Chapter 1

At the age of 18, Elizabeth Farley had to sell herself to a man ten years her age to pay for her mother's medical bills.

She even came to know about his real identity much later.

Spencer Cooper, head of Cooper Corporation, was a name spoken with respect and fear in the business world. He was a man renowned for his keen instincts and ruthless tactics.

Yet with her, he was unbelievably gentle.

His adoration of Elizabeth was so profound that it birthed the cruel illusion of being loved.

She had once casually mentioned that she liked the cake from a dessert shop in Springbrooke. By the next morning, he had bought the entire shop, assigning its ovens and staff to bake solely for her.

When she had a fever in the middle of the night, he abandoned his international conference and flew back immediately. He even sat by her bedside for hours, patiently changing the cold towels on her forehead.

On her 20th birthday, he took her to see the northern lights. Beneath a sky lit with cascading ribbons of light, he took her hand, kissed her fingers, and said, "Little one, from now on, I'll spend every birthday with you."

She believed him.

Until one day, a stranger asked to meet her.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the woman said. "My name is Courtney Gallagher. I'm Spencer's ex-girlfriend.

"He proposed to me seven years ago. But I chose my career and left the country. We haven't spoken since, but I know him. I know that when I return, he'll come back to me."

With that, Courtney slid a check across the table toward Elizabeth.

"I'm planning to get back with him. But before that, I need to clear out the woman in his life. 50 million dollars should be enough for a kept woman like you. Take it, and leave him."

Elizabeth's throat tightened. She had never known about Spencer's past, nor had she ever asked about it.

She had loved him since she was old enough to understand what love was.

He was the only one for her. But now she knew that he had once loved someone else.

Thinking back on the time they had spent together, Elizabeth gathered the courage to say, "It's been years. Maybe Mr. Cooper has already moved on…"

"You don't understand how much he loved me," Courtney chuckled. "How about we make a bet?"

She lifted her phone and continued, "I'll text him. I'll tell him that I'm back, but my car broke down, so I need a ride. You'll text him and say you're in a car accident. Let's see who he replies to first."

Courtney then glanced up and added in a winning manner, "If he answers me first, you can take the money and leave. If he answers you first, I'll walk away."

A storm of emotions swirled through Elizabeth—anxiety, fear, and doubt—but a fierce resolve swept them away. "Okay," she replied.

The moment both messages were sent, every passing second ticked by excruciatingly slowly.

Elizabeth stared at her phone as her thoughts scattered with memories of Spencer surging in her mind like a film reel.

She recalled the way his eyes softened with concern as he massaged her stomach when she was experiencing period cramps; the way he pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her lips beneath a sky of falling snow; the way he pinned her against the window walls on New Year's Eve…

Scene after scene flickered vividly before her eyes, each one tugging her thoughts further away until a sudden ringtone shattered the silence.

Elizabeth snapped back to reality just in time to see Courtney smiling victoriously as she picked up her phone and placed the call on speaker mode.

"Send me your location," Spencer's voice came through the phone, low and cold. He had barely spoken for a few seconds, yet his words echoed in Elizabeth's chest like a death toll, tearing through the fragile hope she had been holding onto.

She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and her breath caught in her throat as she bit down hard on her lip. It was like her body was bracing for impact, or simply forgetting how to breathe.

Courtney, who was obviously pleased with Elizabeth's reaction, drawled into the phone, "Are you sure it's not too much trouble? Do you have more important things to handle?"

There was a pause on the other end of the call, then he finally replied casually, "No. Tell me your location."

Courtney's smile deepened as she ended the call and slowly sent him her location.

Elizabeth's mind went blank as she stared at her phone, which remained still.

The light in her eyes gradually dimmed, and she squeezed out some broken sounds from her throat. "Did he… used to love you that much?"

Courtney chuckled. "Of course! Do you want me to tell you the details?" She listed them one by one, savoring every word.

"He took me to see the northern lights and promised he would spend every New Year with me.

