Chapter 1

In the third year of having Sebastian Cooke as her kept man, Clara Zimmerman's world collapsed as her family went bankrupt. Desperate to salvage the situation, her father, Frank Zimmerman, forced her into a marriage alliance.

That night, she stuffed her belongings into a suitcase, ready to flee with Sebastian.

But when she arrived at the bar where he worked, she saw him raising his glass with effortless confidence, his every movement polished and refined—nothing like the broke young man who'd been her kept man for three years.

"Seb, I heard the Zimmerman family has run out of luck and has to resort to selling their daughter for cash. Aren't you going to step in to save your girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? She's nothing but a plaything for when Seb is bored and lonely. His real girlfriend is coming back to the country soon, and when that happens, he'll dump that fool Clara and get back together with her. He's good at this, huh? He didn't leave any gaps at all."

"Well, say what you will, but Clara is gorgeous, has a great figure, and even pays for Seb's time. He's hit the jackpot. Still, for the golden boy of Bellmore to put up with being mocked every day as a kept man—that's some serious patience."

"After three years, Clara still hasn't realized that Seb isn't an employee working at the bar but the owner. How can she be this stupid?"

Laughter erupted in the private room. Amid the haze of smoke, Sebastian slowly replied to a message from Clara on WhatsApp.

She'd sent it half an hour ago. "Sebastian, why don't we elope?"

Clara's phone buzzed. She looked down to see his reply, which read, "Sure."

It sounded mocking to her.

"Elope? Where could she possibly run off to? She's her dad's cash cow. She'd get dragged back and sold off for money before she could make any moves."

Sebastian stubbed out his cigarette, then casually yanked a cheap necklace off the neck of the hostess beside him.

Someone teased, "Another gift for Clara? Previously, you gave her a cheap silver ring from Amazon, and the gift before that was a bunch of plastic flowers. Clara is a socialite, isn't she? How can her taste be so poor? Didn't she complain?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Well, she adores everything I gave her. She didn't even want to take off that silver ring after putting it on."

Clara froze in her tracks, her fingers brushing across the silver ring she was wearing. A sharp ache pierced her heart.

Back when he'd given her the ring, she'd been delighted, thinking he was hinting that they should get married. But it turned out to be just a cheap gift he'd given her on a whim.

She'd had no idea that Sebastian had been lying to her this entire time.

Three years. He'd kept up the act of being penniless in front of her for three long years.

Yet, she'd been truly and hopelessly in love with him. She'd bought him clothes, luxury watches, expensive cars, and even a villa. When others had mocked him for being just a pretty boy, she'd furiously defended him.

What a joke she must've been to him.

Clara had no idea how she managed to find her way home. All she remembered was the torrential downpour on her way back and how she came down with a high fever the moment she got home.

She drifted into a hazy sleep, her dreams filled with scattered fragments of the three years she and Sebastian had shared.

Three years ago, after a heartbreak, Clara had gone to the bar to drown her sorrows. There, the sight of the strikingly handsome Sebastian had instantly tempted her.

Somehow, she'd mustered the courage to corner him in the men's restroom, shoving cash at him in exchange for a night together.

After that night, Clara hadn't been able to get him out of her head. She'd assumed he was a bartender working at the bar.

The second time they'd met, she'd offered to take him on as her kept man.

After that day, they'd quickly made their relationship official.

She'd supported him financially, while he'd played the role of a loving boyfriend. They'd gone on walks, shopping, and watched movies just like any normal couple in love.

In their three years together, Clara had always called the shots. She'd once assumed that she would never fall in love with him for real, yet when she'd been forced into an arranged marriage, her defenses had crumbled completely.

One night, after a heated fight with Frank, Clara had gone to Sebastian, her eyes tinged red. "If I'm no longer rich, will you still love me?"

Sebastian had given her an adoring kiss and reassured her, saying, "Of course I will."

"Sebastian, even if I go bankrupt, I'll make sure you never suffer. Trust me."

Later, she'd begun selling off everything of value she owned to prepare for their escape, dreaming of starting over with Sebastian in another city.

