Chapter 1

"Ivy, your dad and I have reached out to top elite families across four different cities. All their eligible sons will show up, and you'll draw lots to choose your fiance."

Listening to her parents' commanding tone over the phone, Ivy Bennett rubbed her temples and sighed helplessly. "Didn't I tell you I have a boyfriend?"

"That delivery guy?" Richard Bennett and Evelyn Alger snapped. "You're an heiress who's destined to inherit Bennett Group. He's not your equal in any way. How long have you been pretending to be poor just to date him? We don't approve of this relationship!"

"I've made up my mind no matter what you say, and I won't agree to this marriage draw," Ivy said, taking a deep breath. With that, she ended the call.

Then, she hopped onto her electric scooter and rushed to her part-time job at the bar before changing into her uniform. As she carried a tray of drinks to the VIP dining room, she was welcomed with a burst of chatter.

"Did you hear? The heiress of Bennett Group is drawing lots in two weeks to choose her fiance! Did you sign up?"

"It's the Bennett family we're talking about; of course, we did."

She heard someone laugh and ask, "What about you, Julian?"

Ivy froze at the door. Peeking through the crack, she noticed that Julian West, who was supposed to be out delivering food, was leaning lazily against the leather couch. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit and wore a luxury watch worth millions of dollars, exuding the arrogance of a man in power.

Casually swirling the wine glass in his hand, he replied, "My dad signed me up. I'll just go through with it."

"Damn, none of us will stand a chance if you show up. Ms. Bennett will surely choose you!" his buddies groaned.

"Even if she chooses me, I'll just turn her down. There's someone I love," he replied indifferently.

Silence fell over the room before someone cautiously asked, "Are you saying that… you haven't gotten over Sophia?"

Julian didn't respond, but his expression darkened.

"No wonder you went after that gig gal!" another said, as if everything suddenly made sense.

"Sophia ran off with that painter, so you found yourself a poor bumpkin just to get back at her, right? I heard that she works ten jobs a day just to save up enough money to marry you. She probably doesn't even realize her savings can't buy a collar for your dog.

"Hell, she doesn't even know her relationship with Julian is just part of a revenge plan to piss off Sophia!"

The room erupted in laughter.

Ivy went cold all over, and what made it worse was that Julian merely sipped his drink and said nothing.

Unaware of her presence, the people in the room kept making crude jokes. "I've never had a taste of a poor bumpkin, Julian. Once you're done playing with her, why don't you give her to me? I wanna try too."

Julian's expression turned cold at the words. His sharp gaze swept across the speaker, throwing daggers. "Touch her and see what happens. She's mine, and even if I don't want her anymore, no one else is allowed to lay a finger on her."

The man paled in terror and began apologizing profusely, while the rest of the group scrambled to ease the tension.

"Don't get so worked up, Julian. We wouldn't touch her even if someone paid us to. It was just a joke; that's all!"

Ivy couldn't bear to stay another second. She turned and fled, stumbling away.

Wandering the rainy streets with no destination in mind, memories flooded her mind.

She was the only daughter and heiress of the Bennetts, which meant that she grew up pampered, adored, and protected.

Four years ago, she ran away from her home in Hampson City and arrived in Joburg City, just because she was unwilling to be forced into a marriage alliance. To force her to yield, her family cut her off financially, and she started working to support herself.

She was bullied while working her part-time jobs, and it was Julian who had stepped in to help her. That was how they met and gradually grew closer until they fell in love…

Throughout all these years, they supported each other through hardship. Life was tough but sweet.

Julian didn't have much money, but he gave her everything he had.

When they were together, she never had to peel her fruits or pick the bones out of her fish. There was always an umbrella in her bag when it rained, and he gave her endless small surprises.

They lived in a hundred-square-foot rented apartment. After long nights of passion, he would hold her tight and promise he'd save up enough money to marry her.

She trusted him, and because of him, she refused to return to the Bennetts. She figured that since their backgrounds were mismatched, she'd give up her title as an heiress just to stay with him forever.

But it turned out that while she was pretending to be poor, so was he. The little moments she had thought were real and the happy future she had been dreaming of were all a lie.