"He bought an entire dessert shop just because I liked their desserts.

"He used to hate cats. But when I took in a stray, he let it sleep in the master bedroom."

Elizabeth felt a chilling ache sink deep into her bones. It turned out that everything he had done for her had only been a reflection of someone else. All along, he had only been remembering Courtney through her.

"You lost the bet. It's time for you to leave," Courtney said as she pushed the check toward her.

"You're right… I lost." Just four simple words drained every ounce of strength from Elizabeth's body.

She reached out with a trembling hand, the skin torn and bloodied where her nails had dug in, and took the check.

Her eyes were shut tightly in despair as her voice sounded hollow and numb. "I'll disappear from his sight. Just as you wished."

Getting the answer she had come for, Courtney chose not to linger. She turned on her heel sharply against the floor and left without another glance toward Elizabeth.

Silence once again fell like a shroud.

Elizabeth bit down so hard on her lip that blood bloomed across the skin. She forced herself to swallow the storm of emotion rising in her chest. Then, dragging her exhausted body forward, she gradually left the cafe.

Just as it reflected her emotions, the rain outside was pouring down in torrents. Nevertheless, she walked straight into it as if she could no longer feel a thing.

However, she didn't notice the sleek black car that sped by until it was too late. A wave of water surged up and soaked her completely in the process.

The car window soon rolled down to reveal Courtney. Her smile was mocking as she said, "Oops! My bad. I just thought you looked a little too dry to be a proper drowned rat."

With that, she drove away with a smile without waiting for a reply.

The rain kept pouring as Elizabeth trudged back to the villa, drenched and defeated, every step heavy with the weight of everything she had just lost.

At that moment, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from one of her professors.

"Ms. Farley, have you made your final decision about the exchange program? Are you really giving it up?"

The sigh on the other end brought her drifting thoughts back into focus. She stared out at the curtain of rain outside the window, then shook her head slowly and spoke steadily. "No. I'm going. I'll go alone."

Chapter 2

Upon hearing that Elizabeth, her beloved student, had finally come to her senses, Mackenzie Shepherd's voice brightened with relief.

"You've finally made up your mind! That's wonderful! You secured the only exchange program slot in the entire school due to your grades. You can't just give it away." She then added, "Start preparing. You'll be leaving in 15 days."

With a nod, Elizabeth reached for a pen and marked the date she was set to leave on the calendar.

…

Elizabeth was due to leave 15 days later—exactly on Spencer's birthday.

She opened her wardrobe and took out a tailored suit that she had personally designed and painstakingly revised over the past three months. It was meant to be a handmade birthday gift for him.

She had even given up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad just so she could stay by his side for years.

But now, it no longer mattered.

A bitter smile curved on her lips at the mere thought of it. Without hesitation, she tossed the suit into the trash, then stepped into a hot shower, hoping to wash the heaviness from her body.

Afterward, Elizabeth curled beneath the blankets and allowed herself to drift into a deep slumber.

Perhaps it was because she had been drenched in rain earlier; her temperature began to climb rapidly. Waves of extreme cold and heat washed over her—cold sweat drenched her skin, her head felt heavy and dizzy, as if several mountains were pressing down on her.

Drifting in and out of a fevered sleep, she vaguely registered the repeated ringing of her phone. Yet the grip of the nightmare was too strong, and her eyelids remained shut.

It was almost dawn when someone barged into the room and shook her awake.

"Ms. Farley, please wake up. Mr. Cooper requested me to take you somewhere."

Elizabeth forced her eyes open and saw Spencer's assistant, Peter Quentin, standing over her.

She endured the nausea as she dressed herself. Then, Peter drove her to the entrance of a clubhouse and left her there without further explanation.

Elizabeth tightened her coat, relied on the memory of her last visit to navigate to the VIP suite, and heard the sound of voices coming from inside.

