My childhood sweetheart, Grace, fell madly in love with the poor scholar in her class. The scholar viewed money as dirt. Upon learning that Grace and I were engaged, he scoffed, "Arranged marriages are archaic and absurd. We aren't living in the Middle Ages!" Grace, mesmerized by his 'ideals,' broke our engagement and eloped with him. Five years later, I became the CEO of the family empire. At the succession ceremony, I saw Grace again. Heavy foundation couldn't hide her exhaustion. Drunk, she cried to me, saying she regretted everything. The next day, her husband, Leo—who had married into her wealthy family—stormed into my office: "You think your money lets you seduce another man's wife? I've lost face because of you. Are you satisfied now?!" Chapter 1 The room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone knew the bad blood between the Sterling and Gallagher families over a scholarship student. The Gallagher heiress, Grace, had ignored our engagement and run off with a penniless boy. In the end, the Gallaghers, unable to see their daughter suffer, agreed to the marriage, ending the farce. I didn't expect the drama to have a sequel. I frowned. Leo had been living the high life for years, yet his fragile ego remained intact. The inferiority complex in his bones hadn't changed a bit. I looked around the room and spoke calmly, under the gaze of the elite crowd. "Mr. Evans, this is a public venue. Watch your words. If you want to talk business, calm down. If you slander me again, you can talk to my lawyer." Leo's face turned pale, his expression awkward. I looked him over emotionlessly. He was decked out in luxury brands, a far cry from the poor student of five years ago. But his personality—arrogant yet deeply insecure—was exactly the same. Five years ago. Grace said Leo was different. He didn't suck up to her like other guys. He dared to point out her flaws. In his eyes, she wasn't a high-and-mighty heiress, just a normal classmate. This "equality" felt like a breath of fresh air to her. People in our circle are driven by profit; even marriage is a transaction. Couples often lived separate lives, keeping up appearances while having affairs. One day, I saw Grace and Leo whispering in the library. Her eyes shone with a light I had never seen. I didn't care. But I didn't expect Grace to break our engagement for him. I looked at her then. "Do you know what this means? You'll lose your inheritance. You might be disowned." Grace was resolute. "He has talent and ideals. Unlike you people, who only care about money. He's right. True love shouldn't be bound by wealth." Of course, he wasn't like us. Because he had no money. I found it laughable. That a world as cynical as high society could produce someone as naive as Grace. I agreed to the breakup. The next day, Grace and Leo vanished, taking a night train down south. Before leaving, Grace asked me, "Julian, did you ever love me?" I didn't answer. But the truth was, I did have feelings for her once. My parents married for love. My dad was a brilliant student from a rural background. He got into an Ivy League school on merit but couldn't even afford a suit when he courted my mom. My mom, moved by his talent, ignored her family's objections and handed the company over to him. But once my dad made it big, he rekindled a romance with his college sweetheart. My mom caught them together. The next second, they died in a car crash—a double suicide pact. My mom couldn't handle the blow. She tried to kill herself multiple times and ended up in a mental institution. My grandfather hated my dad's betrayal and looked at me with disgust. I became invisible in the family. Until Grace came to visit and invited me to play. We grew close, inseparable. From then on, my grandfather started noticing me again. Chapter 2 He called a family meeting to choose an heir. I wasn't on the list. Aside from my mom, he had two sons. One was an illegitimate child, Uncle Silas. My eldest uncle only cared about partying, showing no interest in the business. But Uncle Silas was desperate to inherit. I saw him as my biggest rival. I studied relentlessly under immense pressure. I wanted to prove myself, to make my grandfather see my worth. Before I even graduated, I led the company to new heights, but nothing seemed to impress him. Until my engagement to Grace was finalized. The Gallaghers were a top-tier family, equal to the Sterlings. Our union promised a win-win. Only then did my grandfather turn to me and officially name me the successor. Grace and I grew up together. Our backgrounds matched. Falling for her was natural. But those feelings vanished after meeting Leo. My mom's tragedy was a warning. I had no patience for men like Leo. If the girl I liked chose a guy like that, I could only pity her. Giving up was my best option. No one was dragging me into the mud. Leo, with his scholarly face, looked furious now. He pointed at me, screaming, "Julian Sterling, what is your problem? Why do you keep harassing Grace? Do you know you're acting like a