She had given up everything for him, but to him, it was all just a game. Everything was just a revenge plan to get back at the woman he loved.

The pouring torrential rain soaked her to the bone, drowning her heart in grief.

After some time, she picked up her phone and called her parents. "I'll draw the lots, Dad."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Richard, barely able to contain his excitement, said, "Have you thought it out?"

"Yeah. I just have to wrap a few things up here, then I'll go home," she said softly.

"Great! I'll make the arrangements right away!"

"But I have one condition."

"Name it."

"All the elite families may participate except for the Wests."

Again, Richard paused.

"I don't care who I marry as long as it's not him," she whispered. With that, she ended the call and turned to walk back toward her rented apartment.

Just as she reached the stairs, someone suddenly threw a sack over her head. And before she could react, fists and kicks rained on her.

She couldn't fight back or see who it was. All she could do was curl up and shield her head before blacking out from the pain.

Eventually, they dragged her away and tossed her into a freezing river.

As water rushed into her nose, she heard someone sneer. "Ms. Lane sent us. You don't have to know who she is, but remember that Julian belongs to her. You don't deserve him. You'd better disappear, or we won't go as easy on you next time."

Chapter 2

As Ivy sank into the icy river, her consciousness slowly slipped away. She thought she was going to die, but when she opened her eyes, she was met with a blinding white light.

The sharp scent of disinfectant filled her nose. Lying on a hospital bed, every inch of her body ached as if she'd been run over.

"You're awake? How do you feel?" a nurse asked as she stepped in to change her bandages.

Ivy's throat was dry, yet she managed to choke out in a hoarse voice, "W-Who brought me here?"

"A kind stranger," the nurse said with a sigh. "What happened? How did you end up in the river for no reason?"

Ivy closed her eyes as the voices echoed in her ears.

"Ms. Lane sent us. You don't have to know who she is, but remember that Julian belongs to her. You don't deserve him."

She said nothing, and the nurse didn't press either. The latter quietly left after dealing with her wounds.

The ward fell into an eerie silence as Ivy lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her phone sat silently at the head of the bed. There were no messages or missed calls. Julian wasn't even searching for her. He might not have even realized she had gone missing.

The corners of her lips tugged into a bitter smile as she figured that he was probably off seeing Sophia Lane.

Well then. From now on, they could go their separate ways. He would continue being the heir of the Wests while she'd go back to being the heiress of the Bennetts.

…

Most of Ivy's injuries had healed after a few days in the hospital. While she was handling her discharge procedures, a sudden commotion broke out in the lobby of the hospital.

"Move aside! Make way!" A line of bodyguards pushed through the crowd and cleared a path.

When Ivy looked up, she noticed Julian striding in, carrying a woman. He wore a sharply tailored black suit with his luxury watch flashing coldly under the lights. Everything about him radiated aloof elegance, and he was a far cry from the delivery man he pretended to be.

"Where's the director? Clear the entire floor and get the best orthopedic specialist here—now!" he coldly commanded.

Frozen in place, Ivy stared at the lady in his arms. Dressed in a designer dress, her ankle was swollen and red.

She whimpered softly as she nestled closer into his chest. "Julian, it hurts…"

The sight stabbed Ivy straight through the heart like a dagger. So, that was his first love, Sophia.

Ivy suddenly remembered that when she twisted her ankle last winter, Julian had gently helped her with applying the ointment. Back then, she truly believed he loved her.

But now, Sophia had just sprained her ankle, and he was frantically commanding every doctor in the hospital to tend to her wounds. The kind treatment he had given Ivy wasn't even a fraction of what he gave Sophia.

Ivy clenched the discharge papers and turned to leave, but Sophia suddenly asked, "Julian, who's that lady? She's been staring at you for a long time."

Julian halted and followed her gaze. When he spotted Ivy, he frowned slightly.

"Wait here," he murmured to Sophia before walking over. "Ivy, what are you doing here?"

"I wasn't feeling well, so I came in for a check-up," she calmly replied before tossing him the question, "What about you? Who's that lady in your arms?"