"It's been over an hour. Why isn't she here yet? Even if she got into a car accident and isn't feeling well, you called her multiple times and even sent someone to fetch her. How could she still be dragging her feet? How inconsiderate."

"She's just a kept woman for entertainment. It's fun when she's submissive, but the moment she starts acting up, it's nothing but trouble. You shouldn't spoil her that much, Spencer. If you keep letting her act out just because she thinks she's special, she'll forget her place, for sure!"

"Exactly! Back when Courtney left, you drowned yourself in liquor before taking in that kept woman to distract yourself. Otherwise, Elizabeth would never have made it into our circle. You've spoiled her for four years. Now that Courtney's back, isn't it time you got rid of the dead weight?"

Spencer sat at the head of the table, his posture composed and aloof. The light cast faint shadows across his cold features, making him seem all the more indifferent as he said, "I'll take care of what's mine. Why are you all so anxious?"

"We're only worried about you and Courtney," someone chimed in. "You waited seven years for her. Now that she's finally back, don't let Elizabeth provoke her. If she leaves again, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

"Exactly. All these years, you couldn't even bring yourself to delete your old photos with her.

"He looked at them every day. Every few weeks, he would secretly fly to Meriana to check on her. Whenever he heard about something she liked, he would go to great lengths to find it and have it sent to her through someone else…"

Each word pierced Elizabeth like a needle, the ache penetrating deeper with every line spoken.

So that was the truth. From the beginning to the end, she had been nothing but a distraction, a convenient tool to provoke Courtney.

Just as Elizabeth turned to leave, she was stopped by Courtney, who had just returned from the restroom at that very moment.

With one hand clasping Elizabeth's wrist and the other pushing open the door to the VIP room, Courtney stepped inside. She smiled radiantly as she greeted the people inside.

"What are you guys talking about? It's so loud that you've scared the girl Spencer brought. She's afraid to even step inside."

The moment everyone caught sight of the two of them, the room fell into a hush. In an unspoken understanding, all eyes shifted to Spencer.

He lifted his gaze and briefly introduced them. Without waiting for a response, he gestured for Elizabeth to come over.

"It doesn't look like the car accident was too serious. Why didn't you answer my calls?" he asked.

Elizabeth swallowed the turmoil churning inside her as she quietly walked to his side and said, "It's just a little scratch. I applied some medicine and fell asleep, so I didn't hear the phone. What's so urgent at this hour?"

Spencer was taken aback by her calmness, as she was neither flustered nor upset, which was unusual for her.

But he decided not to press on and simply replied, "Nothing. I just thought that you might want to join the fun."

Elizabeth's heart suddenly twisted in agony. Was this truly an invitation to "join the fun"? Or had he summoned her here just to provoke Courtney?

Only hours ago, Courtney had offered her a huge amount of money to leave Spencer so that she could get back with him.

And now Spencer, in turn, was using her to goad Courtney to hasten their reunion.

In the end, Elizabeth was nothing more than a pawn caught in the tug-of-war of their love.

Chapter 3

Although a storm of emotions churned within Elizabeth, she chose to sit there in silence.

As always, Spencer treated her with unrelenting adoration. He draped his coat over her shoulder, offered fruits to her lips, and even leaned in to wipe off the milk from the corner of her mouth.

His gaze darkened as he was doing so, and soon, a faint smile tugged at his lips before he leaned in and kissed her.

Elizabeth closed her eyes to receive the tenderness, however, the flutter of emotion she once felt was no longer there.

When she lifted her gaze, she noticed Courtney staring at them somberly across the room.

In that moment, Elizabeth understood that Spencer's performance had served its purpose in provoking Courtney.

Yet all the affection he lavished upon her came to an abrupt end the instant Courtney collapsed onto the coach and cried in pain.

Everyone started to panic.

"Courtney, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. But it hurts... Maybe it's just my stomach… Just bring me some medicine. I'll be fine."

Spencer's expression instantly changed as he rose to his feet. When he spotted the liquor at the table before her, his expression darkened further.