It wasn't until tonight that she'd belatedly discovered she'd fallen for a big, fat lie. Her dream of starting a new life was completely shattered.

Sebastian was nothing but a liar.

…

By the next morning, her fever had broken, and Sebastian was back. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, but the perfume he wore wasn't her favorite scent.

"I'm exhausted after pulling the night shift. Oh, I got my salary, so I bought you a present."

He fished out the cheap second-hand necklace and fastened it around her neck. "It looks good on you. Do you like it?"

She replied indifferently, "Yes."

Sebastian immediately sensed that something was off.

In the past, whenever he gave her anything, it would move her to tears. She would keep telling him that he didn't have to give her gifts, as being with him was the greatest gift she could ask for.

He remarked, "Looks like you don't like it."

Clara forced a smile. "I might not have that much money from now on, so stop spending unnecessarily."

Upon realizing that she was worried about the Zimmermans going bankrupt, Sebastian pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Don't worry. I've saved every bit of the allowance you gave me, and I still have a job at the bar. If it comes down to it, I can be the one to support you."

Clara smiled but said nothing, pushing him toward the bathroom instead.

As the sound of running water came from the bathroom, Sebastian's phone buzzed.

Clara's eyes caught a steamy text popping up on his phone screen. "Sebastian, thank you for spending the night with me. I can't believe you still remember my favorite perfume after three years."

At once, Clara's smile faded away. It turned out that the perfume Sebastian had suddenly switched to was another woman's favorite.

While Clara had been burning up with a fever, he'd been keeping another woman company.

Feeling exhausted, Clara decided to give up. She'd spent three years giving her all to him—if he still didn't love her, it was time to stop trying.

Stepping onto the balcony, Clara gave Frank a call. "Dad, I'll go along with the arranged marriage. Make it happen quickly before I change my mind."

She was the one who'd started this relationship with Sebastian, and she would be the one to end it too.

Chapter 2

After stepping out of the shower, Sebastian approached Clara, leaning in to nibble at her earlobe as his hands skillfully slid beneath the edge of her clothes.

By the time Clara tried to push him away, it was too late. He'd already tossed her onto the bed, capturing her lips in a kiss—until his phone rang sharply, cutting him off.

Seeing the caller ID, Sebastian paused for a moment, then quickly got up to take the call.

"Sebastian, I think someone broke into my house. Can you come over now?"

Sebastian spoke gently to the woman on the other end of the line. "Don't worry, I'll be there soon. Wait for me."

After hanging up, he gave Clara an apologetic kiss. "The part-timer needs a replacement. I have to rush over now to cover for him."

Calmly, Clara asked, "Didn't I tell you not to work so hard?"

"Things are different now. I know what happened to your family, so I need to earn more to support you." Sebastian ruffled her hair fondly before changing his clothes and heading out.

…

Sebastian didn't return home until late that night. Only when he noticed that some things were missing did he realize that a few of their couple's items were gone—they were all things Clara had carefully chosen during their dates.

"Why are you spring cleaning suddenly? I thought you adored all those things."

Clara tossed a few other items into the trash can and made up an excuse. "I don't like them anymore. I'll replace them later when I find things I like."

Sebastian's heart skipped a beat for some reason, and he quickly grabbed her hand. "It's getting late. Where are you going?"

"I'm staying at my house tonight," came her reply.

After moving in with Sebastian, Clara had seldom returned home. Back when her feelings for him were at their strongest, she could only sleep soundly in his arms.

Flashing a smile at him, Clara grabbed her luggage and walked out.

After getting into the car, she received a call from the real estate agent. "Ms. Zimmerman, you'll lose a lot if you're in a rush to sell this property. Are you sure about it? If you've made up your mind, I'll go ahead and list it."

"The price doesn't matter. I just want it sold as quickly as possible."

Clara had bought this villa for Sebastian three years ago. Over time, they'd shared intimate moments in the study, the bathroom, the balcony, and all the other corners of the house.

Even after her family had run into trouble, she'd still thought about leaving some things behind to help support Sebastian.

But it turned out he'd never needed anything from her.

Despite knowing that her family had gone bankrupt, Sebastian had done nothing. He'd simply watched as she was forced into an arranged marriage.