Julian's expression shifted slightly, but he soon regained his composure. "Don't get the wrong idea. I ran into her while delivering takeout, and I'm just sending her to the hospital."

Delivering takeout? Ivy glanced at his suit and priceless watch, feeling utterly absurd. Now that Sophia was back, was he still unwilling to come clean? Was he addicted to this lying game now?

She was about to expose that she knew all about his lies and his pretending to be poor. But before she could speak, Sophia cried out in pain in the ward. "Ouch! It hurts!"

Julian paled and hurriedly said, "You head home. I'll be busy the next few days and won't be back." With that, he turned and sprinted toward the ward.

He didn't look back once as he rushed to Sophia's side and carefully gathered her into his arms. "Where does it hurt? Hang in there. The doctor's on the way."

Ivy stood frozen, watching him anxiously fuss around. Then, she chuckled softly. "Since you insist on putting up an act, do it to your heart's content," she murmured under her breath.

Chapter 3

After leaving the hospital, Ivy went to all her part-time jobs to resign and settle her final pay.

"Why are you suddenly quitting? Weren't you saving up to marry your boyfriend?" the owner of a convenience store asked, puzzled.

She calmly replied, "Not anymore. He's not good enough for me, so I'm going home to inherit my billions."

Stunned, the owner assumed she was joking, but she said nothing and walked away.

The last stop was the hotel. When she handed in her resignation letter, the supervisor looked troubled and grabbed her hand. "There's a welcome party for an important VIP tonight, Ivy. We're really short-staffed, so could you do me a favor and work just one last shift?"

Ivy recalled that four years ago, when she had run away from home and arrived in Joburg City penniless, it was this supervisor who had taken her in.

After a moment of silence, she finally nodded.

Before the dinner party began, she changed into a server's uniform and joined the others in setting up the champagne tower.

"There's gonna be a major occasion tonight. I heard it's a welcome party personally hosted by Mr. West for Ms. Lane. The whole party costs over a whopping hundred million dollars," one of the servers whispered beside her.

Ivy froze and nearly dropped the glass. The West and Lane families?

She abruptly looked up and scanned the ballroom, only to realize that the venue was filled with familiar faces. They were all Julian's friends and the same people who had been in the VIP dining room, who had laughed and called her a poor bumpkin.

Her breath caught, and her fingers went ice-cold.

Just then, the grand doors of the ballroom swung open. "Mr. West has arrived!"

The crowd stirred, and all eyes turned to the entrance.

Ivy looked up and saw Julian walking arm-in-arm with Sophia, surrounded by admiration. He was dressed in a sleek, black suit and wore a noble expression, a stark contrast from the delivery man Ivy knew.

In a dazzling gown, Sophia clung to his arm with a radiant smile, looking all the more like a beloved princess.

"Thank you for this dinner party, Julian," she said sweetly, gazing up at him with affection in her eyes.

Julian looked down at her and smiled. "As long as you like it."

Standing frozen in a corner of the ballroom, Ivy's heart felt as if it had been crushed by an invisible pair of hands. Just as she turned to leave, someone bumped into her hard.

With a loud crash, the tray of wine bottles she was carrying shattered onto the floor.

Julian looked over at the sound. His eyes widened the moment they landed on her. Striding over, he quickly grabbed her wrist and asked, "Ivy, what are you doing here?"

Ivy met his eyes and replied calmly, "I work here."

Then, she scanned his expensive suit and asked, "What about you?"

Without missing a beat, he said steadily, "I'm just working part-time too. The suit's borrowed."

At his signal, one of his friends immediately jumped in and echoed, "That's right! Today's welcome party is for Ms. Lane. Since he ran into her a while back and couldn't afford to compensate, he's working it off now by pouring drinks. Plus, he can't show up in rags, right? This was an old suit of mine, and I gave it to him out of pity."

Ivy gave a faint, bitter smile as her heart went cold. Even now, he was still putting on an act and doing it so well.

Just then, Sophia heard the commotion and walked over. She glanced around the broken glass bottles and sighed in mock regret. "Oh no! This is my favorite wine, and each bottle costs a thousand dollars."

