She hadn’t told him she was hospitalized, and she had no idea how he found out. He just showed up on his own and actually accused her of doing it on purpose to get his attention.

She knew Chase Lockwood had a high opinion of himself, but this was just too much.

Just as Mia Kane was about to speak, her grandma unexpectedly came chasing after them, her voice filled with exasperation.

"With which eye did you see her trying to curry favor with me for your sake? I was the one who asked her to come keep an old woman like me company!"

"Grandma, you still haven’t given up?"

"I’ve decided not to meddle in your affairs anymore. Be with whoever you want. The more I try to stop you, the more you refuse to let go. In that case, go ahead and be with Vivian Lynch."

"If you lose everything one day, let’s see if she’s still willing to stick with you through hardship."

"Vivian definitely will. She loves me so much."

Chase Lockwood said with conviction.

Grandma rolled her eyes and took Mia Kane’s hand.

"Mia, what on earth did you do to make him keep misunderstanding that you can’t let him go?"

Mia Kane looked completely innocent. "Grandma, I really didn’t do anything."

"I believe you. That’s just how he is, always thinking that any woman who’s been with him is hopelessly captivated by his charm. You just focus on living a good life with Adrian Preston and don’t pay him any mind."

"What do you mean, ’living a good life’? She’s just Adrian Preston’s mistress. Adrian is already married."

Chase Lockwood was displeased that his own grandmother was siding with an outsider instead of him.

Hearing this, Grandma froze. "You don’t know that she and Adrian Preston are married?"

"What?"

Chase Lockwood stiffened, looking at Mia Kane in disbelief.

The corners of his eyes reddened at a visible rate.

He strode forward and seized Mia Kane’s wrist, using so much force it seemed like he wanted to tear her arm off.

"The person Adrian Preston married—is you?"

His voice was laced with furious anger.

"Who else would it be? Adrian and I aren’t just playing around. We’re a legally married couple."

Mia Kane tried to pull her hand back, but he refused to let go. Her circulation was being cut off.

"Let go of me."

"You let go of Mia."

Grandma grew anxious too, but Chase Lockwood acted as if he couldn’t hear her. He stared deadly at Mia, his eyes sinister and terrifying, as if he’d gone mad.

Mia Kane felt a little scared.

Chase Lockwood had always thought that everything she did was because she loved him. He reveled in that feeling, smug and self-satisfied.

But now, this slap in the face was so absolute. How could he possibly accept it?

"You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You deliberately played me! You married Adrian Preston and didn’t even tell me. Mia Kane, you’re so calculating, so malicious!"

His eyes looked ready to split with rage as he forced the words out through gritted teeth.

Right now, he wished he could turn into a ravenous beast, devour her flesh and drink her blood, and make her understand the price of deceiving him.

"Let go of me, Chase Lockwood... I’ve told you countless times that we’re over. I’m not hung up on you, and I genuinely hope you and Vivian Lynch will be happy together. It’s you, you’re the one who’s so full of yourself that you just won’t believe it."

"You’re hurting me, Chase Lockwood! Let go..."

"I’m going to kill you."

At that moment, overcome with towering rage, Chase Lockwood grabbed her by the neck. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Just then, Adrian Preston arrived. A shoulder throw followed by a chokehold left Chase Lockwood completely powerless to resist.

"Adrian Preston! You don’t deserve to be my friend!"

he roared.

"You touch her again and see what happens."

Adrian Preston’s face was frosty, and he refused to back down. Grandma was frantic; after all, that was her precious grandson, the sole heir of the Lockwood Family.

Mia Kane spoke up, "Let him go."

Adrian Preston frowned, but ultimately released Chase Lockwood.

Chase Lockwood looked at her, then at Adrian Preston.

"You... you two teamed up to play me, didn’t you?"

He felt like a buffoon, stripped of all his dignity and pride.

"You seem very unhappy that she married me. Is it because you wanted her to love you so much she couldn’t function, to do crazy things for you to get your attention, to hope you’d come back to her? All while you sit on your high horse and tell her you only love Vivian Lynch. You’re so noble, devoted to just one person, is that it?"

"Chase Lockwood, since you’ve already broken up and you’re so determined to be with Vivian Lynch, then be more gracious. Don’t act like such a sore loser."

"Who are you calling a sore loser?"

"I’m talking about you. If you don’t like it, let’s fight. I’ll beat you until you do."

Adrian Preston was nearly six foot three, with broad shoulders and a strong waist. He was the type who looked lean in clothes but was powerfully built underneath. It wasn’t the kind of body built from protein powder, but one forged punch by punch in life-or-death struggles.

Chase Lockwood wouldn’t last three minutes against him.

"From now on, stay away from her."

After the warning, Adrian Preston left with Mia Kane.

Chase Lockwood clenched his fists tightly, his gaze on their departing backs a complex mixture of emotions. He felt like he had been made a fool of.

"Stop staring."

"Grandma, you knew too."

"What, so now I was playing you for a fool, too?" Grandma shot him a glare.

"No... why didn’t you tell me?"

"I thought you knew."

"She lied to me, she lied to me..."

"Are you really upset that Mia lied to you, or are you upset that you misunderstood and lost face?" Grandma exposed his true thoughts. "Adrian Preston was right. Since you chose Vivian Lynch and insisted you’d marry no one else, shouldn’t you be happy that Mia Kane has found a good outcome? Or are you just selfish, unable to promise her a future, yet still wanting her to keep adoring you and going crazy over you?"

"How did you become like this? You’ve disappointed me so much. I originally thought Vivian Lynch was a bad influence on you, but now I realize you were never a good person to begin with. I don’t want to see you anymore. Tomorrow, I’m going abroad to find your younger uncle. As for you and Vivian Lynch, do whatever you want."

With that, the old lady shut the door, leaving Chase Lockwood outside.

Chase Lockwood’s eyes were sinister as he clenched his fists.

He really didn’t want to admit that his grandmother was right, but deep down, that was exactly what he thought.

’He wanted to be high and mighty, watching Mia Kane do all sorts of things for his love, which gave him a great sense of accomplishment.’

But now, it turned out to be all his delusion.

He returned in disgrace, unwilling to admit he was the problem. ’It’s all Mia Kane... Mia Kane was the one hiding things.’

’If she had just been honest sooner, he wouldn’t have misunderstood.’

’Is Mia Kane really that innocent? Wasn’t there even a hint of her playing him for a fool?’

When Chase Lockwood got home, Vivian Lynch came to greet him.

"So? Wasn’t I right? Mia Kane was with your grandmother. She must have been badmouthing me, making Grandma hate me even more..."

Before Vivian Lynch could finish, Chase Lockwood shot her a cold, harsh glare.

"Don’t you dare mention Mia Kane’s name in front of me."

He roared like an angry lion, startling Vivian Lynch.

"What’s wrong? Did Mia Kane do something to upset you...?"

"I already told you not to mention her name! Are you incapable of understanding plain language?"

Chase Lockwood felt like the very name "Mia Kane" was giving him a splitting headache.

Overwrought, he dug his hands into Vivian Lynch’s shoulders.

Vivian Lynch was terrified and quickly lowered her head.

"I won’t say it, I won’t say it..."

Chase Lockwood realized he had lost his composure and quickly tried to collect himself.

"I’m tired. I’m going upstairs to rest."

Chase Lockwood slowly walked up the stairs, then suddenly stopped and turned to look down at Vivian Lynch with a dark expression.

"Have you ever played me for a fool?"

’Like how Mia Kane played me?’