"Don't you know how sensitive your stomach is? Why would you drink that? I'll take you to the hospital!" His voice trembled with barely contained distress.

With that, he swept her into his arms and turned to leave without sparing Elizabeth a single glance.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She knew that her part in this performance had come to an end.

Summoning all her strength, she rose from her fever-ridden body and murmured an apology before following them out.

In the days that followed, Elizabeth rested at home to recover and also took the opportunity to organize her things.

She laid out the jewelry and handbags Spencer had bought her, the photographs in which they both appeared, the dress shirt and cups she had picked out for him—each one a quiet testimony to how deeply she had once cared.

Aside from a few daily necessities, she threw everything else away. Not even one was left behind.

As the room slowly emptied, Elizabeth fell into a brief daze, her mind drifting to countless memories she once enjoyed.

She remembered when he held her as they watched movies on the couch, when they stayed up late at night building Lego sets, and when they planted flowers together until the balcony bloomed with color.

She had endlessly dreamed that this life would go on forever without disturbance. But now, it seemed that the dream was over.

As she sat there with her thoughts, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway broke the silence. She lifted her gaze to find Spencer returning with Courtney beside him.

His expression remained calm as ever, while Courtney kept talking as though she were trying to fill the space between them with cheerful chatter.

The two of them soon walked into the living room but paused mid-conversation when they noticed how bare the space looked.

Spencer's brow furrowed as he asked Elizabeth, "Why is the house so empty?"

"I cleared out some stuff we didn't need," Elizabeth simply gave him an excuse with her eyes lowered.

Spencer didn't press further. Instead, his attention shifted back to Courtney.

"Courtney hasn't been feeling well, and something happened with her home. So she'll be staying here for the time being."

Elizabeth nodded. "Sure."

Spencer was the kept man, and Elizabeth was just a kept woman. There was no need for him to explain anything to her.

However, Spencer frowned upon noticing her unusual quiet demeanor, as if sensing something out of place.

Just when he was about to speak, Courtney interrupted, "Spencer, can I sleep in the south-facing bedroom? Also, you knew that I'm allergic to pollen. Can you remove the flowers from the balcony? And I'm not a fan of your carpet catching on my heels. Can you get rid of it?"

Spencer gave a simple hum in response and instructed the housekeeper to work on it.

Courtney's mouth twitched into a knowing half-smile as she met Elizabeth's eyes with a look that broadcasted her victory.

The housekeeper soon led a group of maids to remove the carpets and flowerpots. After clearing out the master bedroom, the house gradually transformed into something unrecognizable.

A bitter ache rose in Elizabeth's chest.

Yet after that heaviness came a hint of relief. She silently reminded herself that it didn't matter since she would be leaving this place very soon. Hence, none of this would have anything to do with her anymore.

Clinging onto that thought, she lowered her head and silently made her way upstairs alone to her room.

Chapter 4

The next day, Courtney's voice drifted in through the window to the second floor.

"Why do you still have the oil painting that I did? If you really like it, I can paint you a new one tomorrow. How about that?

"The weather's lovely today. Come and take a walk with me. My doctor says I need to move around more to recover faster.

"I'm a bit hungry now, Spencer. Will you make me something to eat? It's been so long since I've had your cooking."

Spencer rarely replied to her, yet he fulfilled each of her requests without fail. For two hours, he sat motionless in the living room, serving as a life model while she painted. For 30 minutes, he accompanied her on the walk outside. Then, he personally prepared a table full of exquisite dishes for her.

Elizabeth watched everything unfold from afar. Through the subtle cues—his gaze, the ease of his movements—she could sense his sincerity.

Perhaps this was the everlasting future he had longed for.

…

When Elizabeth went downstairs that night to get a glass of water, she returned to find Courtney leaving her room, holding the keepsake her father had left for her.

Her entire body instantly went rigid. She rushed forward in an attempt to snatch the watch back.

