"But baby, you really do not need to block me. They will not check my phone."

I turned off the screen and ignored him.

Even now, Luke still thought this was just a fake breakup to fool his group of bad friends.

But I no longer wanted to play his game.

I threw away everything Madison might have touched and had replacements delivered overnight. I stayed busy until I no longer knew what time it was, then fell into a heavy sleep.

When I woke, there was a text from Luke.

"Come to the banquet hall at six tonight. Birthday dinner.

"Just say we broke up but can still be friends."

I still did not reply.

At six that evening, I arrived at the banquet hall anyway.

I wanted to make things clear. I wanted to put a clean period at the end of this relationship.

The manager respectfully pushed open the door for me.

When everyone inside saw me, the noise died.

For the first time, I took a long look at Luke's friends.

Amusement. Spectacle. Pity.

I had never truly belonged in his circle. At this moment, that no longer mattered.

Luke put out his cigarette and pulled out a chair for me with practiced thoughtfulness. Then he told the server, "Please turn down the air-conditioning and bring her a blanket. She gets cold easily."

Under everyone's stare, he took a packet of instant ginger tea from his pocket, mixed it with hot water, blew on it, and pushed it in front of me.

Someone began, "Luke, you and your girlfriend..."

Luke answered without thinking.

"Not girlfriend. We broke up."

Perhaps he realized that caring so much for an ex looked strange, because he added, "It is her birthday. A farewell meal does not need to be ugly."

His friends gave him a knowing look, then turned toward the door.

Madison Carter arrived late in a dramatic dress and went straight to sit beside Luke.

She asked, "What farewell meal?"

"Luke and his girl..."

Someone poked the speaker.

"Not his girl anymore."

"Right. Miss... what was it again?"

Luke frowned and interrupted.

"Emily."

"Oh, just call her Miss Miller," Madison said lightly. "We will not see her again anyway. A name is not that important."

Everyone brushed over it with laughter.

Only Ben Wallace, sitting across from Luke, kept staring at my face as if trying to remember something.

I had met him two months ago at a Miller family event.

I gave him a small nod.

Luke noticed him staring and said with a teasing edge, "What, are you interested in my ex-girlfriend?"

Madison patted Luke on the shoulder.

"She is your ex. Why do you care?

"Do you not want to win our bet?"

This time, Luke did not answer.

His friends soon changed topics.

"Madison, I heard your dad is going after the Miller Southside project."

"Not officially," Madison said. "But Carter Group is very well prepared."

"Maybe you should convince your dad to partner with Luke.

"Only your families could handle a project like that. Once you two land it, give the rest of us a little piece too."

Madison glanced at me, then smiled sweetly at Luke.

"I am willing, of course. But whether my dad agrees depends on Luke."

Luke placed the shrimp he had just peeled into my bowl.

"It is her birthday. Do not talk business."

Madison's smile stiffened. She raised her glass.

"Look at me, stealing the spotlight. Miss Miller, you do not mind, do you?"

The wine in her glass poured over my dress without spilling a drop elsewhere.

I wiped it calmly, looked at every face around the table, then locked my eyes on Madison.

"I do mind.

"This dress is from Chanel's latest collection. Thirty thousand dollars.

"The items Miss Carter used at my house yesterday have all been thrown away. Total value: nineteen hundred dollars.

"Since Miss Carter is clearly so generous, please pay for everything together. Card or cash?"

"Are you robbing me?"

Even Luke looked at me with disapproval.

"Emily Miller, that is too much."

"Luke, where did you find this girlfriend? No, ex-girlfriend?"

"Latest Chanel collection? She knows where she bought it."

"We came over in the middle of the night to help set up her birthday party, and now she treats us like suckers."

Ben, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

"Emily Miller. I remember now."

"You are Robert Miller's daughter. The Miller heiress."

The room went still for a few seconds.

Then sharper laughter exploded across the table.

"Ben, you have not even been drinking. How is your brain already fried? How could she be the Miller heiress? She just happens to have the same last name."

Madison scoffed.

"Ben, if you want to rescue a damsel, you do not need to invent such a bad lie."

Ben looked at Luke.

"Luke, she is your girlfriend. You should know her best.

"Do you really not know she is Robert Miller's daughter?"

Luke stared at me, brows drawn tight.

Madison pulled him closer to her side, placing a clear line between us.

"Ben, if you like Miss Miller, go after her yourself.

"Luke has already broken up with her. He will not stop you.

"But you teaming up with Miss Miller to lie to all of us? Did she offer you something?"

"Ben," Luke said, his dark eyes turning to him. "When did you two get in touch?"

"Enough!"

I did not want to keep performing in this circus.

Luke cut me off, his tone suddenly sharp.

"You are defending him?"

"Luke Bennett, I am Robert Miller's daughter.

"What happened between us has nothing to do with Ben. You do not need to question him."

Luke gave a cold laugh.

"Emily Miller, you are lying to me for him?