When she needed money the most, he was still pretending to be poor.

Clara's lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. Suddenly, she received a text from someone asking to meet her.

…

Erica Hart smiled at Clara. "Ms. Zimmerman, my name is Erica Hart, and I'm Sebastian's ex-girlfriend.

"But he's probably never mentioned me to you. Three years ago, I went abroad to pursue my dreams. He got so upset that he's been giving me the cold shoulder since then, but we've never broken up officially. Now that I've returned, he'll definitely come back to me."

She then added, "He didn't come home last night, did he? Aren't you curious about where he went? Do you seriously think he had to work the night shift at the bar because he's broke?"

After saying that, Erica pulled out a bank card and slid it across the table to Clara.

"I know you're in need of money. Here's 30 million dollars for you, but I have one condition—stay away from Sebastian."

Chapter 3

Clara felt her throat go dry. The situation seemed somewhat funny to her.

She was used to throwing money at people to get rid of them, but she'd never imagined she would one day be the one sent away with it.

Calmly, she asked, "Does Sebastian know you're doing this behind his back?"

Erica flashed a smile. "You probably don't know how in love Sebastian and I were. We nearly got married back then."

With a sigh, she continued, "Because I love the ocean, he took me to different islands for vacations every year. Because I missed the flavors of my childhood, he bought a restaurant so the chef could make whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.

"I was the one who inked the rose ring tattoo on his chest. It's the wedding ring he promised me."

She glanced at Clara. "Do I need to tell you about his family? You've been with him for three years, but you don't even know who he really is. Do you really think he loves you?"

Clara felt a chill run through her entire body at the realization that every one of his preferences could be traced back to Erica.

"Ms. Zimmerman, you thought he was your kept man, but he's actually been treating you as my substitute."

Erica's lips curved into a smirk. "He'll come running once I give him a call. Want to bet?"

Clara felt a whirlwind of emotions before she eventually calmed down.

She remembered the first birthday she'd spent with Sebastian. Back then, he'd bought a cheap, garish cake that had tasted horrible, but she'd still thought it was the most delicious cake she'd ever had.

As he'd held her in his arms, she'd made a wish. "I wish Sebastian would celebrate my birthday with me next year too."

Grinning, Sebastian had promised her, saying, "From now on, I'll celebrate your birthday with you every year."

Once, she'd gotten so drunk that someone nearly took advantage of her.

By the time Sebastian had arrived in a rush, she was barely clinging to life. Looking distressed, he'd held her tightly and vowed, "From now on, I'll always come to you the moment you need me. I won't let you suffer like this again."

Those promises he'd made had meant nothing to him, but she hadn't known it back then. To her, they had been everything.

Clara's fists balled up as she forced a smile. "I'll leave him as you wish, but not because of what you said tonight."

After getting the answer she wanted, Erica didn't waste time. She stood up and left, feeling triumphant.

…

In the next few days, Clara was busy with the preparations for the arranged marriage, and Sebastian didn't contact her.

It wasn't until she arrived at the bar that she spotted Sebastian by the counter.

He'd been distracted the entire night. His gaze kept drifting in another direction, and he was completely oblivious to Clara's presence.

Following his gaze, Clara realized that he was staring at Erica, who was surrounded by men eyeing her greedily.

"Hey, what are you doing? Keep your hands off me!"

The moment Erica shrieked, Sebastian's expression darkened. He stormed over and grabbed a beer bottle, smashing it on one of the men's heads.

He pulled Erica into his arms, his stance so fiercely territorial that the entire room seemed to hold its breath.

Even Clara's heart nearly stilled. She'd never seen Sebastian lose control of his emotions before, yet today he was consumed by a fit of rage—and it was all because of Erica.

Without hesitation, Sebastian broke the hand that had touched Erica. No one dared to speak out of turn.

After Sebastian left with Erica in tow, those men were immediately kicked out of the bar.

As Clara walked past one of the private rooms, she heard a woman protesting coyly. "Sebastian, you shouldn't spoil me like this. Did you forget that you have a girlfriend? She won't be happy if she finds out about this."

