to chug it when blood suddenly spurted from his mouth.

The crimson blood stained my dress. Sarah reacted quickly, grabbing tissues and wiping it while complaining, “Ethan, seriously? If you didn’t want to drink, you could have just said so. What was with the ketchup trick? Do you know how expensive Chloe’s dress is?”

“Get out! You don’t have to drink anymore. Call your manager over.”

Ethan didn’t speak because he had passed out.

03.

Ethan was rushed to the hospital.

His condition was critical. The doctor said he had severe gastric bleeding and needed to be hospitalized.

Sarah was panicking, tugging at me and asking, “I really didn’t know he couldn’t drink. Chloe, do you think he’ll die…?”

“It’s just gastric bleeding. He won’t die. You wait here. I’ll go pay the bills.”

Even though we had broken up, I didn’t want to owe Ethan anything. I paid all his medical expenses and left a hefty sum for his recovery.

But I didn’t expect to run into Olivia here.

She was Ethan’s obsessed admirer. When Ethan and I were together, she’d caused me a lot of trouble.

This time was no different. After learning about Ethan’s condition, she slapped me without a word, ranting like a madwoman, “Chloe, are you crazy?! Do you know Ethan just had stomach surgery? Do you want to kill him?”

My face stung, and I instinctively asked, “Ethan had surgery?”

“Does it have anything to do with you? You vicious woman! Ethan was so good to you, talk about biting the hand that feeds you!”

Was Ethan good to me?

Maybe.

When he kept me as his sugar baby, he’d buy me anything I asked for.

From a bowl of wontons at 3:30 AM to million-dollar jewelry at auctions.

I had been naive enough to think that Ethan had feelings for me, that we could break the mold of a sugar daddy and his kept woman and have a fairytale ending.

But reality slapped me hard.

The first time I met Olivia was at the Hayes Corporation’s gala.

It was the first time Ethan brought me to a formal event. I changed outfits multiple times, asking Ethan which one looked better.

“They’re all the same. You’re just a plus-one. Don’t dress too flashy, just be a pretty face by my side.” Ethan had said.

A pretty face.

Ethan’s friends said the same about me.

They said I was the prettiest girl Ethan had ever been with, but my head was empty, I was just a pretty face.

“This kind of woman is only good for her looks. I wonder how long it’ll take before Ethan gets tired of her?”

“Ethan, give her to me when you’re done! I like this type too.”

Ethan’s friends spoke without restraint, and the room filled with jeers.

Ethan simply glanced at the guy, raising an eyebrow. “Want her?”

The guy nodded.

The next second, Ethan’s fist landed on his nose.

It was the first time I saw Ethan fight, every punch landing solidly. Yet, I found him strangely attractive.

So that night, when I attended the Hayes Corporation’s gala in my carefully chosen gown, and Olivia poured a glass of red wine all over me, as I was about to retaliate, Ethan grabbed my wrist and made me apologize to her. The surprise in my eyes must have been obvious.

Thankfully, it was all in the past.

I was no longer Ethan’s sugar baby. I no longer needed to grovel before those who hurt me.

I straightened my face and slapped Olivia right back.

Her cheek instantly swelled, and a sneer appeared on my face. “Who do you think you are to hit me?”

04.

Olivia was stunned. She raised her hand to slap me back, but I caught her wrist and slapped her repeatedly.

I returned all the humiliation I’d suffered because of her over the years.

I kept slapping until my arm went numb and Olivia’s face was swollen like a balloon. I finally felt some relief.

If Ethan hadn’t grabbed my wrist, I think I would have let Olivia go.

After all, she was just a pathetic person who, in her unrequited love, could only find a sense of existence by bullying others.

But Ethan gripped my wrist, his own face pale, and stubbornly defended Olivia.

“Chloe, what are you doing?!”

Eight words, exactly the same as before.

Scenes of Ethan allowing Olivia to humiliate me flashed through my mind. I was about to let it go, but suddenly, I didn’t want to anymore. Looking into Ethan’s eyes, I said, “She hit me first.”

“You can’t beat her up like this!”

“Chloe…”

The familiar tone… I knew his next words would be asking me to apologize to Olivia.

But I had apologized enough times. This time, I wouldn’t lower my head.

I shook off Ethan’s hand and threw him a line, “I hit her, but I’m not wrong. If you’re not happy, call the cops.”