Courtney, who was taller by a few inches, raised the watch out of reach as she smirked at Elizabeth. "Why are you so worked up over a worn-out watch? It must be something important, huh?"

Elizabeth replied without hesitation, "Yes, it means a lot to me. Now give it back!"

"I might. If you beg on your knees, maybe I'll be kind enough to return it." Courtney chuckled.

Elizabeth stared at her in disbelief and said, "I've already agreed to leave. And the person Mr. Cooper loves is you. I've never once tried to compete with you, Ms. Gallagher. Why are you still doing this to me?"

"Why?" Courtney repeated. "Because I hate you. You might've promised to go, but the thought of you clinging to him all these years makes my skin crawl. I need to vent somehow."

She waved the watch slightly. "Now it's in my hands. You've got ten seconds. If you don't do what I say, then say goodbye to it forever."

Confronted with Courtney's obvious arrogance, Elizabeth felt a wave of helplessness and grief crash over her.

As Courtney's countdown rang from ten to one, she raised her hand in a gesture to toss the watch away. Elizabeth no longer had any alternative choices.

Forcing herself to her knees, she lowered her head and said, "Are you happy now, Ms. Gallagher?"

Upon witnessing the humiliation on Elizabeth's face, Courtney finally smiled in satisfaction. Yet instead of handing the watch back to her, she lifted her arms higher and hurled it down the stairs.

Elizabeth's breath hitched as she lunged forward in a frantic attempt to save the watch. But in her haste, she accidentally collided with Courtney, who lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs.

It was a horrifying sight as blood instantly bloomed across Courtney's head.

Coincidentally, Spencer was there to witness the tumbling and rushed forward in panic. "What happened?"

Courtney leaned into his embrace, her eyes reddened as she distorted the truth, claiming that she had accidentally damaged Elizabeth's watch, and the latter, in a fit of anger, pushed her down the stairs.

A thin veil of anger darkened Spencer's usually impassive face. "You raised a hand against her over a watch? Have I spoiled you too much all these years, Elizabeth?" he questioned.

That frigid look in his eyes pierced her, filling her with wrenching sorrow. Clenching her chest against the ache, she tried to clarify. "Mr. Cooper, she was the one who forced me—"

"That's enough!" Spencer didn't let her finish her thought. His fury snapped through the air as he cut her off with a voice that brooked no protest.

He summoned his bodyguards on the spot and ordered them to lock her in the freezer as punishment. Then, without giving her another glance, he carried Courtney away.

With her hands and feet secured by several bodyguards, Elizabeth was forcibly escorted directly to the walk-in freezer.

In the freezer's subzero temperatures, Elizabeth huddled in a corner as layers of hoarfrost crystallized on her body.

Her body was shivering uncontrollably as if her blood had already begun to congeal in her veins.

Each second felt like an eternity of agony.

Clutching the worn-out watch in her frozen hands, Elizabeth's mind was flooded with memories of the happiness she once shared with her parents.

From the swirling depths of her subconscious, the faint creak of a door drifted in, stirring her just enough to force her heavy lids open to a blurred gaze.

A figure approached through the frost-laced air. Instinctively, she called out to her mother. Her voice trembled as she murmured, "I fell in love with the wrong person, Mom… I regret it…."

Chapter 5

Upon hearing Elizabeth's quiet murmur, Spencer's brows furrowed. He instinctively stepped forward while staring down at her and asked, "What did you say? Regret what?"

However, she no longer had the strength to respond as darkness gradually closed in around her. Soon, the world slipped away from her consciousness.

It was unclear how much time had passed before she woke again, but this time, she was in a hospital.

The moment her eyes fluttered open, her gaze landed on Spencer sitting by her bedside. He reached out to touch her and asked, "You're awake. Are you feeling better?"

The memories of what had happened that night before she fainted came rushing back.

Elizabeth shut her eyes and instinctively shrank from his touch. She shakily asked, "Where's my watch? Please return it to me, Mr. Cooper."

