“All my friends at least get $200 gifts like 1314. Even the worst boyfriends send $800. And you? Barely a hundred bucks. What are you trying to do, feed a beggar? I don’t even have the courage to post this on social media!”

Guilt gnawed at me, and I promised her over and over that one day I’d make real money and give her the best life.

I begged her to wait for me two more years. Just two years, and I would marry her.

But Sophia Reed sneered:

“Two years, two years—how many ‘two years’ does a woman have? With your pathetic salary, when will you ever save enough for a million-dollar dowry? By the time you come to marry me, I’ll already be a thirty-year-old has-been!”

That night, we had our fiercest fight. Neither of us said the word “breakup,” but neither of us sent another message for a month.

She blocked me and moved away.

And just like that, my first love was over.

Later, I climbed step by step to the position of general manager in the Carter Group, multiplying the company’s performance many times over.

But my stepmother, Margaret Carter, feared I might compete with Daniel Carter for the family fortune. So, overnight, she sent me abroad, claiming it was to “expand our overseas business.”

Snapping back to the present, I messaged my assistant, Kevin Johnson:

“Book me a flight back to the United States in two days.”

“And have the limited-edition Pagani shipped over. I want to drive it.”

The moment I stepped out of the car at the hotel entrance, I drew countless stares.

Many of those staring were my old college acquaintances—people who once knew Sophia and me.

“Whoa, what the hell is that? Never seen that brand before. Must be some cheap knockoff.”

“Wait, isn’t that Ethan Carter? The poor loser Sophia dumped back in college!”

“That car frame looks familiar. Isn’t it just one of those new Teslas?”

“Bet he spent a fortune ‘modding’ it. Always pretending to be rich. Sophia, look! Your first love is here—driving some trashy car! Hahaha! Did he really think we wouldn’t recognize it?”

Sophia, dressed in a custom-made wedding gown, stood at the entrance, her eyes filled with expectation as she looked toward the Carter family estate.

Hearing their laughter, she turned. The contempt in her gaze was impossible to hide.

“Ethan, you really went all out just to show up at my wedding, didn’t you?”

“Too bad. Even a Tesla maxes out at thirty grand. No matter how much you modify it, it’s still garbage. It only proves your inferiority complex—nothing more!”

“Seeing you so pathetic now only makes me even more certain—I was right to leave you. No matter how hard a sparrow tries, it can never become a phoenix.”

One of my old roommates laughed out loud and mocked me:

“Ethan, don’t you know? Sophia’s fiancé gave her a Porsche as an engagement gift. Limited edition, studded with diamonds! If you really like sports cars that much, why don’t you get down on your knees and beg her? Who knows, maybe her soft heart will take pity on you!”

Someone jabbed him with an elbow.

“Hey, don’t say that. A man’s pride is worth more than gold. Ethan showing up in a souped-up car is already entertaining enough. Otherwise, how would we get to see something this ugly?”

“Unbelievable! I’ve lived thirty years and never seen someone so desperate to show off. I’ve gotta snap a picture for social media!”

Ever since I left the country, the Carter Group under Daniel’s management had plummeted. Its market value dropped by billions.

If not for my overseas profits propping them up, the family would have been wiped off the map in New York City long ago.

And yet, they had the nerve to use my money to curry favor with women?

Sophia tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smirked.

“Ethan, my husband says he’ll hire me a driver after the wedding. If you’re really that obsessed with cars, I can put in a word for you. You could drive for me. Consider it repayment for all you did back then.”

I knew they were ignorant, but I didn’t expect them to be this stupid.

I almost laughed, but kept my face expressionless as I explained:

“This isn’t a modified car. It’s a Pagani—worth twenty million.”

“Dollars.”

For a moment, the crowd went silent.

Then came an explosion of laughter.

“Pagani? More like Panini! Did you get the name wrong? Too much fast food must’ve fried your brain!”

“Ethan Carter, wake up. You and Sophia Reed haven’t been in the same world for years. Spending so much effort on this car—are you still trying to win her back?”

“One Hermès bag of hers is worth more than that piece of junk!”

Seeing Sophia’s smug, arrogant gaze, I shot back coldly:

“Win her back? I have no interest in a woman obsessed with vanity.”

“And I despise a woman who’s crawled into the beds of ten different sugar daddies.”

“Only the blind Carter family would treat her like treasure. Rotten roots, rotten branches—no wonder you’re all blind together.”

“Since I’m not welcome here, I won’t attend the wedding. Goodbye.”

I turned to leave, but Sophia lunged forward, slapping me hard across the face.

“You bastard! What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Who had sugar daddies?!”

“You couldn’t have me, so now you slander me? You’ve gone insane with jealousy!”

“You claim you don’t want me, yet here you are, driving a pathetic car just to show off!”

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and sneered.

“What’s wrong? Should I tell everyone how you used to get into that Maybach waiting outside the school gates?”

“The hotel check-in records were sent straight to my phone.”

“Did you really think I didn’t know?”

“I left you your dignity—it’s you who’s shameless. Let go, or I’ll call security.”

Her composure cracked instantly, her face flushed red with rage.

“You’re lying! Who got into a Maybach?!”