“Chloe…”

Ethan started to speak again, but I shrugged him off and left the hospital.

No one noticed the tears streaming down my face as I turned away.

I spent the night at the bar.

I ordered every drink on the menu, one after another, but I still couldn’t get drunk.

Finally, I mixed everything – beer, wine, liquor – and downed it all in one go.

This time, my mind finally became hazy. I pulled out my phone and called the first contact on my speed dial.

“Come pick me up.” I said.

There was a long silence on the other end. Annoyed, I vented at him.

“What? Ethan’s giving me a hard time, and you’re ignoring me too?”

“Ethan… how’s he giving you a hard time?” The voice on the other end spoke, but I didn’t notice anything unusual, mumbling on.

“He’s taking Olivia’s side, that bitch!”

“Olivia started it today!”

“It’s always been like this. Olivia has bullied me for years, and he always takes her side! Just because her family is richer than mine? Does he have to treat me like this?”

“I’m just poor. Are poor people supposed to die, supposed to be humiliated?”

“Alex, I feel so awful…”

I was met with another long silence.

After a long while, the voice on the other end finally came through.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were having such a hard time…”

“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

His voice was gentle, but my tongue was slurring from the alcohol. I struggled to get my words out.

“Give the phone to the bartender. Have him send the location.” The voice said helplessly, and I obediently did so.

But I waited at the bar for ages, my body growing cold, but Alex never showed up.

I took out my phone and called him again, urging him to hurry.

This time, he arrived quickly. The moment he pushed the door open, I threw myself into his arms, scratching and biting him.

“Why are you so late? I waited for over half an hour!”

Alex was very tolerant of me. “Honey, I came as soon as you called. I practically had my foot on the gas pedal, ran five or six red lights. It took me ten minutes at most to get here. I wouldn’t dare make you wait that long.”

“But you did make me wait that long, see?” I raised my phone, wanting to show him the call log.

But I was too drunk. Alex simply took it as drunken rambling, draped his coat over me, and helped me leave.

Ethan, enduring his stomach pain, rushed over, only to see me fussing with Alex, draped in his coat, being led away.

05. 

Through the bar’s window, he stood alone under the bus stop for a long, long time.

So long that he didn’t even notice when a light drizzle started.

Until Olivia found him in the rain, tilting her umbrella towards him.

“Ethan, are you crazy?! What are you doing here all alone?”

“The doctor said you can’t handle this kind of strain. Come back with me!”

Olivia reached out to pull Ethan, but he shrugged her off.

His eyes were icy cold in the darkness, as if he wanted to draw a permanent line between them.

The result of a hangover is a splitting headache.

The next day, when I woke up with a pounding head, Alex was already at my bedside with a hangover remedy.

His voice was still filled with affection. “I wanted to give this to you last night, but you were too drunk and completely uncooperative. There was no way but to wait till morning.”

“Drink it while it’s hot. Don’t drink so much in the future, it’s bad for you.”

I remained silent.

I knew drinking was bad for me, but only when I was drunk could I see Ethan.

The Ethan I first met, the Ethan before we became *that*.

And the Ethan who would stand up for me when others bullied me.

Tears rolled down my cheeks without warning.

Alex panicked, wiping my tears frantically. “Chloe, don’t cry. I won’t say anything anymore. If you want to drink, drink. I’ll make you a hangover remedy afterwards.”

I didn’t respond, instead asking Alex, “How are things going with your family?”

Alex’s brows furrowed immediately. “Not good. My grandpa’s health is declining. The doctor said he might only have a few days left…”

“Chloe, can you do me a favor, in front of my grandpa…”

“No.” I refused flatly.

I knew Alex’s feelings for me.

When Ethan and I were still together, he warned me that Ethan was a playboy and would never settle down with me.

Every time Ethan sided with Olivia and made things difficult for me, it was Alex who stepped in to help.

Alex was Ethan’s good friend, and Olivia had to give him some face.

Without Alex, those years would have been much harder.

Even when my mom was critically ill and needed surgery, Alex sold one of his properties to help me raise the money.

Even though it wasn’t used, I was still grateful for his efforts.

And precisely because of this, I couldn’t agree to his request.

“Why?” Disappointment filled Alex’s eyes. “Chloe, can’t you even fulfill an old man’s dying wish?”