Spencer studied her closely. Only when he was sure that she was unharmed did he finally retrieve the repaired watch and hand it to her. "You're so attached to this watch. I had it fixed. You attacked someone, and I punished you. Let's call it even. There's no need to dwell on it." He sighed.

Elizabeth nearly broke down in tears when her father's keepsake was returned to her. But she suppressed her emotions and stared at Spencer.

"Mr. Cooper, I never meant to dwell on anything. All these years we've been together, it has always been a matter of mutual need. I can't and shouldn't ask anything of you. From now on, I'll remember my place. I won't overstep again."

For reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of her appearance sparked a surge of irritation in Spencer's chest. His voice instantly turned cold as he snapped, "Are you sulking? Or drawing a line between us?"

But unlike before, Elizabeth no longer appeared shaken by his threatening coldness. Her voice remained calm as she replied, "I'm not sulking. I'm just stating the truth. As for drawing a line… perhaps I am. After all, very soon, I…"

Spencer's complexion darkened with every word she spoke. He was just about to speak when a call from Courtney came through, saying, "Spencer, I made a reservation at this amazing restaurant. Will you come with me?"

In a flash, Spencer returned to his usual composure. He now had neither the time nor the patience to listen to Elizabeth. With a sweep of his coat, he turned and walked out of the room.

The door slammed shut behind him with a deafening thud, choking off the words "disappear forever" before they could escape Elizabeth's throat.

As he vanished without a backward glance, a bitter, self-mocking smile touched her lips.

…

Following a few days of hospitalization, Elizabeth's fragile state began to recover. However, not a single soul came to visit her.

Courtney was the only one who messaged her every single day in photos and videos. They were relationship updates of her snacking in the passenger seat while Spencer, ever obsessed with cleanliness, personally unwrapped the food for her.

She told Elizabeth that she had mentioned offhand that it had been a long time since she had visited her parents, so Spencer took the initiative to take her back to the family estate for a family dinner.

Courtney even updated Elizabeth on when she casually praised a magazine item, and an hour later, it appeared before her.

Delicate, thoughtful gestures like those were foreign to Elizabeth.

Even during the peak of Spencer's so-called affection for her, he never allowed her to eat in the car. He had never once considered introducing her to his family, and he certainly never cared enough to recall the offhand things she said.

Elizabeth finally understood that a kept woman and a loved woman belonged to different worlds. The time, effort, and even the emotional investments were never the same for the two.

The only person who was ever worthy of Spencer's undivided devotion and indulgence was none other than Courtney Gallagher.

Chapter 6

On the day of her discharge, Elizabeth's roommates paid her a visit and took her to a class gathering.

The venue was a popular restaurant that was trending on social media. As soon as Elizabeth entered, she felt the weight of every hostile gaze.

"Well, if it isn't our department's top student. Didn't you move off-campus and cut ties with everyone? Why are you free to join us today? Is your kept man too busy to keep you company today?"

"Maybe she got dumped. Some women look all sweet and innocent, but who knows what kind of mess their private lives are? She would probably have snuggled up to a man in his 50s if the price was right."

"This kind of gold-digging ambition. Ugh! We could never."

A group of young women who had always despised Elizabeth surrounded her with thinly veiled mockery.

Her roommates, no longer able to hold onto their anger, bristled in response, "What kind of bullshit are you even spouting? Elizabeth moved out to live with her boyfriend! He's not some 50-year-old man!"

"Boyfriend? Don't be ridiculous! I've seen her getting into a luxury car late at night on more than one occasion. If that's not being a kept woman, then what is?

"Instead of lying for her, maybe you should convince her to stop selling herself for money. She's ruining the reputation of Solarys College!"

Such shameless insults only further ignited a burning fury in her roommates.

Just as they turned around to confront the women, one of them caught sight of something outside the window and cried out in excitement, "You meddling bitches better wake up and take a good look. That's Elizabeth's boyfriend!"

Almost immediately, the entire room turned to look.