homewrecker?" The room exploded with whispers. I could already see the headlines. #Billionaire Accused of Homewrecking #Julian Sterling Publicly Shamed by Grace Gallagher's Husband My assistant immediately cleared the room and ordered the guests to keep quiet. Annoyed, my tone turned icy. "Mr. Evans, out of respect for the Gallaghers, I'll overlook your outburst today. But if there's a next time, you'll face the consequences." I signaled security to escort him out. When I got home that night, I found Victoria sitting on my sofa in a red slip dress. She looked up at me with teary eyes. Seeing me, she ran over, her voice sweet and aggrieved. "Julian, I'm jealous." "Why did she cry like that at the party? What did she mean by that?" I pulled away. "Victoria, who gave you the door code?" Victoria batted her eyelashes, looking pitiful. "Grandpa Sterling told me to move in." I looked around. My cold apartment was now filled with girlish decorations. Warm and romantic. I frowned. She watched me closely. Seeing my expression, she quickly explained, "Don't be mad. If you don't like it, I'll leave right now." Chapter 3 She moved to pack her bags. I grabbed her wrist. "Forget it. We're getting married in a few months anyway." Her eyes lit up like stars. She looked at me with pure joy. "Are you tired? Want to see the new decorations?" Curious about what else she added, I let her lead me. In the bedroom, an entire wall was covered with our photos. From our first meeting to now, every moment captured. It screamed teenage romance. I chuckled, the corners of my mouth lifting. "I just added a few touches. Do you like it?" Her eyes were full of hope. Like a kitten waiting for a pat. It was hard to believe this girl was the legendary shark of the business world. At 20, her family faced a crisis. She took over and built a commercial empire in five years. The Shen Group skyrocketed, surpassing every other family in the capital. And she was only 25, four years younger than me. In business, she was steady and unreadable. Today, I saw her youthful side. Not wanting to crush her spirit, I said, "The photos are nice." Victoria froze, a blush spreading across her pale cheeks. She whispered, "We can take more photos like this." I paused. I realized the photos were intimate, making my compliment sound ambiguous. Awkwardly, I composed myself. "It's late. I'm going to rest." I went upstairs quickly. My grandfather allowing Victoria to move in was expected. Since he fell ill and stepped back, the Sterling family had been declining. Even with my best efforts, I was barely holding it together. Restoring our glory wouldn't be easy. He had pinned his hopes on the Gallaghers, but that failed. Victoria gave him new hope. "Julian, it's not that I don't trust you. But to ride the wind, you need leverage. Knowing how to use power makes a wise man. The Shen family is our best partner." I understood the trade-off. Political marriages were a tool for stability. As long as it helped me, I could accept it. My friend Chris was having a birthday party at a club. When I walked in, the first thing I saw was Grace and Leo sitting together. Chapter 4 She looked at me with resentment, her eyes swirling with complex emotions. I avoided her gaze and sat at the farthest end of the sofa. Chris leaned in, whispering, "Grace insisted on coming. We run in the same circle, I couldn't say no. Didn't think she'd bring him." I didn't want to talk about it. I handed him a gift box. "Happy Birthday." He tore it open, eyes lighting up. "Julian, you know me too well!" It was a limited-edition mechanical watch. I pulled a lot of strings to get it. Chris winked. "Julian, you get me so well. Ever consider switching teams?" Others laughed. "Give it up. You can't compete with Miss Shen." "I say Julian should take them both. Even days and odd days." While everyone laughed, Leo suddenly stood up. The laughter died. Everyone looked at each other. He stared at Grace grimly. "Come outside." Grace stood up silently and followed him. Their argument in the hall was loud enough for everyone to hear. We all listened awkwardly. Leo was yelling. "You've been staring at Julian Sterling since we got here! What does that mean? What do you want?" Grace's voice was cold. "Stop being unreasonable." "Me? Unreasonable?" Leo laughed bitterly. "I'll show you unreasonable!" The door flew open. Leo charged in like a madman. He rushed up to me, pointing at Grace. "Julian Sterling! You can have this woman! I don't want her anymore!" Grace ran in and grabbed his arm. "Are you done being crazy? You're embarrassing yourself! Let's go home!" Leo shook her off, screaming hysterically. "Go home and say what? Talk about how you can't get over Julian? How you secretly pine for him? How you call his name when you're drunk?" "Ha! I'm embarrassing? Grace, stop acting high and mighty. Who chased who? I warned you I didn't want your rich people drama!" Grace snapped, eyes red. "Yes, I chased you! But Leo, don't make me regret it!"
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