“My family isn’t as shallow as Ethan’s. I won’t let them give you a hard time!”

Hearing Alex mention Ethan, my barely calmed heart trembled. I frowned.

“Don’t mention him.”

“Alex, you’re not young anymore. I can help you out this once, but what about the future? Do you expect me to help you every time?”

“We could give things a shot, Chloe. I’ve been by your side all these years. No one is more suitable for each other than us.”

“Unless… you still can’t forget Ethan?”

“I haven’t!” Alex’s words startled me. Not wanting to continue this conversation, I interrupted him.

“Tell me when.” I said.

“I’ll go with you, help your grandpa fulfill his last wish.”

06.

Alex was nervous on the day he took me to meet his family.

Before we left, he checked everything over and over again, afraid of any mishap.

I chuckled. “Didn’t you say your family was easygoing? Why are you so nervous?”

“Well, it’s the first time I’m bringing you to meet them. I want everything to be perfect.”

Yes, the first time, and the last.

I hadn’t used the money Alex got from selling his house. I tried to return it to him, but he refused.

That money had been sitting in my account for years, and I had finally tracked down the buyer of the house.

Coincidentally, he was planning to sell it soon. I intended to buy it back and return it to Alex, drawing a close to his years of help.

We quickly arrived at the hospital. Grandpa Alex was very weak, but he was still dressed neatly, accompanied by Grandma and Mom Alex.

It seemed they were really looking forward to meeting me.

I remembered meeting Ethan’s mom once.

It was after the Hayes Corporation gala. That day, my conflict with Olivia ended with her drenching me in wine.

But she wouldn’t let it go and even caused a scene at my school.

My advisor called me to the dean’s office. With an anxious heart, I pushed open the door. An elegant woman sat on the sofa in the middle, sizing me up like a piece of merchandise.

Her gaze made me uncomfortable, but she sneered, “Someone like you wants to marry into the Hayes family?”

“Let me tell you, I’ve seen plenty of women like you! Don’t think that climbing into Ethan’s bed will secure you the spot of Mrs. Hayes!”

“Chloe, is it? I’ll give you five million. Leave my son, otherwise you can forget about ever setting foot in this university again!”

It was the first time I’d experienced such humiliation. It was worse than the wine Olivia had poured on me.

I didn’t take the five million, nor did I stay with Ethan.

I called him right in front of his mother and broke up with him.

Even after so long, I still remember the scorn on her face.

And Ethan, all he did afterwards was buy me the latest handbag, never mentioning his mother’s insults.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed those unpleasant memories aside, slapping my cheeks to put on my best face to meet Alex’s family.

But the moment I stepped into the ward, Grandpa Alex froze upon seeing my face.

“She… Is she the girl that Hayes boy liked?”

My face stiffened. I turned to look at Alex.

He looked even more nervous than me, forcing a smile as he said, “Grandpa, you’re mistaken. She’s not…”

“I’m not senile yet! Have you forgotten what that girl did to Ethan?”

“If you still want me to live a few more days, get her out of here!”

Grandpa Alex threw a fit.

He threw everything within reach.

His condition deteriorated rapidly, and the family frantically called the doctor. I was asked to wait outside in the corridor.

Grandpa Alex was taken to the emergency room. I stood outside alone, dazed.

Alex apologized. I simply told him to take care of his grandpa.

I knew what it was like to lose a loved one.

But I didn’t expect to run into Ethan again.

Seeing me standing alone in the corridor, lost and distraught, he spoke, “Feeling unwell?”

I glanced at him, silent.

Ethan’s expression was somewhat helpless. “Drinking is bad for you. After drinking like that, you must be feeling awful. Don’t delay, let me take you to the doctor.”

How did Ethan know I was drinking?

“You called me last night, don’t you remember?” Ethan frowned, and the confusion in my eyes deepened.

He took out his phone, pointing to the call log.

“Last night, at 1:30 AM, you called me, asked me to pick you up, and talked about Olivia.”

“Then I had the bartender send the location. Don’t you remember?”

I honestly didn’t.

I had a decent tolerance, but I always blacked out when I drank too much.

Seeing that I couldn’t recall anything, Ethan sighed and changed the subject.

“About Olivia… I didn’t know she was that bad. I’m sorry.”

“Chloe, can we start over?”