Benjamin seemed to have heard the most unbelievable words he could ever hear in his life. It was more incredulous than seeing his painstakingly built company suddenly facing bankruptcy.

Martina continued, "I don't want to like you anymore. It's too exhausting to like you, and I can't take it anymore."

In the past few years, she had never thought of giving up, but now she really couldn't bear it anymore. It wasn't just because of a few people's dissatisfaction or hostility towards her, but because she couldn't see any hope. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life in confusion.

If she could, she really wanted to make a name for herself and have her own career and life, just like now.

She didn't want to constantly worry about what Benjamin was doing when he didn't answer her phone. She wanted to focus on her own work without worrying about when he would come back.

Benjamin's pati

Maybe because the house was too quiet, Martina sat on the couch, hugging her knees like a pitiful little girl, without moving for a long time.

If it weren't for her faint breathing, her existence might be ignored, as if there was no one here at all.

Thinking of the resolute look that Benjamin had when he left just now, Martina felt heartbroken and almost suffocated.

At this moment, Martina couldn't help but wonder when it all started. When did their situation become so bad and eventually reach an irreparable point?

She believed that they were once the most intimate lovers, accompanying each other since the time when Benjamin was not as mature as he was now.

Was it because she was waiting for someone she shouldn't have waited for, or was it because she was constantly harassed by Benjamin's mother? So that she gradually retreated?

Or was it because of Amy, making her feel like a joke

Feeling herself falling into familiar and warm arms, Martina didn't feel happy, but instead felt increasingly bitter inside.

She stood firm and lifted her head to meet Benjamin's deep and bottomless eyes once again.

Benjamin's eyes only had Martina in them, giving her an unprecedented feeling of deep affection.

Martina quickly turned her head away, reminding herself, "Martina, you can't turn back now. Once you do, it's a point of no return. If you turn back this time, no one will ever look up to you again."

With these thoughts in mind, she extricated herself from Benjamin's embrace.

"Benjamin, everything is already clear. That place is your home, not mine. I have no reason to go back," Martina said.

She thought she had made it very clear, and given Benjamin's extremely proud personality, he would not allow such provocation.

It was all over.

However, Benjamin just looked at her incredulously as she was pushed him away. Perhaps he didn't even hear what Martina had just said.

Martina bit her lip, forcing down the pain in her heart as she said, "Please leave here, it's not suitable for you."

This time, Benjamin finally heard her clearly. He looked around the apartment, a place like a snail's shell, what was there to be attached to?

His nice lips opened lightly, "A house where you can reach the end in two steps, without a dedicated closet, without monthly custom-made new clothes, without jewelry. Even the most basic living expenses cannot be maintained. Are you sure you want to live this kind of life? Are you sure you can handle it?"

Did Benjamin also think that she was a materialistic woman and was only with him for his money?

Martina suddenly felt very ridiculous, wondering what she had been persisting for all these years. No matter how hard she tried, she always let others speculate about her intentions.

Those people dared to act so arrogantly towards her only because Benjamin never paid attention to her.

Martina closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she no longer had the urge to cry. Instead, she was exceptionally resolute and said, "Why can't I? This is the life I should be living."

Maybe in Benjamin's eyes, going from frugality to luxury was easy, but going from luxury to frugality was difficult. However, Martina just wanted to show everyone that she could live without him and still lifted her head up high, even if it meant living without him.

She is gradually regaining her true self as she no longer wants to tolerate her current temperament.

Even facing Elizabeth, she was willing to argue when necessary. It felt satisfying, but it also meant cutting off her own retreat.

Having said that, Martina spoke again without being polite, "So, Mr. Walker, please leave my house."

She no longer wanted to live the life where a single look from Benjamin could make her waver, and even blindly follow him like a moth to a flame.

She continued to be the person who deeply loved him, revolved her entire world around him, rejoiced and grieved for him, and ultimately lost herself for him.

Before, Benjamin's expression was still calm and collected, but at that time he could clearly sense that Martina had really changed.

Martina meant it. Otherwise, if he had come over, she would have definitely followed him back.

Benjamin impatiently moved his finger, and his last bit of patience was about to collapse.

"When will you stop, Martina?," he asked.

In Benjamin's eyes, she was just making a fool of herself from beginning to end.

As she looked at the newly polished ground, she could almost see her reflection. Martina remembered what she had been thinking while she was cleaning the floor: forget about him, she had to forget about him and never look back.

Martina sniffled and said, "Benjamin, don't you understand? I'm not trying to cause trouble with you. I don't want to live in a situation where I can't depend on you anymore. I am a living person, I have my own life!"

Even if life was tough, at least she could feel that she was alive.

This was probably the biggest argument the two of them had ever had.

Martina showed no signs of conceding or backing down, which almost caused Benjamin's long-standing bad temper to flare up. His gaze landed on Martina once again, and his fist almost clenched tightly.

In Benjamin's world, he always approached everything from a businessman's perspective and weighed every decision carefully, even when it came to matters of the heart. He treated everyone equally.

Now Martina, who was once accustomed to a life of luxury, chose to abandon all her advantages and live in this small and shabby rental apartment, which was undoubtedly the most foolish choice.

However, because the person who was arguing with him was Martina, Benjamin ultimately did not lose his temper.

Instead, he repeatedly endured and spoke with a gentler tone.

Listening carefully, a hint of coaxing could be heard in his words, "Be a good girl, come back with me, okay?"

Benjamin's voice was particularly pleasant to listen to, to the point that every time Martina heard these words, she forgot all her stubbornness.

But this time, Martina didn't changed her mind.

"Benjamin, I think maybe I haven't made myself clear enough. I don't want to go back to the life I had before, and I don't want to be constantly worried that you'll abandon me one day," she said seriously. "I also don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not in front of anyone else and become a doormat."

"I want to live my own life, and I want to become the true me, a me with a soul," she continued.

Benjamin was speechless.

"You have never really understood or respected me, because in your eyes, I seem to be just a counterpart of a businessman."

But how could love be treated as a business deal?

If there was only one person giving in a relationship, there would always be a day when they become exhausted. Just like now.

Martina was so heartbroken that she almost suffocated, but she stubbornly refused to go back with Benjamin.

Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed tightly again, saying, "Didn't you say last time that you wanted a unique gemstone necklace? I can give it to you next month."

Because it's still in the process of customization, of course it will take some more time.

Benjamin thought that as long as he gave Martina something she liked, they could be together like before. She could still take the initiative to hug him, kiss him, and even make advances like before.

But Benjamin never expected that the next words from Martina would be like this. "Benjamin," Martina said as she took a deep breath, and tears seemed to well up in her eyes. She then said each word slowly, "Let's break up!"

Yes, before they were together without clarity, but now they have to separate clearly.


Benjamin seemed to have heard the most unbelievable words he could ever hear in his life. It was more incredulous than seeing his painstakingly built company suddenly facing bankruptcy.

Martina continued, "I don't want to like you anymore. It's too exhausting to like you, and I can't take it anymore."

In the past few years, she had never thought of giving up, but now she really couldn't bear it anymore. It wasn't just because of a few people's dissatisfaction or hostility towards her, but because she couldn't see any hope. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life in confusion.

If she could, she really wanted to make a name for herself and have her own career and life, just like now.

She didn't want to constantly worry about what Benjamin was doing when he didn't answer her phone. She wanted to focus on her own work without worrying about when he would come back.

Benjamin's patience was on the verge of collapse, and the corners of his eyes turned red.

"I know that you haven't

Chapter 20: It's really over