I was with Julian Sterling for three years. Then he got engaged to someone else, handed me a fifty-million-dollar check, and told me to get lost. Back then, I was too proud. I valued my dignity above everything else. I didn't take the money. Two years passed, and my life had hit rock bottom. Coincidentally, a wealthy playboy started pursuing me. I said yes. On our very first date, he took me shopping. I didn't hold back. I picked out seven figures worth of designer goods. But when it was time to pay, his card declined. The man was mortified. He immediately brought up his cousin, who supposedly held massive influence in the city. "My cousin happens to be in the area. I'll just have him come over and handle it." I said okay. But a few minutes later, when I saw the man who walked through the door, I was completely stunned. 1 At the checkout counter, Ethan Vance stared at the mountain of luxury goods and didn't even blink. In that moment, I knew I had found the perfect boyfriend. Our meet-cute was ridiculously cliché. I was riding my electric scooter home from work and accidentally scraped his luxury car. He was on the phone at the time, his tone lazy and careless. "I'm breaking up with you. Is that so hard to understand, baby?" "It's no fun if you take things too seriously." He was the textbook definition of a wealthy playboy. Even after his car was scratched, he didn't get angry. He just kept coaxing the girl on the phone while shooting me a highly suggestive look. Then he waved me off, telling me to go. I hesitated for a second, then left. Two years ago, I would have insisted on paying for the damage, even if it meant taking on a debt I couldn't afford. But not anymore. The past two years had brutally taught me that 'pride' is the most useless thing in the world. Aside from a pretty face, I had absolutely nothing. So later, when he suddenly appeared outside my office building, I wasn't surprised. A long time ago, I learned from a specific person that there are people in this world who are simply born different. They are arrogant, they burn money like paper, and getting whatever they want is effortless. They fundamentally believe that money can solve any problem. The sales associate quickly tallied the total and announced the exorbitant number. I did some quick math in my head. Once I break up with Ethan, this haul will be enough to buy a modest two-bedroom apartment and a decent car. How wonderful. Just as I was mentally celebrating, the sales associate spoke up, her voice hesitant. "Sir, this card..." It was declined. Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly, snatched the card back, and raised an eyebrow. "Give me a sec." He pulled out his phone and dialed a number with practiced ease. After hanging up, he turned to me. "My cousin is just a few blocks away buying gifts for his fiancée. He'll be here in a minute to cover it." I offered him a sweet, understanding smile. "Okay." Since I started dating Ethan, I had heard rumors about this cousin. People always spoke of him with a mix of awe and fear— "That guy is serious news. I'm telling you, dating the young Mr. Vance is fine, but do not mess with his cousin." "I heard he has a fiancée. They keep it very low-profile, but she's from a major family. They're supposedly very much in love." It was just gossip. I listened to it, but didn't care. But since I was about to meet him, I spent a few minutes mentally preparing my best smile and practicing my introduction. Yet, when the man finally walked through the door, my brain completely short-circuited. I stood frozen in place, my body rigid. Ethan stood next to me, wrapping his hand around mine. "Mia, say hi to my cousin." "Cousin." I heard my own voice. It was trembling. The man looked perfectly calm. He gave a faint nod. As if he had never seen me before in his life. "Mm." Then, he walked right past me. We were so close I could catch the faint, familiar scent of his woodsy cologne. When we were together, he never wore this cologne. Because I didn't like it. But looking at it now, nothing in this world stays the same. For example: I used to be his girlfriend. And now, I'm his cousin's. 2 Julian swiped his black card, glancing casually at the mountain of designer bags and clothes. He frowned slightly but didn't say a word. Ethan immediately started complaining to him. "Someone definitely snitched to my dad again and got my accounts frozen." "Bro, I'll transfer this back to you in a few days, I promise." While we were waiting earlier, Ethan had mentioned that Julian was incredibly principled. Ever since they were kids, he had been notoriously strict with all his younger cousins. He didn't believe in free handouts. He would provide resources or project funding, but only if you proved you actually had the skills to handle it. "My cousin is totally fine with spending money on us, but it has to be for something productive." Funding a shopping spree for a new girlfriend? Yeah, he would absolutely demand to be paid back. But this time, Julian just gave Ethan a deeply unreadable look. "Don't worry about it." "Huh?" Ethan asked, looking genuinely shocked and flattered. "Does this mean I don't have to pay you back next time I ask for money either?" Julian smiled. His expression was ice-cold. "No. Just this once." Ethan rubbed his nose, completely missing the tension. "I knew it! You're the best." "My girlfriend is incredibly grateful, too." "Girlfriend?" Julian repeated the word, finally deigning to look at me. I pressed my lips together, meeting his gaze. "Thank you." He ignored me, exchanged a few more words with Ethan, and then turned to leave. Before he walked out, he handed his black card to Ethan. "Take it. Buy whatever you want." Ethan eagerly took it, looking at Julian with absolute adoration. "Bro, you are literally my savior." We shopped for a while longer until the sun started to set, then finally left the mall. Ethan had all the purchases