In the third year of Michelle Lowe’s relationship with Sigmund Lloyd, the man she had been financially supporting, her family went bankrupt.

To save the company, her father tried to force her into an arranged marriage.

That very night, she packed up everything she owned, ready to elope with Sigmund.

However, when she arrived at the exclusive club where he worked, she saw him elegantly socializing with powerful guests.

His refined manners and quiet confidence made him look nothing like the poor young man she’d been supporting for the past three years.

In the third year of Michelle Lowe’s relationship with Sigmund Lloyd, the man she had been financially supporting, her family went bankrupt.

To save the company, her father tried to force her into an arranged marriage.

That very night, she packed up everything she owned, ready to elope with Sigmund.

However, when she arrived at the exclusive club where he worked, she saw him elegantly socializing with powerful guests.

His refined manners and quiet confidence made him look nothing like the poor young man she’d been supporting for the past three years.

“Sigmund, I heard the Lowes are going under. Mr. Lowe is trying to sell his daughter off to save the company. You’re not going to help your girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend? She’s just something to keep Sigmund entertained. His real girlfriend’s coming back soon. Once she’s home, he’ll ditch that fool Michelle and move on without missing a beat.”

“Well, she’s pretty and has a great body. You get her for free, and she even pays you. You’ve made a fortune, Sigmund.

“Still, for the golden boy of Northbridge’s elite to play the part of a sugar baby for three years, you’ve got patience.”

“It has been three years and Michelle still hasn’t realized Sigmund isn’t an employee here but the actual owner. How can someone be that blind?”

The room erupted in laughter as smoke swirled through the air.

Amid the noise, Sigmund calmly typed a reply to Michelle’s message.

She had sent it half an hour ago: “Sigmund, let’s run away together.”

Her phone buzzed softly.

Michelle looked down and saw a single, mocking word on the screen: “Sure.”

“Run away? Where could she even go? She’s her father’s cash cow now. The moment she leaves, he’ll drag her back to sell her off again.”

Sigmund stubbed out his cigarette, then casually pulled a cheap necklace off the hostess beside him.

“Another gift for Michelle? Last time it was that ten-dollar silver ring, and before that, a plastic bouquet.

“She’s supposed to be a rich girl. How can her taste be that bad? And she never complains?”

“She loves everything I give her. That silver ring? She won’t even take it off.”

Michelle froze where she stood, her fingers brushing the ring on her hand, a sharp ache spreading through her chest.

When he gave it to her, she was genuinely happy, thinking he was hinting at a proposal.

But now she realized that it was just a cheap gift he picked without a thought.

Sigmund had been lying to her from the start.

He spent three whole years pretending to be poor.

But she truly loved him.

She bought him designer clothes, luxury watches, cars, and even a villa.

Whenever others mocked him for being a sugar baby, she would blush and defend him without hesitation.

Back then, how ridiculous must she have looked in his eyes?

Michelle couldn’t remember how she made it home.

She only remembered the heavy rain pouring down the entire way, and when she finally got home, a fever struck.

In her restless dreams, she kept reliving the memories of their three years together.

Three years ago, heartbroken and drunk, Michelle met Sigmund at a bar.

Drawn to his good looks, she acted on impulse.

She didn’t know where her courage came from.

She cornered him in the men’s restroom and offered him money to spend the night with her.

After that night, Michelle couldn’t get him out of her mind. She thought he was just a bartender working at the bar.

When they met again, she took the initiative to offer him financial support.

From that day on, they quickly got into a relationship.

She gave him money.

He gave her the comfort of a boyfriend. They went for walks, shopped, watched movies, and did all the things a normal couple would do.

For three years, Michelle was always the one in control.

She thought she would never fall in love, but when her father forced her into an arranged marriage, her defenses crumbled completely.

That night, after a fierce argument with her father, Michelle’s eyes were red as she looked at Sigmund and asked, “If I lose all my money, will you still love me?”

Sigmund kissed her gently and replied, “Of course.”

“Sigmund, even if I lose everything, I’ll never let you live a hard life. You have to believe me.”