Then, she looked up at Ivy and smiled sweetly as she continued, "Since you broke ten bottles, how are you going to pay for them?"

Before Ivy could answer, Julian stepped in front of her and said, "I'll pay. One more debt doesn't matter."

Then, he turned to Ivy and softly reassured her, saying, "Don't be afraid. I've got you."

For a split second, Sophia's smile faltered before she affectionately slipped her arm around Julian's. "Alright then. You'd better 'work hard' to pay me back."

Throughout the dinner party, Ivy stood by the champagne tower and watched Julian as Sophia ordered him around.

"Julian, feed me a strawberry.

"Julian, wipe my mouth.

"These heels are killing me. Hold me for a second, Julian."

Every time he leaned in to help, Ivy caught the look of indulgent tenderness in his eyes. It was the same look he'd had years ago when she sprained her ankle and he carried her on his back across three streets.

When Sophia spilled red wine on her chest on purpose and Julian grabbed a napkin to clean it up, Ivy felt as though a dull knife was slowly and mercilessly sawing into her heart.

She couldn't bear to watch any longer and turned to leave the ballroom. Then, she headed to the dressing room to change back into her clothes.

But just as she stepped out the back door of the hotel, Sophia and two burly bodyguards blocked her way.

"Ivy, you've known about Julian's true identity all along, haven't you? You also know that he got close to you just to piss me off, right?" Ivy said, sneering.

Ivy clenched her fists and said nothing.

Taking a step forward, Sophia shot her a look of disdain and viciously continued, "Since you know he loves me and is just fooling around with you, why haven't you left him? You just want money, don't you? Fine. I'll help you earn some." Her lips curled into a cruel smile.

With that, she gestured to the bodyguards.

Before Ivy could react, one of them clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her into a black car.

Chapter 4

Ivy was violently thrown onto a bed in a dim hotel room.

A creepy, middle-aged man was unbuckling his belt, his eyes filled with revolting lust.

"Ms. Lane said as long as I 'take good care' of you tonight, the deal's sealed. Don't be scared, gorgeous. I'll be real gentle…" He grinned, showing his yellow-stained teeth.

Trembling uncontrollably, Ivy struggled with all her might. "Get away from me! I'm the daughter of the Bennetts, and if you touch me, they won't let you walk away alive!"

The man burst out laughing. "The daughter of the Bennetts? If that's true, I'm the noble son of the Wests!"

With that, he stripped off his clothes and lunged toward her, pressing his flabby body down.

Ivy grabbed the ceramic ashtray by the bed and smashed it over his head.

The man howled and clutched his bleeding forehead as he collapsed onto the ground. She seized the chance to bolt out the door, only to run straight into Sophia in the hallway.

Sophia's expression darkened the moment she saw Ivy. "How did you get out?"

"Get out of my way!" Ivy shoved her hard.

Caught off guard, Ivy stumbled back a few steps. Her expression flashed with malice as a thought crossed her mind.

She suddenly grabbed Ivy by the wrist and dragged her toward the steps. "Since you won't appreciate my kind favor, I'm sorry, but I'm not showing any mercy."

Before Ivy knew it, she was shoved hard. Her world started spinning as she tumbled down the stairs and smashed her forehead against the edge of a step. Warm blood instantly gushed into her eyes.

Curled on the cold floor and nearly passing out from the pain, she heard Julian's voice. "Sophia, what's going on?"

"Julian…" Sophia cried out in a trembling voice as she collapsed to the floor. "I sprained my ankle, and it hurts so much…"

"I'll take you to the hospital right now. Don't worry."

Ivy heard the rustle of fabric and knew he had picked Sophia up. Though in agony, she mustered the strength to cry out, "Julian…"

But he had disappeared at the end of the hallway without looking down the stairs. His eyes were only on Sophia.

…

Ivy had no idea how long she lay there. Blood mixed with tears trickled into her mouth, creating a bitter, metallic taste.

Gritting her teeth, she slowly forced herself up. Every step she took sent searing pain through her body.