"I don't have a girlfriend. She's just a stand-in for you."

Chapter 4

Through the gap in the door, Clara saw Sebastian embracing Erica and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

Upon hearing Sebastian's words, Clara froze in her tracks.

It turned out that Erica hadn't been lying after all. Clara really was nothing more than a casual plaything for Sebastian when he was bored. Yet, she'd arrogantly thought of herself as his precious benefactor.

But the truth didn't matter now. She would be leaving him soon anyway.

A silent smile played on Clara's lips. As she turned to leave, thick smoke suddenly came billowing through the hallway.

"Fire! Fire!"

The fire alarm began blaring, and the entire bar erupted into chaos.

Clara was shoved to the ground by people escaping from all directions. As she struggled to get up, a merciless foot pushed her back down.

When she looked up, she spotted Sebastian carrying Erica and rushing toward safety.

Clara instinctively crawled in his direction and screamed his name desperately, hoping he could save her.

In the crowd, Sebastian seemed to have heard her. He spun around and froze instantly at the sight of her trampled body as she lay bleeding on the ground.

He instinctively wanted to rush back to Clara, but in that moment, he sensed something was wrong with Erica, who was in his arms. After a brief moment of hesitation, he turned and left without a backward glance.

Clara could barely hide her shock. The man who'd promised to protect her no matter what had ignored her plight when she was in grave danger.

Taking a deep breath, she crawled to the wall and hauled herself up. Looking disheveled, she followed the crowd heading to the exit.

It wasn't until Clara finally made it out of the bar and confirmed that she was safe that her legs gave way, and she collapsed on the ground.

That had been a close call. She'd nearly lost her life back there.

Clara steadied her breathing. When she looked up, her gaze abruptly met Sebastian's eyes not far away.

His expression was etched with an urgency and regret that she couldn't understand, but he remained steadfastly by Erica's side, showing no signs of coming to her.

Was he afraid that Erica would misunderstand him?

Clara's lips curled into a faint smile as she pushed herself up from the ground, her eyes slowly reddening.

In the past, Sebastian would panic and insist on taking her to the hospital even if she got the tiniest cut on her hand.

Yet, he only had eyes for Erica now.

In the end, Clara went home alone. She dug out the first-aid kit to disinfect, treat, and bandage her wounds. After that, she dozed off on the couch.

It was late at night by the time she woke up. As expected, Sebastian hadn't come home.

She didn't bother asking where he was. As dawn finally broke, she was just about to leave when she ran into Sebastian returning home in a rush.

He instantly wrapped an arm around her and carefully inspected her injuries. "Did you go to the hospital? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Clara was in disbelief. Wasn't it too late for him to put on this concerned act?

Sebastian then apologized, "I'm sorry, Clara. That was my younger sister you saw last night. She's been afraid of fires since she was little, so I couldn't leave her alone."

Younger sister…

Clara couldn't believe he'd even gone so far as to fabricate an identity for Erica.

She declared, "It doesn't matter even if she isn't your younger sister. Sebastian, I don't have money to support you anymore. From now on, you're free."

Sebastian's expression changed abruptly as he forcefully pulled Clara into his arms.

"What does that mean? You're tired of me and now want me gone? No way, Clara. You promised you'd take responsibility for me."

Clara shook her head helplessly and slowly pushed him away.

"Sebastian, don't tell me you're taking this seriously. I've treated you well for the past three years, and now that I'm bankrupt, you're actually trying to extort me?"

In response, Sebastian crushed her against his chest forcefully, his teeth grazing her earlobe in a warning bite.

"Bankrupt or not, I won't leave you. You won't be able to get rid of me easily."

Chapter 5

Perhaps sensing the change in Clara's attitude toward him, Sebastian stayed with her like a shadow for the next few days.

To make up for his guilt after what he'd done the other night, he even reserved a candlelit dinner on a cruise ship for her.

The cruise ship's restaurant was decorated in a traditional style, with the endless ocean stretching out beyond the windows.

As the server approached them with flowers and wine, Erica appeared out of nowhere. Looking pleasantly surprised, she held Sebastian's arm and asked, "Fancy running into you here, Sebastian. Are you here for dinner too?"

