Not Your Doormat Anymore

"What partnership?"

Andrew didn't expect me to be here for the partnership too. At once, he tensed up and acted as though I was an enemy. He tried to pull the elderly man back, but although he was old, he was still agile.

Without needing me to say anything, the elderly man walked toward Kourtney. "You guys should leave. I'm going to partner up with Dr. Ranford today. Other than Dr. Ranford, I won't believe anyone else."

"How could you do this? He has already agreed to partner up with us. Why are you taking him away?" Casey widened her eyes and looked at me with disappointment. "Jace, this is way out of line!"

"Is that so?" I chuckled. "When I arrived, I heard him asking you all to leave. He didn't say he wanted to partner up with you. So, who he chooses to work with has nothing to do with you."

Casey was furious as her face turned pale. "You came here just to humiliate us, right?"noveldrama

I had never thought about that, but when I saw Andrew's and Casey's ghastly expressions, I felt great. "If that's what you think, so be it, then."

I didn't expect Casey to take a step forward. "Admit it. You haven't moved on from me. Otherwise, why would you come over and intervene with our partnership? Which general manager would come and negotiate this minor deal themselves? Jace, drop the act. I'm aware of your feelings. I—"

"Move!"

I pushed Casey away. She was getting more ridiculous by the second, even trying to throw herself at me. After everything she had done these past few months, I had completely lost any lingering affection I had for her in the past.

"My decisions don't need your validation. Stop projecting everything onto others."

Casey fell to the ground but still refused to give up. She continued to shout, "Just admit that you're still in love with me!"

"He isn't in love with you!"

Kourtney knew that Casey used to be my fiancée, so she had been quiet until now. However, when Kourtney saw Casey cling to me, she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Who do you think you are? What do you know?" Casey glared at Kourtney. It was this woman again!

"She's my girlfriend. What she says represents me."

I looked at Casey coldly, and Kourtney came over and locked arms with me.

"Jace is a wonderful man. Since you didn't know how to cherish him, stop bothering him."

"What did you say? How could you two be together?" This time, Casey was genuinely shocked as she stared at our linked arms. "How could you be with him? You're just a country bumpkin. What right do you have to be his girlfriend?"

Casey's crazed Hook was frightening. Initially, I was worried that Kourtney might be scared, so I wanted to step in. But to my surprise, Kourtney took a step forward on her own. With her chin slightly raised, she looked at Casey calmly.

"He treats me very well. He's gentle and considerate and always thinks of me. He even introduced me to his parents. Thank you for all those years you took him for granted f not for that, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet someone so wonderful.

"I'll love him, get married to him, and live a happy life with him. And none of that has anything to do with you."

Kourtney leaned gently against me. In a gentle voice, she said, "And thank you, Jace. I'm really happy to be with you."

I looked down at Kourtney's gentle and lovely expression, nodding. "You're

amazing. Just ignore everything she says."

"You little bitch!"

Casey was furious. She had

assumed that I wouldn't move on

after our breakup, so she would still have a chance. She didn't expect Kourtney to show up and turn everything upside down. She lunged forward to try and shove Kourtney aside, but I blocked her.