“You came here just to ruin my wedding, didn’t you? I must have been blind to ever love you! Get out—leave right now!”

She raised her hand to hit me again.

I held up my phone.

“I still have the evidence.”

“Try hitting me again, and I guarantee by tonight the entire internet will know just how colorful your past really is.”

I turned toward my car, but Sophia grabbed my sleeve and yanked hard.

“Stop! What evidence? Tell me now!”

“Let me go!”

In the struggle, a loud rip split the air—her wedding dress tore at the hem.

Sophia’s face twisted in fury.

“Ethan, I’ll kill you! This gown was a custom luxury design—cost over a million dollars to ship from overseas!”

“You’re just trying to ruin everything for me!”

I spread my hands.

“You grabbed me first. Not my problem.”

“And a million? Crawl into a few more beds and you’ll get it back easily enough.”

Her eyes went bloodshot as she screamed at the onlookers.

“What are you standing there for? Can’t you see this bastard humiliating me?”

“Beat him!”

“Smash his damn car—I want to see how he pretends after that!”

I rushed in front of the Pagani, blocking it with my body.

“Touch it, and I swear the entire Carter family couldn’t afford the price you’ll pay.”

Sophia lost all reason, shrieking like a madwoman:

“It’s just a broken Tesla, what are you even showing off for?!”

“The Carters’ money could buy your worthless life a hundred times over!”

Several of the classmates surged forward.

“Ethan, you’ve lost your mind! That dress was specially chosen by Daniel Carter for Sophia!”

“Figures—poor men are always trouble. Date one once, and he sticks to you like a leech you can never scrape off!”

“Ethan, you’re just bitter Sophia dumped you for a rich heir. You’ve got no one to blame but yourself for being useless! Now that you’ve offended the Carter family, don’t even think about surviving in New York City!”

“Guys, we have to stand up for Sophia! Get him!”

I tried to break free, but two men hoisted me off the ground, holding me immobile.

One smashed a bottle against my car window, another dragged a brick along the paint, grinding it mercilessly.

In the blink of an eye, my Pagani—one of only ten in the world—was reduced to a heap of twisted metal.

Rage made my entire body tremble.

“Sophia, you’re insane! Do you even know what you’re doing?”

“This is a crime! Do you want to go to prison?”

She slipped off her high heels and whipped them across my face.

The flesh split open instantly, blood pouring down.

“Crime? In New York City, the Carter family is the law!”

“You tried and failed to seduce me again, and now you’re furious. But tell me—when my husband arrives, do you think he’ll arrest you or me?”

“Ethan Carter, you were trash five years ago, and now, five years later, you’re still trash beneath my heel. You’ll never rise above it in this lifetime!”

She glanced at the others.

“Let him go.”

“If you kneel right now and kowtow in apology, I might let bygones be bygones and offer you a driver’s position. That way, you’ll get to see me every day.”

“If not… you’ll regret it.”

I spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered.

“Apologize? In your dreams.”

“Sophia, I swear you’ll pay a heavy price for this day. I promise you.”

A sharp crack rang out as she slapped me again, even harder this time, pushing me over the edge of fury.

“Still mouthing off at death’s door? Just wait until my husband comes—you’ll see who really pays the price!”

“This gown cost two million. If you don’t pay every last cent, you won’t walk out of here alive!”

If I hadn’t sworn never to strike a woman, she would already be incapable of speaking.

I let out a cold laugh.

“Fine. Just let me go. Two million? I’ll pay.”

“In fact, I’ll pay ten times that.”

The crowd howled with laughter.

“Listen to him! His words stink worse than athlete’s foot! Ten times two million? Does he even realize how much that is? In cash, it could bury him alive!”

“Sophia, he’s lost his mind ever since you dumped him. He’s nothing but a deranged pauper now!”

“Lucky you didn’t marry him back then. Otherwise, how would you be enjoying your life now?”

I pulled out my phone and recorded a voice message to my assistant.

“Withdraw two hundred million. In cash.”

“I don’t know if it’s enough to bury me—but it’s definitely enough to bury them.”

Then I dialed 911.

“Hello? Police? I want to report a violent assault. There’s a mob attacking me. The location is—”

Before I could finish, Sophia snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it on the ground.

“You dare call the cops?!”

“Call them, I’ll show you!”

“Hold him down—beat him until he can’t stand!”

A rain of fists crashed onto me. My face swelled so badly it was unrecognizable.

Finally, someone hesitated.

“Sophia, this… this doesn’t look good. He’s barely breathing.”

She waved dismissively.

“What’s there to fear? If something happens, my husband will handle it!”

She called Daniel Carter, her voice dripping with false panic.

“Honey, my poor ex lost his mind—he came to the hotel to crash the wedding! He even tore my gown to shreds!”

“But don’t worry, my classmates have him under control. He’s just been roughed up a little.”

“You know I only love you, darling. Besides you, I’ll never marry anyone else in this lifetime!”

“Please hurry—I’m so scared!”

Hanging up, she looked down at me with a cruel smirk, pressing her bare foot against my head.

“Ethan, you ruined my wedding and shredded my gown. If you admit fault now, I might even give you a discount on the compensation.”