1 Ghosted Him and He Lost Everything Looking for Me
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Chapter 11
Lily stared at his profile, biting her lip hard.
After leaving the Harrington estate, Camden brought Lily to stay temporarily in a small apartment under his name–the only property his father hadn’t confiscated.
That evening, Lily clutched his arm, still unable to accept it all. “Uncle Cam, have you really thought this through? Giving up everything from the Harrington family?”
Camden wrapped his arms around her from behind, his voice gentle. “As long as I have you, I don’t need anything else.”
Lily said nothing, just let him hold her, but a flicker of hesitation clearly crossed her eyes.
A month later, Camden found a manager position at a friend’s company. The salary was a tenth of what he used to make, but enough to cover their basic living expenses.
On his first day, Camden ran into a former business partner who looked at him with pity. “Was it really worth it? All for some woman.”
Camden just smiled without responding. In his mind, everything was worth it.
After all these years of loving Lily, even losing everything didn’t matter as long as she was by his side.
After a long day at work, Camden came home to find Lily trying on a new dress.
Seeing him return, Lily spun around and asked with a sweet smile, “Uncle Cam, do I look pretty? It was only thirty–eight thousand after the discount.”
Camden thought about his bank account with only four digits left and said diplomatically, “It’s beautiful, but we need to be more careful with money now.”
Lily pouted. “Careful about what? You used to give me necklaces that cost more than this.”
‘Lily, things are different now.”
Lily came over and hugged his arm, suddenly saying, “Uncle Cam, why don’t you go home and apologize to Grandpa? I’m sure he-”
Enough.” Camden cut her off coldly before she could finish. “I told you, I’m willing to cut ties with the Harrington ‘amily for you.”
His tone was too harsh. Lily looked at him cautiously and didn’t say another word.
That conversation had no follow–up, but from then on, Lily’s complaints only increased.
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The apartment was too small, there was no housekeeper, she couldn’t afford new designer bags.
One conflict after another eroded their relationship and patience.
One night, Lily suddenly said, “Uncle Cam, Grandpa contacted me.”
Camden looked up at her. “What did he say?”
Lily hesitated before speaking. “He said he could send me abroad to continue my studies.”
Camden raised his head, eyes unreadable. “Do you want to go?”
“It’s a good opportunity. I could go first, and once I’m established, you could-”
“Lily, do you understand what going abroad means right now? Didn’t we agree to get married next year?”
Lily’s expression froze for a moment. “Marriage isn’t urgent. I—”
Camden said nothing more, his eyes cold as ice. Lily didn’t continue either.
After that day, there seemed to be an invisible barrier between them.
Until a week later, when Camden accidentally saw Lily’s computer screen.
e email page displayed an acceptance letter: University of the Arts London, Fashion Management, enrollment in wo weeks.
He heard sounds at the door–Lily returning from shopping.
Seeing Camden standing by her computer with a dark expression, she froze. “Uncle Cam… you’re home early.”
Camden pointed at the screen, his voice colder than ever. “Explain this.”
Lily nervously wrung her hands together. “Oh that? I just applied randomly to see what would happen. I never thought-”
“Dad arranged this, didn’t he? When’s your flight?” Camden pressed, clearly not believing her.
“Uncle Cam, let me explain.” Lily panicked, rushing over to grab his hands and babbling explanations.
“I’m just going to study, not leaving forever. We can have a long–distance relationship.”
“Long–distance? I gave up everything for you, and you’re choosing to leave me again. Lily, do you really love me?” Camden’s gaze was icy.
Lily answered without hesitation: “I love you.”
But Camden shook his head, prying her hands away from his arm. “No, you don’t love me. If you did, you wouldn’t
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go study abroad, and you certainly wouldn’t disregard my feelings completely.”
Lily looked at him earnestly, but met only coldness and indifference.
She finally dropped the pretense.
“Fine, yes, I’m going abroad. I’m sick of this poor life.”
“Poor?” Camden laughed bitterly. “When have I ever mistreated you?”
“You haven’t mistreated me, but this isn’t what I want. Uncle Cam, I just don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with going public, with marriage, with making Grandpa angry. Why can’t we just go back to how things were when Maya was still around? You could marry and have children, and we could still secretly be together. Wouldn’t that be
better?”
Camden stared at this girl he’d loved for ten years, suddenly feeling an absurd sense of unfamiliarity.
He turned around, his back to Lily. “Just go. I’ll pack your things tomorrow.”
Seeing his cold attitude, Lily softened her tone again. “Uncle Cam, that’s not what I meant-”
This time Camden shouted in fury: “I told you to LEAVE!”
Lily looked at his back, bit her lip, and finally chose to walk away.
The next morning, Camden woke to an eerily quiet apartment.
A note from Lily sat on the nightstand.
[Uncle Cam, I moved to a hotel. My flight is next Wednesday. I hope you’ll come see me off.]
Camden glanced at it, crumpled the note into a ball, and threw it in the trash.
He didn’t go to work. Instead, he sat alone on the bedroom carpet.
Opening the nightstand drawer, he pulled out a velvet box.
Inside was the wedding ring Maya had left behind.
The engraving inside the band had faded, but he could still make out their wedding date.
Camden remembered their engagement day–Maya had cried like a child, saying it was the happiest day of her life.
And what had he given her?
Years of deception, a forced abortion, and a wounded departure.
Camden clenched the wedding ring tight, pressing it deep into his palm.
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The day Lily left, Camden didn’t go to see her off.
He went back to the Harrington house and formally apologized to his father.
However, his father just looked at him coldly and said only one thing:
“Now you understand how catastrophically wrong you were, right? But Maya–you never deserved her!”
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