When they recognized who it was, each face froze in disbelief.

"Spencer? Are you kidding me? There's no way! That guy's a whole different league! Elizabeth isn't even worthy of polishing his shoes! "

"Whether she's worthy or not is none of your business. Come on. Let's prove it!"

With renewed confidence upon Spencer's sudden appearance, Elizabeth's roommates tugged her forward to confront him.

In the stunned silence that followed, Spencer walked to the passenger seat and personally assisted a woman out of the car.

Their closeness left no doubt—they were more than friends.

A young woman nearby who had been observing the scene suddenly recognized the woman.

"Isn't that Spencer's ex-girlfriend, Courtney? They were seniors at my brother's school. Everyone knew about their relationship. The photo of them with their scholarship awards is still up in the school's hall of fame."

"No wonder. How could someone as loyal as Spencer ever be with Elizabeth? Some people are just desperate to cling to him when some creepy old man is clearly keeping them. And yet, they still refuse to admit it."

The atmosphere changed the moment those words were said, and Elizabeth found herself on the receiving end of everyone's scornful stares.

Amid the sudden chaos, Spener lifted his gaze to the restaurant, then spoke a few words to Peter.

Moments later, Peter strode toward them.

As he approached with purpose, Elizabeth’s roommates began to think there was still hope. They clutched her hands nervously, hoping he had come for her.

Peter did in fact walk up to the four of them, but he never once stopped in his tracks.

Instead, he went straight to the restaurant owner and said, "Mr. Cooper and Ms. Gallagher would like to dine here today. Please clear out the restaurant. Mr. Cooper prefers a quiet environment."

Hearing that a high-profile guest had chosen his restaurant, the owner beamed with excitement. He immediately instructed the waiters to offer a free meal as compensation and began clearing out the restaurant.

Naturally, Elizabeth's table was among those asked to leave. Just as the crowd filed out in a noisy procession, Spencer happened to enter with Courtney.

Elizabeth never wanted to cross paths with them, hence she lowered her head to avoid being seen.

However, the young women quickly seized the moment and raised their voices. "Mr. Cooper! We're from Solarys College's Fashion Design Department. Do you know a student in our class named Elizabeth Farley?"

At the mention of Elizabeth's name, Spencer stopped in his tracks and scanned his surroundings.

However, Courtney was the first to spot her, her eyes glinting in a flash.

Before Spencer had a chance to respond, Courtney interjected, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that she's been going around telling people she's involved with you. It's damaging your reputation, so we thought we should confirm the truth."

With that, Courtney loosened her hold on Spencer's hand and looked at him steadily.

"Spencer, is there anything going on between you and Elizabeth?" she asked gently, but loud enough for everyone else to hear it just as clearly.

Spencer slightly lifted his gaze.

He knew that Courtney was aware of his relationship with Elizabeth. He also understood that the people in front of him were there to humiliate the latter. Yet, Courtney still chose to ask him a question they both already knew the answer to.

Spencer thought that Courtney might be testing just how much Elizabeth truly meant to him. If he admitted his relationship with Elizabeth now, he would only complicate things between himself and Courtney.

So he chose to deny it calmly. "I don't know her."

The lightness in Spencer's tone caused the group to erupt in a fit of laughter. Their eyes brimmed with mockery as they turned to look at Elizabeth.

Faced with such undisguised malice, the best thing Elizabeth could do for herself was to shut her eyes.

Amid the sneers and jeers, her phone buzzed a few times. When she unlocked it, she noticed that she had received a long message from Courtney.

It read, "Spencer never loved you. That's why he'll never acknowledge you or care about your feelings. Your four years of companionship meant nothing to him. No matter how well a kept woman is treated, she's still someone a man can discard easily. Women like you don't deserve to step into the light."

Elizabeth stared at the message in silence. Her thoughts drifted back to two years ago, when a few of her roommates had caught her and Spencer kissing outside the college gates.

