Chapter 2: Calling Off The Engagement

Words : 1965 Updated : May 15th, 2025

Keanu looked at the woman in front of him with some surprise. She had pretty short hair. The woman wasn't exactly beautiful, but she was easy enough on the eyes. She looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. Most of his memories were fuzzy, except for the ones from before he was reborn. "Hmph! Keanu, I've lent you money so many times, and now you act like you don't even know me? You're the worst!" the round-faced woman said. Suddenly, Keanu remembered her. This was Ava Warth from the Warth family in Capital City. She was loud and easy-going and didn't really have a filter, but she was a good person at heart. She went to Ninos University, too. Keanu was never really popular in Capital City, and after he got kicked out of the Yale family, he barely knew anyone. He knew Ava because she was in the same class as his sister Emily, and she used to come over to their place a lot. That was how they got to know each other. After Keanu left his family, most people just pretended they didn't know him. But Ava wasn't like that. She actually lent him money a few times when he was struggling. "Oh, it's you, Ava. Sorry, my head's been a mess lately. I didn't recognize you..." Keanu said, though he was already thinking about how he had no money left, not even for food, and whether he should ask her for another loan. While he was thinking about how to ask for money, Ava suddenly leaned in and said in a conspiratorial tone, "Keanu, do you know who's the biggest joke in Capital City now, after you? Well, maybe not the biggest, but definitely the one everyone laughs at." Ava didn't seem to care if she was hurting Keanu's feelings- she just kept chatting away, totally unbothered. She didn't really expect him to answer, just kept going, "A few months ago, the Norrell family went to your house to break off the engagement. Do you know what your uncle said?" Keanu said flatly, "I'm unrelated to those people." "Oh, sorry, I forgot. You're not part of the Yale family anymore. So your, um, ex-uncle said, 'Keanu is no longer part of the Yale family. I do not know any engagement. I heard he's at Ninos University, so you can go directly to Ninos to discuss it with him.' The Norrells were pissed, but there weren't much they could do. Hey, Keanu, did the Norrells ever come looking for you? I heard the Sabey family tried to set up Zoey with Quincy. You'll never guess what your so-called fiancée said." Ava grinned at Keanu, obviously wanting to see how he'd react. Keanu quietly shook his head. In all honesty, he barely remembered what Zoey looked like. Sure, she was said to be the most beautiful woman in the capital—and was even his fiancée—but none of that mattered anymore. He was no longer the original Keanu, and he had no ties to the Yale family. Whoever Zoey chose to marry was her business. He didn't care in the least. Besides, even if Zoey was drop-dead gorgeous, there was no way she could beat Paige in looks. In the past, he had been too emotionally dense to understand Paige's affection for him, mistaking it for mere concern. Now, having experienced life and death, if he still couldn't comprehend her feelings, he might as well die again. He wondered if Paige had also been reborn, just like him. Lost in thought, Keanu spaced out for a moment. Seeing Keanu's dazed expression, Ava thought he was either reluctant to let Zoey go or troubled by being cast out of the Yale family. She quickly said, "Keanu, Zoey might be beautiful, but she's from the Norrell family, and you're not the Yale heir anymore, so..." Keanu got what Ava meant and gave a small smile. "Oh, I've already forgotten about her." He meant it. He couldn't remember who the woman was. If he had any impression, it was perhaps less real than the Ava standing before him. Ava rolled her eyes. Like she'd ever buy that. "You know, saying that would probably make Zoey pretty sad. Do you know who everyone in Capital City is laughing at these days? Her." Keanu was confused. Why would people be laughing at her? With the way things were for him and after getting kicked out of the Yale family, all the Norrells had to do was make a statement to end the engagement. Did they really think he, basically a nobody now, would go and cause trouble for them? Fortunately, Ava continued, "After the Sabey family tried to set Zoey up with Quincy, she announced in public that she already belonged to you and wouldn't marry anyone else unless... But she just left it at 'unless' and never finished the sentence. Nobody knows what she meant by 'unless.' Rumor has it her dad was so pissed he wanted to lock her up, but who knows if that's true." "Because of what she said, everyone in Capital City is laughing at her. Even though people know she used you as an excuse to turn down the Sabey family, you know what they're saying about her? They say she's never been with a guy before and doesn't know what impotence is, and when she finally does... Oh, sorry, I don't mean you. I'm just recounting what people are gossiping about." Ava realized a little too late that she was talking about the guy standing right in front of her and that Keanu's earlier weird behavior might have been him checking himself. Keanu couldn't help but think Ava really didn't have a filter—she just talked nonstop without ever worrying about what she was saying. But honestly, he didn't really care. After all, he wasn't actually impotent. Once he hit Level Three Energy Cultivation, his blocked meridians would clear up on their own. It was tough to get there, but it gave him something to work toward. As for what Zoey said, Keanu didn't really take it seriously. He'd never even met her, but with her famed beauty, she was probably pretty good-looking. She probably just wasn't into Quincy and used Keanu as an excuse. What Keanu didn't get was why she had to say all that out in public. Why not just tell the Sabey family directly? Then it hit him. Zoey didn't want to get engaged to anyone right now, so she made her statement in public. It was not like she really wanted to marry him. Didn't she leave it hanging with that 'unless'? When she actually wanted to get married, she could finish the sentence. She was definitely no fool. "Oh, and here. Take this," Ava said, handing Keanu a brown envelope. Keanu opened it and saw a stack of cash inside. He looked at Ava in surprise- he hadn't even asked her for money yet, and she'd already handed him so much. "This is from your brother. Uh, Castiel. He asked me to give it to you and said someone else gave it to him to pass along, but honestly, I think it was from him," Ava explained, making Keanu think of his brother and sister. Emily had never been nice to him, but Castiel was always pretty decent. He really needed the cash right now, and there was no point giving it back. He'd just pay him back later.

Chapter 2: Calling Off The Engagement

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