"Since we started dating, when were you not with me? Which dress, which pair of shoes, which bag of yours did I not buy?

"Would Robert Miller's daughter have that much free time? Would she use her body to trade with a man for money?"

The slap rang through the suddenly silent banquet hall.

I lowered my hand and looked into the black eyes in front of me.

Once, I had seen those same eyes in the dark.

That night, when a creep cornered me and I was too frightened to move, he had appeared like the only light in a sky full of darkness.

Later, I learned his name was Luke Bennett.

To get close to him, I began asking my best friend Sarah Collins to bring me to parties in his circle. I chased him openly and warmly.

The night our relationship changed, Madison handed me a glass of brutal high-proof liquor.

She said, "If you can finish this, Luke will date you."

I glanced at Luke. He was hidden in the corner of a couch and said nothing.

They wanted me to back down.

But I, Emily Miller, had never been good at lowering my head.

I smiled and took the glass.

Just as the liquor reached my lips, Luke rushed over with anger in his face.

"Are you crazy?"

I fell into those eyes again.

Now, it was still those eyes. But when they looked at me, there was no warmth left.

"Emily Miller, are you crazy?"

Luke backed me into a corner, his long fingers clamping around my wrist.

"Do you care that much about how he sees you?

"Am I wrong? Back then, were you not the one chasing me like your life depended on it?

"We dated for a month. Did you not sleep with me?"

He glanced at Ben, who stood frozen nearby, and smiled with bitter mockery.

"Or do you think you found someone more worth trusting than me?"

He lowered his head close to my ear.

"Emily Miller, ask him. Would he dare take a woman who was mine?

"Between us, you were never the one who got to decide."

I pushed him away and looked at the man who once made my heart race.

When I loved him, I was willing to run into the wall again and again.

Because I had loved him, I had wanted us to part with dignity.

But now that I saw him clearly, I no longer wanted to swallow a single grievance.

Before I could speak, noise rose at the entrance.

"Emily, happy birthday! Look who I brought!"

My best friend Sarah Collins arrived late with Mr. Thompson, my father's secretary.

"Uncle Robert had an emergency meeting and could not leave, so he asked me to bring Mr. Thompson first."

Sarah's gaze swept sharply across the room before she stepped in front of me.

"Looks like we came at the wrong time.

"I am only a little late, and you all already ganged up on her?"

Her eyes burned straight through Luke.

"Your girlfriend, and you joined other people to bully her?"

Luke inhaled deeply and suddenly calmed down.

"Emily, apologize to Madison.

"Everything else, I can let go."

Madison clung to his arm at once.

"Sarah, I only spilled a little wine on Miss Miller's dress by accident. Then she demanded thirty thousand dollars.

"I know Miss Miller needs money. I am willing to pay her, but how could she team up with Ben to lie to and betray Luke?

"I really cannot swallow that. Do not let her fool you too."

Sarah stepped in front of me without hesitation.

"Madison Carter, that routine may work on blind Luke, but not on me.

"And Emily is Robert Miller's daughter. She does not need your money."

Another wave of laughter filled the hall.

"Sarah, this lie was exposed already. Stop helping her. It is embarrassing."

"Everyone knows Robert Miller adores his only daughter. Be careful if this reaches the real Miss Miller. You might be in trouble."

Mr. Thompson stepped forward and blocked those stares.

"Miss Emily is the boss's only daughter.

"I advise everyone here to learn right from wrong before speaking.

"As for Miss Carter's claim that Miss Emily deceived Mr. Bennett, Miller Group's legal department will address it. Miss Carter should be prepared to take responsibility for her words.

"And as for betrayal, I do not believe our boss has ever acknowledged Mr. Bennett as his son-in-law."

"Miss Miller, you and Secretary Thompson..."

Madison opened her mouth in feigned shock, looking heartbroken.

"Did you run into some kind of trouble? You could have told me and Luke.

"Even though you and Luke have broken up, and even though Luke only dated you because of my bet, we still would have helped you."

At the word bet, Luke's expression stiffened.

He avoided my eyes.

"What bet? Luke Bennett, are you even human? You made Emily part of a bet? She liked you so much!"

I stopped Sarah before she could explode and asked him in a low voice, "Luke Bennett, is there anything else you want to say to me?"

At last, I could ask the question without fear.

Luke turned toward me. His dark eyes held mine, and he sighed.

"Emily, yes. I dated you because of the bet.

"It did not have to become this ugly between us. But by asking this question today, you broke the rule we silently agreed to."

I laughed.

"Rule? What rule?"

Luke turned his face away.

"Whoever holds power makes the rules.

"You can go. I will not make things difficult for you.

"And I will not let them make things difficult for you either."

"Luke Bennett, the person who should leave is you."

I sat down with a cold smile and waved my hand.

The manager bowed respectfully.

"Boss."

At the same time, the banquet hall doors opened.

Madison and the others gasped.

"You... why are you here?"