Chapter 1

After dating Julian Vance for six years, the woman he truly loved finally came to find me.

"So, you're the kept woman Julian's been hiding?"

Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face.

Julian wiped the corner of her eye with his thumb, whispering softly to comfort her.

"Don't cry. She and I were just having some fun. How could she ever compare to you?"

"Alright, alright. I'll make her leave right now."

He finally spared me a glance.

"You've been with me for so many years. I won't mistreat you. Is there anything else you want?"

I actually stopped to think about it.

When I first started following him, I wanted him to pull me out of the swamp I was drowning in.

When I thought he loved me, I wanted a future with him.

But now, having realized my place, I only wanted to leave.

So, I shook my head. "Nothing."

I didn't want anything from him.

As long as we never crossed paths again.

"Nothing?"

Julian asked me back.

His eyes were narrow and long. When he didn't smile, he always looked cold and heartless.

I had only packed a tiny suitcase.

I didn't take any of the designer jewelry or expensive gifts he had given me over the years.

Julian let out a mocking scoff, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Sera, be smart. Don't try to play the high-and-mighty card now."

"Or are you playing hard to get? Trying to make me beg you to stay?"

I remained quiet from beginning to end.

His eyes darkened with impatience.

"I don't play these testing games."

"And don't look at me like someone bullied you."

"I told you a long time ago not to dump your useless feelings and expectations on me..."

"I'm not," I interrupted him.

I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the door, speaking as sincerely as I could.

"I really don't want anything. And I really don't want you to keep me."

Two "reallys."

Julian froze for a split second. Then, he suddenly laughed, scanning me up and down.

"Oh? You don't want anything?"

His tone was casual, almost playful, like a cat teasing a mouse.

"Did you forget? Even the clothes you've been wearing these past few years were custom-made by private tailors."

"Take them off, then."

I only hesitated for a second before setting my suitcase aside, intending to go to the bedroom to change.

Julian grabbed my wrist, looking down at me.

"Strip right here."

There were several other people who had come with him. Their eyes fell on me, waiting for the show.

The air froze.

I lowered my eyes and calmly began to undo the buttons of my shirt.

One. Two. Three.

By the third button, Julian suddenly flung my hand away, his eyes completely icy.

"I'm not so cheap that I'd beg for a piece of clothing back."

"Sera, take your things."

"Get out."

"Don't ever come crawling back to beg me. You won't even get through the front door."

Luxury cars roared to life one by one and sped away. The villa fell back into dead silence.

I still took off the expensive clothes. I changed into the plain white T-shirt and jeans I had worn when I first moved here.

I had never thrown them away.

I was only twenty-one back then. I had a bare, makeup-free face, looking a lot like Chloe, the girl Julian loved now.

At that time, Julian had pinched my cheek.

"What are you wearing? People will think I'm starving you."

Since then, everything I wore and used was the absolute best.

And I had once foolishly believed that this was Julian's version of love.

I stopped thinking about the past. I folded the priceless outfit and left it on the side.

I left exactly the way I came.

The walk out of the private gated community was long, and it took forever to get an Uber.

Without Julian's orders, no one would cater to my convenience anymore.

But no matter how pathetic I looked, I never once thought about turning back to beg.