Chapter 21

“I have something else to attend to. I’ll be going,” Miranda said.

Micah wouldn’t let her leave so easily. “All these years, Hansel has treated you like a possession and kept you hidden in his house. I couldn’t even meet you.”

Miranda looked up, her smile fading. “What are you trying to say?”

Micah replied, “Back then, you rejected both of us, but ultimately chose him. It was only because he persisted longer and was more clingy.”

“But did you consider that his persistence stemmed from a competitive rivalry?”

At that moment, Miranda’s already broken heart shattered further. What she’d thought was deep affection had been nothing more than a man’s competitive spirit?

Noticing her pale face, Micah felt sorry. He reached for her face, but she stepped back, creating distance between them. “Mr. Lawson, please show some self-respect,” she said.

Micah pressed closer. “Stop pretending. I know you two have broken up.”

“So what?” Miranda asked, a smile playing on her lips.

“Mimi, you should be with me. I’ll cherish and love you more than Hansel. I’ll do my best to fulfill your wishes, as long as you’re with me.”

Whether six years ago or now, Micah’s heart still raced at the sight of Miranda. He knew he’d never forgotten her.

Miranda smiled. “Do you think I’d jump into another lion’s den after escaping one? Mr. Lawson, it was nice meeting you, but let’s go our separate ways.”

With that, she turned and left. She wanted nothing to do with either Hansel or Micah, and wished they would stop bothering her.

Micah’s eyes darkened as he watched Miranda’s slender figure depart. He sighed softly, then chuckled and mumbled, “Mimi, you can’t stop this alone. Do you think you can escape?”

Unbeknownst to him, someone had witnessed the entire scene from afar.

Zach glanced at the photo he’d taken and smiled smugly. Sam happened to be nearby. He’d stepped outside for a breather and saw Zach’s sly grin and phone.

“What’s with that creepy smile?” Sam asked.

Zach ignored the insult. He smugly showed Sam his phone.

Sam quickly recognized the people on the screen. “Miranda?”

Zach hummed in acknowledgment, clearly relishing the gossip. “And Micah. I’ve sent it to Hansel.”

They’d both witnessed the years-long rivalry between the two men over Miranda. They still shook their heads remembering Hansel’s obsessive behavior.

Sam’s expression grew serious. “They’ve just broken up, and Micah shows up immediately. Besides, judging by Miranda’s attitude…”

He paused, then continued in a meaningful tone. “I think this breakup is for real this time.”

“No, no, no. Miranda wouldn’t do that. Just wait and see. She’ll never break up with Hansel. She’ll never leave him.”

“Then why did you send that photo to Hansel?”

Zach shrugged. “It’s a joke. I wanted to see the drama unfold. It’s harmless, right?”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Don’t push it too far, or it’ll affect your friendship.”

“All I did was take a picture. Besides, look how Hansel’s treating Miranda. She’s his ex. He won’t take it seriously. Look at the photo—the angle is perfect. The vibe is… perfect.”

Sam’s gaze fell on Miranda’s pretty profile. “You’re right; she’s his ex. It’s natural for other men to pursue her.”

The passage has been significantly improved by correcting grammatical errors, improving sentence structure, and refining punctuation. The word choice has also been enhanced for clarity and flow. The "+15 BONUS" and "IS BONUS" markings were removed as they seemed to be formatting artifacts.