She remembered how they went wild with excitement, bombarding her with endless questions about who Spencer was to her.

Before she could answer, Spencer pulled her into his arms and slowly uttered the words, "We're boyfriend and girlfriend."

Ever since then, Elizabeth had believed that they were lovers. It was only now that she finally understood that the entire relationship had been a delusion of her own making.

Spencer had always been waiting for Courtney to return. That place beside him had always been reserved for her and no one else.

Elizabeth was nothing more than a distraction he used to dull his pain. She was just a convenient stand-in while he waited for someone else. She was someone destined to be a momentary shadow in his life.

Chapter 7

After returning home, Elizabeth discovered that everything that had happened at the gathering had been posted to the college forum.

Now, everyone at Solarys College was talking about her.

"Where did this pathetic clown come from? Spreading lies about Spencer, of all people. Does she even know her own worth? She's not even worthy to carry his shoes."

"Spencer is the crown prince of Durmkrem's elite circle. The woman he loves is Courtney Gallagher, a daughter of the prestigious Gallagher family. How could he possibly be involved with some peasant woman like Elizabeth? She's clearly delusional!"

"I heard that she's being kept by some creepy old man in his 50s, and when her classmates found out, she made up this story to cover it up. She's such a gold-digger and a disgrace to our college!"

As she read the endless thread of ridicule and insults online, Elizabeth felt as though a storm cloud had settled over her heart.

Her roommates spoke up for her in every way they could, but the overwhelming tide of condemnation quickly drowned out their voices.

No one cared about the truth.

There was nothing Elizabeth could do. So, she shut down all her social media and convinced herself repeatedly that it would all be over soon.

…

Days passed.

After finalizing her graduation, Elizabeth returned home to inform her now-recovered mother about her plans to study abroad.

She stayed so busy that days passed without a single glimpse of Spencer. When she finally returned to the villa, she found him waiting on the couch.

"Where have you been?" he asked. "I haven't seen you at all these past few days."

"School stuff," Elizabeth replied as she lowered her gaze and offered a vague excuse.

"School? Aren't you graduating soon? What could possibly be keeping you so busy?"

Not wanting him to know that she was planning to leave the country, she casually brushed it off by saying, "Just graduation stuff."

Spencer frowned, sensing something amiss. Just as he was about to press further, Elizabeth's phone rang. She answered it and turned to leave without another word.

Spencer caught the faint sound of a male voice on the other end of her call. His gaze darkened as he switched off his phone and followed her out.

The classmate came by at Mackenzie's request to deliver Elizabeth's visa and the official documents prepared by the college. After thanking him politely, Elizabeth turned around and met Spencer's threatening glare.

"Who is he? What did he want?" Spencer asked.

Elizabeth tightened her grip on the folder and shifted it behind her back. The smile on her face faded as she quietly explained, "He's my classmate. He was just dropping off my graduation documents."

Spencer's expression grew even darker when he noticed how she avoided his gaze. "What kind of classmate is so considerate that he delivers things in person? Does he like you?"

Elizabeth froze for a moment, caught off guard by the assumption. "He was just doing me a favor. We're nothing more than classmates. I don't know who he likes, but it's definitely not me."

Spencer said nothing. His eyes fixed on her for a long moment before his voice turned frigid. "I don't care what your relationship is. You're not to see him again."

"But Mr. Cooper, I have the right to choose my own friends—" She instinctively tried to push back, but he cut her off before she could finish speaking.

"You've lost that so-called 'right' the moment you agreed to our arrangement. I don't tolerate disloyalty. If you keep getting yourself involved with people like him, don't bother staying by my side anymore."

Just as he finished speaking, Courtney appeared in elegant attire, her smile perfectly poised.

"Spencer, I'm ready. Let's go," she said as she slipped her arm through his and climbed into the car.

Elizabeth watched as the sports car drove off and gradually closed her eyes. She no longer wished to stay by his side. What she wanted now was freedom.

Their arrangement was about to come to an end.