delivered directly to my apartment. The street was relatively empty. He looked at my face, a suggestive glint in his eye. He traced my wrist with his thumb, then leaned in to kiss me. I didn't pull away. He pressed closer, smoothly parting my lips. I clenched my fists tight, freezing in place. However, the very next second, his phone rang. "Tsk." He reluctantly pulled away and pulled out his phone. The moment he saw the caller ID, his annoyance vanished instantly. "My cousin needs me. He says it's an emergency. Wait here for a minute, I'll have my driver take you home." I told him not to worry about it, I could just call an Uber. He thought for a second. "Alright, text me when you get back." After he left, I was just about to hail a cab. A sleek luxury car glided smoothly to a stop right next to me. The tinted window rolled down, revealing the sharp, aristocratic profile of the man inside. He turned to look at me. His gaze dropped immediately to my lips, lingering there for a long, heavy moment before he finally spoke. His voice was deep and freezing. Just two words, but they made my heart violently seize. "Get in." 3 Bathed in the pale moonlight, I stood frozen on the sidewalk. Staring at Julian Sterling. Seeing my hesitation, he didn't rush me. He simply raised an eyebrow. And drawled lazily. "Mia." I lowered my head. "Mr. Sterling." "Can I help you?" Honestly, when I saw him earlier, I was terrified. I never imagined my luck could be this catastrophically bad. The very first guy I date after leaving him turns out to be his cousin. I was pretty satisfied with Ethan. I wasn't planning on breaking up with him anytime soon. My breakup with Julian was incredibly messy and humiliating. I was terrified he was going to expose our past to Ethan. Knowing Ethan's personality, he would dump me immediately. Dating your cousin's ex-girlfriend? That's a massive taboo. Especially since Ethan practically worshipped Julian like an idol. Julian stared at me intensely. After a long silence, he let out a low, dark chuckle. It was laced with confusion, and absolute, unfiltered mockery. "You don't actually think I still have feelings for you, do you?" I didn't expect him to be so brutally blunt. I felt a rush of deep humiliation. Because a minute ago, that was exactly what I thought. From the time he left the mall until now, at least two hours had passed. Which meant he hadn't gone anywhere. He had been sitting here waiting for us the entire time. Then, he deliberately called Ethan away. And now he was telling me to get in his car. The night was dark, and we were completely alone. We used to share an incredibly intimate history. And when we broke up, I knew for a fact he was still deeply in love with me. I still remember it clearly— We were having dinner at a high-end restaurant. He sat across from me, meticulously peeling shrimp for me. He knew it was my favorite. He didn't stop until my plate was overflowing. While I ate, I teased him. "My roommate told me some freshman has been asking around about you. She said she wants to ask you out." Julian was two years older than me; he was an alumni. Shortly after graduating, he founded his own tech company, which became wildly successful. The university had invited him back as a guest speaker. I was in the student council and had been assigned as his liaison. He was incredibly famous on campus. Everyone knew him as a brilliant, self-made tech prodigy. But he was also incredibly low-profile. For the longest time, no one knew that his last name, Sterling, connected him to the elite Sterling family from the ultra-exclusive Funing Road district. Anyone from that neighborhood was basically royalty in the capital. The first time I met him, I was shaking with nerves. He noticed and offered a lazy, relaxed smile. "Do I look scary?" I quickly shook my head. "No." He was naturally gorgeous, and he carried himself with an effortless, magnetic confidence. Half the girls on campus were completely obsessed with him. We interacted a few more times, and the tension between us grew. His text replies went from one-word answers to long, detailed paragraphs. My roommates watched it all happen and hyped me up constantly. I was young and easily influenced, so I couldn't hold back. I confessed my feelings to him under a streetlight on campus. And then I boldly leaned up and kissed his cheek. The moon was exceptionally bright that night. He looked down at me, staring in silence for a very long time, before letting out a soft sigh, looking at me like he was completely defenseless against me. "Are you sure?" "Yes!" From that day on, we were together. But very few people knew. On campus, only my closest roommates were aware. And now, sitting in this luxurious restaurant, Julian went completely quiet after I mentioned the freshman who wanted to pursue him. My smile faded. I couldn't read his expression. "What? Do you actually want to go out with her..." He slowly wiped his hands with a napkin, raised his eyes, cut me off, and said with absolute seriousness: "No." "I want to marry you." 4 Clatter. The fork slipped from my hand and hit the porcelain plate. For someone as reserved, aristocratic, and disciplined as Julian, in the three years we had been together, those were the most romantic words he had ever spoken. His eyes were incredibly dark, locked onto me intensely. I smiled. "Okay." But that was as far as the fairy tale went. Because I was too naive, I completely missed the hidden depth and complication in his eyes. Because just a few days later, I saw him walking out of an exclusive VIP club, his arm wrapped tightly around another girl. The girl was wearing a stunning, diamond-encrusted white dress that looked unimaginably expensive. She had her face buried in his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck, looking incredibly intimate. A classmate standing next to me gasped in envy. "That's Julian Sterling's fiancée. I walked past their