Halfway through the marriage registration process, Gary's delicate, irreplaceable first love sent a photo of herself tried to commit suicide by smashed her head into a wall.

Without a word, he abandoned me and went to get the certificate with his first love, then flew abroad for a honeymoon. That very night, her social media was updated with a floor littered with used condoms.

Gary's message followed shortly after: [Even though I got the marriage certificate with Mariska, she's still willing to let you be the mistress. You should learn to be as generous and understanding as her. Don't be ungrateful.]

[You know you can't live without me. Once your dad's entire estate is transferred to me, I'll take one day a week to visit you.]

[Mariska is afraid of pain. So, any children you give birth to will belong to her. After all, she's the main wife and you're just the side piece. If you want to keep my heart, you need to be sensible.]

I laughed. As the only daughter of the most powerful family among the four major clans in North England, whoever married me would gain the right to all my family's assets.

What Gary didn't know was, the moment he left me, I already changed my marriage partner.

——

A month later, I met Gary again at a private charity auction. He held Mariska by the waist, let her sit on his lap, kissed her wantonly in public.

The teasing cheers at the venue turned into mockery the moment I arrived, "Oh wow, Gary, your little simp finally couldn't hold back and came looking for you."

"Miss Parker, not bad this time. You broke your endurance record. It's been a whole month, huh? You must be missed Gary like crazy, didn't you?"

Gary casually lifted his head from Mariska's neck, arched a mocking brow, "Rose, am I being too kind to you? Don't you know what kind of trash you are? Playing hard to get with me? You think you're worthy? If you've got guts, don't come crawling back. You can't even be a decent simp, you're so disgusting."

During the five years I was with Gary, I'd heard words like these, seen expressions like that, countless times.

Back then, I was all about him, every time he belittled me in public, my eyes would redden with sadness, but I wouldn't dare cry in front of him for fear of making him angry.

Later, I'd bury my head under the blanket, cried into the pillow, blamed myself over and over, afraid he'd hate me.

But now, I just calmly replied, "I'm not here for you."

Gary didn't expect that attitude and thought I was still playing coy. He kicked away the chair in front of me and sneered, "Still pretending, huh? Stand right here. Later, whatever Mariska likes, you better make a bid on it all. If she's happy, I'll consider forgiving you."

"Gary," Mariska nestled into his arms, pouted sweetly, "I don't want anything bought with her filthy money. A spoiled heiress like her only knows how to flaunt and spend her parents' money. Who knows if it's even clean money. I want to buy what I like with my own ability."

Gary pinched her puffed cheeks with affection. "Yes, yes, my Mariska is a strong and independent woman. How could someone like her, a useless freeloader who only knows how to live off her family, ever compare?"

He said again, "It's Rose who insists on buying me stuff. You know how cheap she is. She can't live without licking my boots or spending on me. Just see it as helping her cure her pathetic nature."

Mariska giggled and reluctantly nodded. Then she looked up at me with disdain in her eyes, "Rose, no offense, but you're supposed to be a well-bred lady. Why are you clinging like a piece of duct tape? A real woman should be like me, independent and strong. You can't rely on men for everything. Otherwise, what's the difference between you and rotting apple?"

I lowered my eyes to her custom dress worth millions and gave a light smile.

The daughter of a housemaid, dared to lecture me, the only daughter of the wealthiest man in North England, about independence and strength?

I walked to the corner and found a quiet spot to sit down.

Gary frowned slightly, looked a bit dazed, vaguely sensed that I seemed different from before.

Before he could react, the group of friends around him burst out laughing and teased, "Tsk tsk tsk, here we go again, hiding in a corner to sob. Without Gary, Miss Parker can't even survive."

They said, "Don't forget, the Parker Family is the wealthiest in North England. Rose is their only daughter. Mr. Romeo Parker plans to choose a marriage partner for her from the other three top families at her 25th birthday banquet. I heard the candidate has already been decided. Whoever marries Rose inherits the entire Parker Family fortune."

"The Parker Family's assets start at tens of billions. Who knows who'll get this outrageous wealth?"

Someone immediately winked and smirked, "Isn't it obvious? Of course it's Gary. Everyone in North England knows how obsessed Rose is with him. Gary tells her to die and she wouldn't even hesitate for a second. Look, it's only been a month and she's already crawling back."

"Hahaha, to be a simp to this extent is unbeatable. Once she hands over the Parker Family fortune, the whole of North England will belong to the Osborn Family. Gary sure knows how to handle women. Teach us your ways, man."

Gary acted indifferent, but the subtle curve at the corner of his lips betrayed his delight.

He deliberately raised his voice so I could hear, "A cheap woman throwing herself at me isn't even worth a toe of Mariska's. If she wasn't fun to play with, I wouldn't even bother looking at her."

"She insists I marry her and I can't even shake her off. It's driving me crazy." After he finished, he waited for me to break down in tears.