It was dark by the time she staggered back to her rented apartment. She could barely stay upright as she washed her wounds. The antiseptic stung like fire and had her gasping, but she bit her lip hard and refused to cry.

Later that night, the door creaked open. When Julian walked in and saw her tending her injuries, he frowned. "What happened?"

"Sophia dragged me onto an old man's bed," she explained in a raspy voice. After a pause, she added, "When I escaped, she pushed me down the stairs."

His expression darkened. "What nonsense are you talking about? Sophia may be spoiled, but she'd never do something like that."

"How do you know that she's spoiled?" Ivy shot back, gripping the bottle so hard that her knuckles paled.

After being briefly stunned, he smoothly took off his jacket and sounded tired. "It's just something I heard. Are you jealous because I've been with her these past few days? I told you it's just to repay a debt."

Her heart felt like it had been stabbed clean through. Even now, he was still lying.

Lowering her head, she turned her focus back to her wounds without saying another word. Julian walked over and tried to hug her, but she flinched away.

He sighed and said, "Fine. Let's have lunch tomorrow, alright?"

She gave no reply.

…

The next day, Julian brought her to a humble little diner they often visited.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked, looking as handsome as ever.

"Anything," she said, averting her gaze.

After food was served, Julian barely ate anything. He was too busy replying to messages the entire time.

Halfway through, his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it and didn't pick up. Instead, he got up and announced, "I just received a major order that pays a lot, Ivy. If I take it, we can get married sooner, so I've got to go."

Ivy nodded. "Go ahead."

He quickly paid the bill and left.

Standing at the entrance of the restaurant, she watched him disappear around the corner on his electric scooter. For some reason, she felt compelled to follow him.

Around the corner, Julian stopped the scooter and walked toward a black Maybach parked by the side of the road. He took off his delivery guy uniform to reveal a tailored suit underneath. After casually tossing the uniform into a trash can, he drove off.

Ivy stood by the trash can, frozen in shock. So, this was how he lied to her every day.

He'd ride the electric scooter just a short distance before switching to his luxury car. Then, he'd take off the cheap clothes she had scrimped to buy for him and throw them away without a second thought.

As she turned and walked back, her eyes were filled with tears.

Suddenly, blinding headlights flashed. Before she could react, a speeding car slammed into her and sent her flying.

She hit the ground hard, and before losing consciousness, she heard the driver make a call. "Ms. Lane, it's done just like you asked."

…

When Ivy woke up, she found herself on an operating table. An anxious nurse cried out in relief, "Thank goodness, you're awake! Where's your family? You were hit by a car, and we need a signature before we can proceed with surgery."

Ivy had no relatives in Joburg City, and she couldn't call her parents and worry them either. With trembling hands, she dialed her emergency contact, Julian.

"Julian… Sophia ran me over… I need you to sign for the surgery…"

There was a pause on the other end before his voice rang out, cold and distant. "Ms. Lane has no reason to hurt you, Ivy. Why'd she do that? I know you're jealous that I haven't been with you. Just wait a little longer. I'll be back soon." He sounded almost helpless. With that, he ended the call.

Chapter 5

The harsh beeping of the disconnected call plunged straight into Ivy's heart like a dagger.

Lying on the operating table, she recalled that Julian had promised to always protect her. But now, he couldn't even care less if she lived or died.

Of course. To him, she was just a poor bumpkin and a pawn in his revenge game against Sophia. Why would he ever care about her?

Pain blurred her consciousness as she lifted a trembling hand with great difficulty. "My family can't come… Can I sign… for myself?"

Staring at her blood-soaked hand, the nurse hesitated before handing her the consent form.

Ivy signed her name as she gritted her teeth. Every stroke of the pen drained her of all the strength she had left. When she finished signing, her body gave out, and everything went dark.

…

The ward was eerily quiet when Ivy woke up. The night was pitch-black outside the window, and only the beeping of monitors was heard. Her body ached like it'd been crushed and trampled over, yet there was no one by her side.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She slowly reached for it, only to see messages bombarding the screen. They were all from Sophia. Each was like a knife that cut and made her bleed so badly.