After that, she started selling all her valuables to prepare for their escape, imagining a new beginning with Sigmund in another city.

Until tonight, she thought she was about to embrace a brand-new life, only to realize she had walked straight into a cruel lie.

Sigmund had been deceiving her all along.

By the next morning, her fever subsided, and Sigmund came home.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, but the scent on him wasn’t the cologne she liked.

“I worked all night,” he said lazily. “I’m exhausted. I bought you a gift with my paycheck.”

He pulled out a cheap secondhand necklace and clasped it around her neck himself. “It suits you. Do you like it?”

She answered softly, “I do.”

Sigmund noticed something was off.

In the past, no matter what he gave her, she would light up like a child, insisting that he didn’t need to buy her anything and having him by her side was the best gift she could ask for.

“It doesn’t seem like you like it that much.”

Michelle forced a faint smile. “I might not have much money soon, so try not to spend on unnecessary things”

So that was it.

She was worried about her family’s bankruptcy.

Sigmund kissed her forehead gently.

“Don’t worry. I’ve saved every bit of the allowance you gave me. Plus, I earn my own money at the club. If things get tough, I’ll take care of you instead.”

Michelle smiled faintly and said nothing, gently pushing him toward the shower.

When the sound of running water came from the bathroom, Sigmund’s phone buzzed on the table.

A message appeared on the screen.

It was playful and unmistakably intimate.

“Sigmund, thank you for staying with me all night. I can’t believe after three years, you still remember the cologne I like.”

In that instant, Michelle’s smile vanished.

So that was why he suddenly changed his cologne.

It was the scent another woman liked.

While she was burning with fever, he was in someone else’s arms.

She felt exhausted.

Her heart completely hollowed.

If three years hadn’t been enough to warm his heart, then she no longer wanted it.

Michelle walked out onto the balcony and called her father. “Dad, I agree to the marriage. Do it as soon as possible, before I change my mind.”

Michelle vowed quietly, “Sigmund, since I was the one who started this, I’ll be the one to end it.”

After his shower, Sigmund lowered his head and caught her ear between his teeth, his fingers slipping beneath her shirt.

When Michelle tried to stop him, it was already too late. He pushed her down onto the bed, covering her lips with his as he moved to take her.

Then his phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, Sigmund froze for a second before quickly answering.

“Sigmund, I think someone broke into my house. Can you come over?”

His tone softened instantly, gentle and reassuring. “Stay where you are. Don’t worry, I’ll be right there.”

After hanging up, he brushed a quick kiss against Michelle’s lips. “Another job called last minute. They need me to cover a shift.”

Michelle said quietly, “Didn’t I tell you not to overwork yourself?”

“Things are different now. I know your family’s in trouble, so I need to work harder to take care of you,” Sigmund said, patting her head before changing clothes and heading out.

He didn’t return until late that night.

When he walked in, he noticed something was missing.

Then he realized all the things they’d once shared as a couple were gone.

Those were the little things she had carefully picked out after each date.

“What’s this about? Cleaning up all of a sudden? I thought those were your favorites.”

Michelle tossed a few more items into the trash and said casually, “I don’t like them anymore. I’ll buy new ones when I find something I like.”

Sigmund’s chest tightened for no reason, and he quickly grabbed her hand. “It’s late. Where are you going?”

“I’m staying at home tonight.”

Since moving in with Sigmund, Michelle had seldom gone back to her family home. During the height of her love for him, the only place where she could fall asleep peacefully was in his arms.

She gave him a faint smile, picked up her luggage, and walked out the door.

Once in the car, her phone rang again.

It was the real estate agent. “Miss Lowe, if you want to sell the villa quickly, you’ll take a loss. Are you sure? I can list it immediately if you’re certain.”

“The price doesn’t matter,” Michelle said steadily. “The sooner it’s sold, the better.”

The villa was one Michelle had bought for Sigmund three years ago.

The study, bathroom, and balcony—every corner still carried traces of their intimacy.

Even after her family’s downfall, she still thought about leaving a part of her wealth behind for Sigmund.

