Arranged... With Love...

32. Leave

"How did we even have a son like you!?" Rob roared loudly as he smashed the white porcelain vase on the floor. 

Ever since he got to know that Raya and Cade had filed for annulment, he had been mad. But until the last moment, he believed that his son would back out and give in to their wishes like he did in the past.

He was totally pissed after he got the call from the judge saying that the couple had proceeded with the annulment case. He had to thank the judge for sending them away without granting them a separation.

To top it all off, he heard from his wife that their son was with his girlfriend, who according to him was a huge gold digger.

Raya stared at the pieces of porcelain scattered over the ground. The porcelain vase was one that he had spent several millions on and had brought as a gift for his dad on his birthday.

The scene of the vase being shattered on the floor didn't hurt him as much as it would have on any other day.

He did not even hear the harsh and crude words his father was directing at him. All he could hear was the words Helly had told him while breaking up.

"Raya, you never loved me. At least not as a woman. I told everyone that you never crossed boundaries with me because you knew that I would be uncomfortable. But deep down I knew that it was not because of me but because of you. You never felt a desire for me or my body. In your eyes, I have always been a friend. A friend you never want to lose. A friend you want to protect.

You said yes to us fake dating because you are my friend and yes to turning into a real couple because I am your friend. You were just afraid that I would leave you if you said no back then.

I had known this all along, Raya. But I wanted to keep you with me as well. That's why I acted as if I knew nothing, that I didn't realize that whatever you were doing for me was because you are a gentleman.

It's high time we stop trapping each other together. Let's end this torture, Raya. Let's end this relationship. Let's break up."

Raya had thus lost a very important person in his life just like that. Thinking back to the events happening around him, Raya felt that he had been too greedy.

He wanted both Helly and his family with him. He shouldn't have been so greedy.

When he chose the work in the company, it was not because he wanted to remain rich or for a social status. It was because he knew that his parents loved the company more than him. He foolishly thought that if he worked hard and made himself useful to the company, his parents would acknowledge him someday.

But seeing the way things had turned out, the last ray of hope he had to receive parental affection and acceptance was put off. He accepted the fact that neither of his parents was going to ever acknowledge him.

The breakup was like a harsh slap that woke him up from all his delusions.  He could see everything so clearly now. Where he stood, what he did, and how things are around him. The clarity made him confused. He felt lost as he didn't know what the next step should be.

"Such insolence! Look at him! Standing there without an ounce of guilt!" Rob yelled.

Raya finally raised his head and met his father's gaze. "I am resigning from the company." He said emotionlessly.

"What?" Rob and Lucy froze.

"I have already emailed the resignation letter," Raya said.

Rob immediately checked his mail and saw that Raya had indeed sent a formal resignation letter. "What do you mean by this, Raya?" He glared at his son. "I am telling you, once you leave our company, you will no longer be considered a member of this family!"

"I know. I don't want to be either," Raya said with a stoic expression on his face. "I have never been a member of this family and I know that I will never be in the future."

"Good! Great!" Rob scoffed in anger. "Then what about the things this family gave to you? Your house, your car, your~"

"I am leaving them here as well," Raya interrupted and placed the car keys, the key card to his apartment, his wallet, and his phone on the coffee table in front of him. "I am leaving everything you gave me here. I don't want any of it. Feel free to remove my name from your family registry. I don't care anymore."

He turned around without any other word and walked out of the house.

Neither Rob nor Lucy moved an inch. They made no effort to stop him from leaving.

Few, who had just returned home, saw his eldest brother walking out of the house. He wanted to apologize to Raya for what he had done in court and for interfering in the annulment process. 

He stepped forward "Hia, I~" 

Raya strode past him as if he was invisible.

This surprised Few. "Hia?" He called out, trying to stop the departing figure. But his brother didn't stop and walked away further.

He could feel that something wasn't right. He ran inside and saw that his both parents were there and the room was a complete mess. He could guess what had happened there. Yet he asked his parents. "Mom, Dad, what's going on? Why did Hia leave like that?"

Raya had never walked away from him to date. This was the first time that Raya had completely ignored his presence. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Your Hia wants to cut ties with us!" Rob gritted his teeth. "Let him. I will just think that I didn't give birth to an ungrateful brat like him!"

Few was shocked to hear that. He immediately turned around and ran outside. He had to stop his Hia. He had to stop his elder brother from leaving the family.

He ran all the way down the gate. But couldn't spot Raya. He headed to the security post at the gate. "Phi, did you see Hia Raya leaving?" He asked the security guard.

"Khrab, Khun Raya walked out of the gate a minute ago." The guard replied.

"Do you know which direction he went to?"

"That direction, Khrab." The guard pointed in the direction Raya went.

"Thank you, phi." Few thanked the security guard and ran in the direction he was pointed to.

He ran and ran and ran. Still, no luck. He pulled out his phone and tried calling Raya. But Raya's phone was not with its owner. It was with their parents.

As no one was picking up the call, Few called again and again, till his mother finally picked up. "Your Hia left his phone here."

The statement made Few frustrated.