Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 302

Overnight, Mila's reputation in the tutoring world was utterly destroyed-everyone was talking, everyone was condemning her.

On a blisteringly hot summer day, Mila sat in the police station, repeating over and over that she hadn't stolen anything and hadn't laid a hand on the child. Her voice was raw, her lips cracked and peeling from dehydration, and sweat beaded across her skin despite the air conditioning. She was trembling uncontrollably, unable to keep her composure in the face of such humiliation.

In the end, with no evidence to prove she'd stolen or hurt anyone, the police couldn't detain her. But the scandal had already spread. She'd technically bent a few rules, so every cent she'd earned from tutoring was reclaimed, and on top of that, she was slapped with a hefty fine.

A call from her university came next-a stern warning: she was forbidden from tutoring ever again.

In a single night, she went from having a modest savings to being flat broke, even owing money she didn't have.

It was her best friend, Miranda Wayne, who finally got the call. Miranda rushed down to the station, paid the rest of Mila's fine, and got her released.

Outside, the city was alive with summer noise-kids begging their parents for ice cream or toys, adults pretending to protest but giving in, laughter and chatter everywhere. To Mila, it all felt impossibly distant, like the happy scenes belonged to another world.

For a moment, she honestly wondered if she could go on. The thought flickered in her mind—what was the point of trying anymore?

"Mila?"

ice-cold fingers. Miranda's

tears, Mila choked out, "Miranda, it's just so

she'd ever wanted was a simple, honest life-nothing special, nothing ambitious, just a little bit of peace. Why

over. Right there on the busy street, she pulled Mila into

anywhere," Miranda whispered, again and again, as if trying to pull Mila back

in quiet sobs that soon turned into gut-wrenching

found a little piece of salvation. She realized she still wasn't ready to give up on this world, not while there was even a scrap

She'd grown up in a loveless home, so despair wasn't new to her. Each time life knocked her down, she'd gotten back

was sure of it. As long as she could draw breath, she

dorm room, Mila glanced at Miranda apologetically. "I promise

she'd ever had-genuine, loyal, the kind of person you rarely meet. Mila valued their friendship too much to ever take advantage of it, so she almost never asked Miranda for help,

this time