She wanted to ensure he’d have a secure future.

But now she realized he had never needed any of it.

He knew about her family’s bankruptcy, watched her getting forced into marriage, and did nothing.

When she was most desperate for money, he was still pretending to be poor right in front of her.

A faint, bitter smile tugged at Michelle’s lips.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a new message—someone wanted to meet her.

“Miss Lowe, my name is Emily Rivers. I’m Sigmund’s ex-girlfriend. He probably never mentioned me to you.

“Three years ago, I left the country to study after we had a fight, but we never officially broke up. Now that I’m back, Sigmund will come back to me.

“Last night, he was out the entire time. Aren’t you curious where he was? Don’t tell me you actually believe he’s so poor he had to work an overnight shift at that club.”

After speaking, Emily took out a bank card and slid it across the table toward Michelle.

“I know you’re short on money. Here’s 6 million dollars. You can use it however you need. But I have one condition. You have to leave Sigmund.”

Michelle’s throat tightened, and she let out a faint, humorless laugh.

How ironic.

She had always been the one using money to make people go away, yet tonight she was the one being bought off.

“Does Sigmund know you’re making decisions behind his back?”

Emily smiled. “You probably have no idea how close Sigmund and I were. We almost got married once.

“He used to take me to a different island every year because I loved the ocean. He bought a private restaurant just to recreate the food I missed from my childhood.

“There’s a tattoo on his chest—a rose ring. I inked it myself. It was meant to be our wedding ring.

“Do I need to tell you more about his background? You’ve been with him for three years and still don’t even know who he really is. Do you honestly think he loves you?”

A chill spread through Michelle’s body.

So, everything he liked and did have been because of Emily.

“Miss Lowe, you think you were keeping him, but in truth, he’s been using you as my substitute.”

Emily’s smile brightened, her tone almost teasing. “Do you believe me when I say that if I call him right now, he’ll come straight to me? Want to bet on it?”

A storm of emotions flashed through Michelle’s chest, but eventually, they all settled into calm.

She remembered the first birthday they spent together.

Sigmund brought her a cheap, ugly cake that tasted awful, yet she thought it was the best one she’d ever had.

That day, he held her close as she made a wish.

She said, “I hope you’ll still be with me for my next birthday.”

Sigmund had smiled and promised, “I’ll spend every birthday with you from now on.”

And once, when she’d been drunk and nearly assaulted, Sigmund had shown up just in time.

He held her trembling body in his arms and vowed, “From now on, I’ll always come for you first. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

To him, those promises meant nothing. But back then, she believed every word.

Michelle clenched her hands, forcing a smile. “I’ll do as you wish. I’ll leave him, but not because of anything you said tonight.”

Hearing the answer she wanted, Emily didn’t waste another word.

With the air of a victor, she stood and walked away.

Over the next few days, Michelle was busy arranging her engagement, and Sigmund never once tried to contact her.

It wasn’t until she returned to the club that she saw him again, sitting at the bar.

Sigmund seemed distracted all evening, his gaze constantly drifting elsewhere. He didn’t even notice when Michelle arrived.

Following his line of sight, she realized he’d been watching Emily the whole time.

Men surrounded Emily, drawn to her like moths to a flame.

“Ah, what are you doing? Don’t touch me!”

Her sharp cry broke through the noise.

Sigmund’s face darkened as he stormed forward, grabbing a bottle and smashing it over one man’s head.

He pulled Emily into his arms, his presence so cold and commanding that no one dared move.

Michelle’s heart nearly stopped.

She had never seen him lose control like that, but tonight, he was furious because of Emily.

The man who had dared touch Emily had his arm broken within seconds. No one else dared utter a word.

When Sigmund finally left with his people, the troublemakers were all thrown out of the club.

As Michelle walked past one of the private rooms, she heard a woman’s soft, teasing voice.

“Sigmund, don’t be so nice to me. You’re forgetting you have a girlfriend. What if she finds out and gets upset?”

“I don’t have a girlfriend. She was just your replacement.”