private room earlier and heard everyone cheering, asking when the wedding is." "I had no idea he was that Julian Sterling! I just saw the club owner bowing and calling him 'Young Master Sterling.'" In the capital, there were very few people the owner of that specific club would deferentially call "Young Master." My mind completely blanked. I couldn't understand. Wasn't he my boyfriend? The next second, they reached a luxury car. I was just about to storm over and demand an explanation, when I saw the woman in Julian's arms lift her face and kiss him directly on the lips. Julian's body went completely rigid, and then he forcefully shoved her away. But my devastation didn't lessen. After they drove away, I pulled out my phone and called him. "I saw everything." He froze, then let out a heavy sigh through the phone. "Give me two years, okay?" "Our families have been close for generations. I can't get out of this engagement right now." That was the moment I finally understood. His "self-made startup" was just a billionaire heir playing a game. Even if it failed, he would still live a life of absolute, untouchable luxury. His background was so elite that there was no universe where we could be together. People in his social stratosphere didn't marry girls like me. But he sounded so incredibly resolute on the phone: "Two years. I promise we will get married. But... during this time, I can't give you an official title." Saying he "couldn't give me a title" was just a polite way of saying I would be his secret mistress. Back then, I was fiercely proud. I absolutely refused to accept that kind of humiliation. "Julian, what kind of woman do you think I am?" I fought back tears, my voice absolute and uncompromising. "We're done." He came looking for me many times after that. I refused to see him every single time. Even my roommates tried to convince me. "I can tell he genuinely loves you and wants to marry you. Just endure it for a bit. Waiting two years isn't that bad. With a family background like his, sometimes he really doesn't have a choice." I didn't say a word. Everyone kept telling me he loved me. But did his love give him the right to act like a god, casually ordering me to remain his nameless, hidden secret, shoving me into such a degrading, pathetic position? He was born with the world at his feet. So he naturally assumed I would obediently and silently stay by his side. He was absolutely certain I could never leave him, that I would wait for him. But he would never understand what that truly meant for me. It meant—that when another woman hugged him, kissed him, or even slept with him, I wouldn't have the right to say a single word. I wouldn't even have the right to be jealous. Because I would be the shameful, hidden secret. To him, and the people around him, it was "only two years." They truly couldn't fathom why I was being so difficult. The last time we saw each other was at the restaurant where I worked part-time. He sat alone at a table, ordering the most expensive items on the menu. When I brought his food, he just stared at me in total silence. It wasn't until I turned to leave that he suddenly reached out, gripping my wrist so tightly it hurt. His voice was strained and tense as he said, "If you just say yes, you'll never have to do this kind of work for the rest of your life." He had enough money to guarantee I'd never have to worry about a single thing until the day I died. If it were me today, I probably would have said yes. But back then, I just glared at him coldly, and slapped him across the face. "I don't need your charity." He stood there, the corners of his eyes slowly turning red, remaining silent for a very long time. A crowd had gathered around us. They were all watching the spectacle, mocking him. But he didn't care at all. He just said, his voice incredibly soft: "Just wait. I'll marry you eventually." It sounded like the arrogant delusion of a young man. But that very night, his best friend tracked me down. His name was Lucas. I had met him a few times and we had shared a few meals when Julian and I were together. After Julian and I broke up, he had actually tried to mediate and convince me to go back a few times. But this time, he wasn't trying to convince me. Instead, he handed me a check. "Here. For you." "He's getting officially engaged. It's the daughter of the Lu family. She's not as pretty as you." He laughed, looking me up and down. "And she's not as stubborn as you, either." "Honestly, I've never seen Julian care about a girl this much. Do you have any idea what he went through to..." He stopped himself, sighing. "Forget it. If Julian knew I told you, he'd kill me." I calmly unfolded the check, counting the zeros several times to make sure I was reading it right. Fifty million. I had never seen that much money in my entire life. "Take the money. Do whatever you want with it, live a good life. Julian told me to tell you he's coming back for you." I ripped the check to shreds right in front of his face. I took a deep breath, holding onto my anger, and said: "Tell him this." "I don't want his money. Tell him to stop humiliating himself." What I didn't know was that Lucas was on the phone with Julian at that exact moment. Every single word I said was broadcast directly into Julian's ear. I completely and utterly trampled his pride and dignity into the dirt. As soon as I got in the cab, I received a text from him. [Mia, you better not regret this.] Seeing that message, I wasn't angry. I just pictured the expression on his face as he typed it. It was probably incredibly cold, tinged with a heavy dose of helplessness. Because why wouldn't he feel helpless? Despite being the ultimate golden boy, despite having the entire world revolving around him, he couldn't control everything. There was finally something he couldn't keep. I pressed my lips together and typed back. [I won't.]
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