Clara's expression froze. There weren't that many coincidences in the world—only calculated plans disguised as chance.

No wonder Sebastian had suddenly invited her to dinner at such a place. It turned out he wanted to meet Erica "by coincidence".

"Ms. Zimmerman, do you mind if I join you for dinner?" Erica asked sweetly.

Clara didn't have a chance to refuse, as Sebastian had already pulled out a chair for Erica eagerly.

When it was time to order, Erica deliberately smiled and teased, "You ordered all my favorite dishes. Why don't you ask what Ms. Zimmerman likes?"

Sebastian pushed the menu to Clara and asked gently, "What would you like to order?"

She merely shook her head. "You decide."

Dinner was tasteless for Clara. Erica and Sebastian chatted endlessly, while she felt like an outsider. She got up and went outside for some air but soon ended up in another area entirely.

As she walked past a private room, someone pulled her in by force.

"I knew you looked familiar. Ms. Zimmerman, since you're here, why don't you drink with us?"

"You used to be so above it all, ignoring our invitations to drink together. Now that you've fallen on hard times, you have to sit and drink with us, don't you?"

Clara furrowed her brows. These men had pursued her for a long time, only to turn bitter after she humiliated them.

"Sorry, but I'm allergic to alcohol. I can't drink with you guys."

After saying that, she tried to leave, but they immediately blocked her way. Fear rose in her heart as a chill crept down her back.

"Clara, you'd better not pass up the easy option and take it the hard way. No one can protect you now. Don't tell me you're counting on that pretty boy of yours to save you."

"Yeah! Behave and you'll suffer less. Otherwise, don't blame us for being rough."

When one of the men lunged at her, Clara's breath hitched in her throat. She quickly kicked him between the legs and grabbed an ashtray to defend herself. "I'm warning you—don't mess with me, or else…"

"Or else what? You asked for this."

The man slapped Clara across the face, leaving her dizzy and staggering. She could barely stay on her feet.

Then someone pushed her, slamming her to the ground. Her forehead hit the corner of the table, and blood gushed out from her wound immediately.

Seeing the blood only made the men more excited. Whistling, they forcefully poured alcohol into her mouth.

"It's my turn to fuck you. You're nothing but a slut, so stop pretending to be innocent."

Right as the man said that, the door to the private room was kicked open.

Seeing the scene, Sebastian stormed over and punched the man's face without hesitation. His eyes blazed with fury.

"How dare you lay a hand on my woman? You've clearly got a death wish!"

Like a madman, Sebastian beat the man up until the latter was covered in blood. In the end, he pressed a foot against the man's face, forcing him to apologize to Clara.

Seeing this, the rest of the men stepped forward to intervene before Sebastian finally relented. He scooped Clara up in his arms, the blood still gushing from the wound on her forehead, and swiftly strode away.

On the way to the hospital, he carefully wiped the blood from her forehead, his trembling hands betraying his concern.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken you there for dinner. This is all my fault."

Clara could no longer distinguish sincerity from deception in his words. All she knew was that this was definitely not a coincidence.

Earlier, someone in the crowd had recognized him. That was why they hadn't dared to retaliate.

With reddened eyes, she asked, "You went against them for me. Aren't you afraid they'll cause trouble for you?"

Sebastian pressed his forehead against hers, his chest tight with an emotion he couldn't name.

"No, I'm not scared. Nothing is more important than you."

If Clara hadn't known that he was a liar, his words might've moved her to tears. Yet, none of it was real. She refused to believe anything he said anymore.

The car was unusually quiet. Suddenly, Sebastian's phone rang, breaking the stillness. The next second, his body stiffened, and his face turned dark.

"Clara, can you go to the hospital alone?"

Clara paused, a bitter smile slowly forming on her lips.

The car stopped by the roadside, and Sebastian hurriedly got out. As his figure gradually disappeared in the rearview mirror, Clara started laughing out loud.

She kept laughing until tears slid down her cheeks uncontrollably.

She remembered the voice she'd just heard on the phone.

"Sebastian, something happened to Erica. Come back now!"