In one photo, Julian and Sophia were dining at the most expensive romantic restaurant in the city. In the glow of the candlelight, he was gently cutting her steak.

In another, they were at an auction. He raised the paddle and bid an astronomical price for a blue diamond ring before slipping it onto Sophia's finger.

In yet another, blue fireworks burst into brilliance in the night sky and formed the dazzling word "Sophia".

Sophia's message popped up. "If I didn't send you these photos, you'd never get to see any of it in your lifetime, right? During your time with Julian, he gave you random junk, and you cherished it like treasure. But with me, he's always been generous. Ivy, you and Julian don't belong in the same world. Give up already."

Ivy clutched the phone tightly as her knuckles paled with strain. Outside the window, blue fireworks continued to bloom and light up her pale face.

She thought back to how she had once been overjoyed by a cheap bracelet from a street stall and how moved she had been by a discounted birthday cake. She even carefully kept the tiny plastic hair clip he had casually bought from a convenience store in a corner of her jewelry box.

Now that she looked back, it was ridiculous. She was Ivy Bennett, heiress of the Bennetts, and yet she had been moved to tears by worthless scraps.

But now, she'd woken up from the dream.

…

Ivy took a cab home the day she was discharged. She opened the door and was met with darkness. After turning on the lights, she noticed a thin layer of dust on the table. It seemed Julian hadn't been back in days.

She had just changed into her slippers when the door handle turned again. Julian stepped in, still wearing his delivery uniform, smiling warmly like always.

"I've been running around these days, but the rush is finally over. I can finally be home with you."

He walked over and reached out to cup her face. "I know I've been busy lately. Don't be mad, okay? I'm doing all of this for our future."

Then, he pulled out a cake box from behind his back. "Look, I remember you love sweet treats, and I got this just for you."

Ivy stared at the cake, and before she could speak, her phone buzzed. Sophia's message popped up.

"Did he give you the cake I didn't want? Ivy, a poor lady like you from the slums only deserves my leftovers."

Ivy closed her eyes. When she opened them and spoke again, her voice was chillingly calm. "I don't like sweet treats anymore. Don't bring them again."

Julian froze briefly. Sensing something off, he tried to wrap an arm around her. "Alright, I won't bring any again. But tomorrow's your birthday, and though you don't like spending money, you deserve a gift. I'll take you to the mall so that you can pick whatever you want."

Ivy shook her head. "That won't be necessary."

But the next day, he still dragged her to the mall. He held her hand as they passed luxury boutique after boutique.

"See anything you like? A necklace? A watch? Don't worry about the cost."

Ivy stared at the glittering jewelry displays with zero interest. When they passed by an exclusive designer handbag store, the shop assistant exclaimed in delight, "Mr. West!"

Julian's steps faltered, and his face paled.

The shop assistant enthusiastically hurried over. "The one-of-a-kind limited edition handbag you ordered has arrived. Will you be giving it to this young lady?"

Chapter 6

Julian's expression turned cold as he snapped, "You've got the wrong person!"

But just after he spoke, a soft, sweet voice rang out behind him.

"Yeah, you've got the wrong person. He isn't Mr. West, and the bag you mentioned is Mr. West's gift for me." Sophia approached, wearing high heels and a smug smile.

"We grew up as childhood sweethearts, and he has always treated me well. He's always giving me nice things."

Though unsure of what was playing out, the shop assistant wisely didn't press further. She quickly brought over the handbag and other luxurious shopping bags, respectfully presenting them to Sophia.

"Here's your bag and all the luxury items Mr. West pre-ordered for you, Ms. Lane."

Sophia nodded and shot Ivy a triumphant glance. Ivy's chest tightened, and she turned to leave, but Sophia arrogantly called after her, "Ivy, since fate brought us together, why don't I treat you and your boyfriend to a meal?"

"No thanks," Ivy said flatly.

But as she turned to leave, a loud crack sounded overhead. Then, the giant advertisement board above her came crashing down.

"Watch out!"

In that split second, Julian lunged straight at Sophia and shielded her protectively beneath him.

