Chapter 1

Five years together, and my boyfriend had never spent a single anniversary with me.

Every year, on our anniversary, he would "lend" me to one of his single friends.

Whenever I tried to refuse, he would guilt-trip me, calling it "the brotherhood bond."

But when one of his friends crossed the line and tried to force himself on me, my boyfriend only frowned.

"That's impossible. He's my friend. He would never do that."

Even when I was kicked out of his friend's mansion in the middle of the night, he only offered a fake, hollow comfort:

"Just one last time."

"After this is over, we'll get married."

And so, for five years, "one last time" turned into countless times.

On this year's anniversary, I was slapped in public yet again.

Sobbing, I ran to find Ethan, only to hear someone asking him through the cracked door:

"Ethan, aren't you afraid Elena will actually end up marrying one of those guys?"

Ethan was holding Sienna in his arms, his tone casual and indifferent.

"Please. A charity case like her? How could she ever marry into old money?"

"Besides, if she didn't play fake girlfriend for my friends, how else would I get to spend our anniversary alone with Sienna?"

Sienna blushed and kissed him on the cheek.

Others laughed and chimed in.

"Man, you're brilliant. If things ever leak out, you can just turn it around and blame her for being a gold digger."

Standing outside the door, I felt completely frozen.

Five years of endurance, and all I got in return was his cruel calculation.

In that moment, I made a silent vow.

I would make Ethan watch with his own eyes as he pushed me right into someone else's arms.

Soon, the opportunity came.

I accompanied his close friend, Julian Sterling, to his family home.

In front of everyone, Julian's mother placed their ancestral family heirloom ring into my palm.

I didn't reject it.

Instead, I smiled and slipped it onto my finger.

I was going to be Julian's fiancée.

On the way back, I kept looking down at the ring on my finger.

I could almost feel a flicker of anticipation, wondering what Ethan's face would look like when he saw me wearing another man's ring.

As soon as I pushed the door open, Ethan smiled at me, looking as if he had been waiting for a long time.

"You're back. Thank you."

But I didn't feel even a spark of warmth.

Behind him, his group of wealthy friends were staring at me, their eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.

"Wow, she didn't get kicked out or beaten up this time? I thought Julian was a notorious clean freak who hated poor girls."

"Ethan, looks like you lost the bet. My money was on her coming back in tears tonight."

Ethan didn't defend me. He just glanced over me with a hint of surprise.

"Fine, I lose."

His casual words made my blood run cold.

So they had gathered here just to bet on whether I would be humiliated or physically thrown out by Julian.

There was no guilt on Ethan's face for pushing his own girlfriend onto another man.

There was no worry about whether I had been hurt.

Only the slight boredom of losing a petty bet.

I turned away, numb, ready to leave the room.

But suddenly, Sienna grabbed my wrist.

"What is that on your finger?"

Her voice screeched to a halt.

The others stared at my hand, their expressions instantly turning into looks of shock and caution.

"Is that... the Sterling family heirloom ring?"

"The one only passed down to their future daughter-in-law? What is going on?"

Ethan stared dead at the ring on my finger, his face darkening inch by inch.

I looked down at the band, a cold, subtle smile playing on my lips.

Sienna suddenly shrieked, "Elena! How could you steal the Sterling family's ring?"

Hearing this, Ethan's tense expression slowly relaxed.

"Elena, I told you I'll marry you eventually," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "You shouldn't resort to such cheap, desperate tricks just to prove a point."

The others laughed, realizing what "must" have happened.

"Ah, that makes sense. How could the Sterlings ever accept a charity case like her?"

"They probably just let her hold it for a second, and she actually thought she was worthy of it."

These jeers and insults had never stopped since the day I became Ethan's girlfriend.

Ethan didn't outright mock my background.

But he never stopped his friends from stepping on me either.

In fact, he was the one who actively pushed me to go home with his friends as a fake date.

Every humiliation, every slap, every time I was used as a punching bag or an outlet for someone's rage. It all happened with his quiet permission.

I used to think he had no choice, that he couldn't protect me because of family pressure.

But today, at the Sterling mansion, Julian's father had casually mentioned seeing Ethan taking Sienna to the Vance estate a few days ago.

Ethan had openly introduced Sienna as his fiancée.

Julian's father had even praised Ethan:

"That Vance boy is a real man. He shut down all the rumors and stood up for his girl."

At that exact moment, the truth hit me like a slap to the face.

When a man truly loves a woman, he paves the way for her.

All those excuses about "different social classes" and "family opposition" were just lies.

It was all about his attitude.

And I was never part of his future.

"Alright, that's enough," Ethan said, stubbing out his cigarette. It was the first time he had ever cut them off.

"Elena, the Sterlings are out of your league. I'll return the ring for you."

The moment he reached for my hand, I pulled back and covered the ring.

A flash of irritation crossed Ethan's eyes.

"What? You don't want to?"

"I don't feel well," I muttered. "I think I ate something bad."

My stomach was churning with intense nausea.

Ethan looked at me intently.

For a brief second, memories flashed back.

Years ago, if I so much as mentioned feeling slightly unwell, Ethan would drop everything to take care of me.

But now, he only let out a mocking laugh, shattering the last of my illusions.

"What? Is your cheap stomach not used to the fine dining at the Sterling estate?"

The warmth in my cheeks drained completely.

Ethan forcefully pulled the ring off my finger and patted my shoulder.

"Go upstairs and rest."