In the past, at times like these, my eyes would already be red and filled with grievance.

But this time, not only did I not shed a tear, I didn't even glance at him.

Gary's face darkened on the spot. He was about to come over when Mariska clung to his arm, "Gary, the auction's starting. Stay with me."

Gary had no choice but to sit back down with her in his arms. Throughout the auction, Mariska liked almost every item.

She kept mumbling that she couldn't afford them, while pretending to be strong and saying she would work hard to buy them herself.

Seeing her pitiful expression, Gary was overwhelmed with sympathy. With a wave of his hand, he lit the auction lamp for every single item.

She happily wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him again and again.

As for me, I only raised my bid paddle once, when the final item, a men's wristwatch, came up.

The watch was sapphire blue, understated yet elegant. Its style matched well with the person in my heart. As a gift for registered our marriage, he would probably like it.

I got my ideal item and was ready to leave, but Gary stopped me.

Behind him stood the event organizer, he held a thick stack of receipts.

I was puzzled, "Is there something else?"

Gary took the receipt list and handed it to me, spoke in a condescending tone, "Don't say I never gave you a chance. Pay for all these items and I'll reluctantly have dinner with you tonight."

I flipped through the list, it was fifteen items in total. Because Mariska had been whining all night, Gary kept hit the auction lamp.

Originally worth less than a billion pound sterling, they were forcefully bid up to 2.5 billion pound sterling.

Seeing that I didn't respond for a long time, Mariska self-righteously scolded me, "Rose, relationships should be equal. You're Gary's girlfriend and you've always used his money for your food, clothes and expenses. You've never spent a dime yourself. Now we just ask you to pay a tiny bit for a gift for Gary and you're already unwilling? You say you love him, but that's so fake and selfish."

Gary, who had been slightly hesitant, seemed convinced by that reasoning.

His expression turned smug and righteous as he lowered his voice and said to me, "Mariska is my wife now. I'm giving you a chance to get along with her. If you upset her, don't blame me for not even letting you be the mistress. Hurry up and pay."

Looking at the smug confidence on his face, I almost laughed out of sheer anger.

All that talk about me living off Gary, was just cake leftover from Mariska, a meal she couldn't finish and a house my father bought for me, from which I was kicked out after catching them sneaking around, I was labeled as filthy and toxic woman.

In five years, I once adored those eyes and brows. But the moment he left me at the marriage office, that burning obsession instantly turned cold.

I looked at him now, all that remained was disgust.

I realized just how blind I'd been, how foolish to have wasted five years on such trash.

Seeing me silent, Gary impatiently snatched the wristwatch from my hand. Before I could stop him, he had already unwrapped it and put it on.

He said, "I'm even wearing your crappy gift now. Satisfied? Now hurry up. Keep acting and I really won't bother with you. Even if you kneel and bring me five billion later, don't dream of getting a word out of me."

Gary's buddies took the opportunity to scold me, "Rose, Gary's already giving you face. Don't push it. A little drama maybe cute, but too much just makes people sick."

"Exactly. It's just 2.5 billion pound sterling, it's just pocket change for you. Being so stingy is disgusting. You should learn from Mariska, she is generous and thoughtful. She bought her gift for Gary with money earned from her part-time jobs," they said.

I glanced at the cheap little doll keychain hanging from Gary's phone, completely out of place.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Very thoughtful indeed. What, that keychain is not even worth 9.9 pound?"

Mariska looked like she'd been mortally insulted. Her eyes instantly turned red as she bit her lip, tried to look like a pitiful, strong little flower, "I don't have your kind of money, but everything I buy, I earn with my own hands. I'm cleaner than you. How dare you humiliate me?"

Gary pulled her into his arms protectively and barked at me, "Apologize to Mariska!"

I smiled and shoved the entire receipt list into her arms, "Mm. You're clean, I'm dirty. So let your clean money pay for these gifts for your Gary."

Mariska's face turned ghostly pale. She slumped in Gary's arms as if about to faint.

Gary, burned with fury, slapped me across the face, "Rose, I've had enough! You dare bully Mariska like this? On your birthday banquet, even if you kneel and beg me, I won't agree to the marriage alliance!"

He shot me a glare and stormed out, carrying Mariska along.

In the past, those words would've shattered me. I would've cried, begged, done anything not to be abandoned. But now, I felt nothing.

That slap? Considered it repayment for him save me from the kidnappers five years ago.

A few days later, the jewelry store called. The wedding ring the Gilmore Family custom-ordered for me was ready.

When I rushed over, I saw Gary with his arm around Mariska's waist, they tried on rings. The two of them were pressed close, clearly intimate.

When he saw me come in, Gary snorted and deliberately bit Mariska's ear, make her squeal and swat him playfully.

As if that weren't enough, he grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply, right there, like no one else existed.