As for Ivy…

The board landed squarely on her back with a loud bang, the sharp edge slicing through her skin. Blood immediately soaked through her clothes.

She staggered and fell to her knees, just in time to see Julian fussing over Sophia's arm. There was only a mild scratch.

"Does it hurt? I'll take you to the hospital right away!" he said, his voice full of panic. He didn't even glance back at Ivy.

She lay on the cold floor as blood seeped through her wounds and dyed the ground red. Meanwhile, Julian carried Sophia away without so much as a glance at Ivy.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up and stumbled to a nearby pharmacy. The shop assistant was alarmed by the sight of her bloodied self and panicked. "You need to go to the hospital, miss!"

Ivy shook her head. She bought antiseptic and bandages before limping home alone.

Standing before the mirror, she slowly cleaned her wounds. The sting of alcohol on the torn flesh sent cold sweat pouring down her back, but that pain could never compare to the one in her heart.

…

As Ivy stayed home alone for the next few days for recovery, she cleaned the entire apartment. She sorted through everything, burning and throwing out the things that were no longer needed.

Finally, she opened a drawer that kept all the trinkets Julian had ever given her, including cheap earrings, clearance bracelets, and hair clips from roadside stalls. She used to treasure everything he had casually bought her without a second thought.

Now, she tossed everything into the trash expressionlessly, just like how he had treated her feelings.

Later, she met up with her best friend, Hazel Summers, and used all the money she had saved over the years to buy her gifts.

The table was stacked with luxurious packages, from limited-edition bags to fine jewelry. Those were brands Hazel usually admired from afar.

"Oh my God, Ivy! Did you win the lottery!" Hazel gasped as she ran her trembling fingers over the boxes.

Ivy shook her head slightly. "To be honest… I'm the heiress of Bennett Group."

"W-What!" Hazel's jaw dropped.

"When I ran away from home, my family cut me off financially. I'm planning to go back now," Ivy explained as she stirred her coffee.

Hazel leaped to her feet, nearly knocking over the coffee cup. "Bennett Group? That Bennett Group? Y-You're not joking?" She grabbed Ivy's hand in disbelief.

"I'm not. I don't have much right now, so I could only buy these. Once I return home and my accounts are unfrozen, I'll send you better gifts." Ivy smiled and patted her hand.

Hazel asked three more times to make sure she wasn't dreaming before letting out a scream and throwing her arms around Ivy. "Gosh! My bestie's a real-life heiress!"

After the excitement wore off, Hazel suddenly frowned in concern. "Ivy, with how rich your family is, what about Julian? He's poor, and your family won't accept him, right?"

Ivy lowered her gaze, softly tapping the spoon on the rim of her cup as she murmured, "No, so we're breaking up."

She didn't expose the fact that he was lying to her or mention his obsession with another woman. After all, even if they stood on equal ground, there was no going back now.

…

Three days later, Julian finally returned.

When he opened the door, he saw Ivy struggling to reach the wound on her back with a cotton swab. The medicine dripped down her spine and left dark stains on the bedsheet.

He frowned and rushed over. "Let me help you."

Ivy evaded his touch, and the sudden movement had her stabbing the cotton swab into her wound by accident. Her hand trembled in pain.

Julian's hand froze in midair. After a moment of silence, his voice dropped low. "Are you still mad?"

"No."

"When the board fell that day, I instinctively protected the person closest to me and didn't mean to leave you. Plus, I ran into Ms. Lane once, so I had to rush her to the hospital first because I was afraid something might happen to her. Don't be upset, alright?" He rarely sounded so apologetic.

"I'm not upset. Your saving her has nothing to do with me." Ivy suddenly looked up and met his eyes with a calm, eerie gaze.

Julian felt something stabbing into his chest. "But we're a couple, so how could it have nothing to do with you?"

She didn't answer and simply lowered her head to continue applying the medicine. The cotton swab soaked the medicine and drew cold, sharp lines across her wounds.

Julian stood by the bed and stared at her distant profile. For the first time, something in his chest tightened with a pain he couldn't quite explain.